Austria ‘may open borders’ to Italy & over 20 European states as Salzburg Festival begins on August 1

Austria will reopen its borders to Italy and more than 20 other European countries next week, officials were quoted as saying on Tuesday. The move could ease tensions with Rome after Vienna singled its southern neighbor out for continued coronavirus-related checks.

Details of the decision will be finalized at a ministerial meeting on Wednesday, Reuters reported, citing officials. The Foreign Ministry has not commented on the report.

The Salzburg Festival of classical music, Europe’s top festival, announced on Tuesday it will stage a reduced 100th anniversary celebration, with capacities limited to about 50 percent. Ninety performances will be presented, down from 212 originally scheduled.

Venues will be cut from 16 to seven and intermissions eliminated to reduce audience interaction. Originally set to run from July 18 to August 30, the festival will now start August 1, AP reports. Nearly every other major summer festival in Europe and the US has been canceled.