A. Lange & Söhne - Salzburg Whitsun Festival Final Sponsorship
WORLDTEMPUS - 15 June 2011
The company that started Saxon watchmaking in 1845, A. Lange & Söhne is one of the finest producers of German calibers and timepieces in the world and is a brand that justifiably aligns itself with culture and the arts. The brand sponsors the Dresden State Art Collections, and for the past five years has supported the production of an opera celebrating forgotten masterpieces at the Salzburg Whitsun Festival held every summer. This year marked the fifth and final production with the German brand's support: Saverio Mercadante's opera "I due Figaro," which premiered on June 10 under the direction of iconic conductor Riccardo Muti and his Orchestra Giovanile Luigi Chrubini.
"Thanks to the wonderful support of A. Lange & Söhne, the Salzburg Whitson Festival has been able to exceed our expectations," said the 2011 Pfingstfestspiele president Helga Rabl-Stadler in an opening press conference. "When Maestro Riccardo Muti agreed to renew his contract for two more years after the initial three-year plan, Lange stepped right in and graciously agreed to be our exclusive sponsor. Its product is as beautiful as the works we achieve here."
Indeed, according to Lange CEO Wilhelm Schmid, the company is pleased to sponsor such cultural events as they demonstrate the similarities of "our approach in design and style, our blending of history with modern designs for watch collectors of today — much like the opera of forgotten pieces appeals to connoisseurs today."
A. Lange & Söhne has been the exclusive sponsor of the festival for the past five years. The brand has not only brought more than 500 journalists and customers from more than 20 countries to Salzburg, but has also generously donated tickets to the initiative "Hunger for Arts and Culture," enabling persons living below the poverty line to attend the event.
In addition to clocks throughout the opera house and signage throughout the lovely city of Salzburg, A. Lange & Söhne automobiles with the brand's name proudly displayed on the doors transported customers and journalists around the city. The three-day event was preceded by a fantastic tour of the Lange factory premises in Glashutte.