The new production of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's 1790 opera "Cosi fan tutte," featuring French soprano Patricia Petitbon and Danish baritone Bo Skovhus, premieres Thursday as part of the month-long Salzburg Festival, which opened last weekend.

Opera-goers with tickets to the event have paid up to 370 euros ($522) for seats. Webcasters who tune in digitally several hours after the curtain falls pay just 7.90 euros and can access the show for up to two weeks.

The Salzburg Festival follows the example of the equally elite Bayreuth Festival, which began offering Webcasts of selected opera performances last year.

With public viewing, however, Salzburg took the lead. It has been broadcasting performances live and free of charge since 2002, while Bayreuth jumped on the bandwagon just last year.

Drama behind the scenes

The Salzburg Festival gained prestige under the leadership of conductor Herbert von Karajan in the 1950s. Unlike the Bayreuth Festival, it offers a wide mix of opera, instrumental concerts and theater.

The organization has been plagued by a recent series of personnel changes, with both Artistic Director Juergen Flimm and Business Chief Gerbert Schaighofer cutting their contracts short to leave in 2011.

Flimm, who has been offered a job at the Berlin State Opera, is to be replaced by the current head of the Zurich Opera, Alexander Pereira.

kjb/cn/AFP/dpa

Editor: Sean Sinico