Seven in the morning: for some, it is the start of a working day; for others, the time between a night shift and sleep, the school run and childcare. On 10 November, the Montforter Zwischentöne in Feldkirch invites audiences to a sunrise concert in the atrium of the Montforthaus. Music, readings and movement will open the day. The early start is more than an appealing departure from the usual evening concert: it reveals just how much culture depends on when it takes place.
The festival runs from 9 to 30 November, with this edition taking “and now!?” as its theme. The morning format does not begin with a conventional concert programme alone. According to the organisers, audiences can either respond to movement prompts from Carolina Fink or follow the sounds of Carles Muñoz Camarero and a selection of texts. The musician brings cello, Swedish nyckelharpa and vocals; Zoe Hutmacher provides spoken word and acting. A shared breakfast with coffee and croissants is planned afterwards.
A time is an invitation – and a boundary
The idea has its appeal: experiencing music not as an evening engagement after a long day, but as a deliberate way to begin it. The festival points to the view from the rooftop gallery, from which the sun can be seen rising over Schattenburg and the old town between seven and eight in November. In the atrium, the concert thus connects with a specific time of day and a particular place.
Yet an early start is not automatically an accessible one. Anyone wishing to attend at seven has to reach Feldkirch in time. For people with early work starts, changing shifts, caring responsibilities or a longer journey, that may be the decisive obstacle. In its survey on reconciling work and family life, Statistics Austria notes that working hours and caring responsibilities fit together to varying degrees depending on occupation and sector. This tells us nothing about the audience for this concert, but it is a reminder that free time is not equally available to everyone.
An evening slot is no neutral solution either. It can clash with caring responsibilities, shift work or the last train. Concert times do not simply distribute access between “early” and “late”; each favours people whose daily lives can accommodate what is on offer. The question “Who owns concert times?” is therefore less about an ideal hour than about variety: are there multiple opportunities, different durations and venues – and information that allows people to plan their attendance?
Generations meet – under different conditions
The Zwischentöne is not focusing solely on morning audiences. On 22 November, the Montforthaus programme features “Hey, hey, hey, Taxi!”, a children’s opera based on the book by Saša Stanišić. The festival overview describes it as a commissioned work. An event like this appeals to children and those accompanying them, but here too, attendance depends on practical conditions: the start time, the journey, the ticket and the ability to set aside time together.
The sunrise concert, meanwhile, is explicitly designed to offer a choice between movement and quiet listening. This openness can offer different ways in, but it is no substitute for information about how accessible the venue is or who can actually attend. The programme information reviewed provides no further details on these points. A preview can therefore describe the concept, but cannot anticipate its impact.
Perhaps that is precisely the value of the early slot: it shifts the familiar order of concert-going and invites us to reflect on the conditions underpinning it. The music begins at seven. Whether this means more people begin their day with culture depends not only on the programme, but also on how many routes lead into the hall – and how many rhythms of life it can accommodate.
Original reviewed by the editors · 6 November 2026