The 23rd Rheingau Musik Festival takes to the stage from 26 June until 28 August 2010 under the artistic direction of Michael Herrmann and is focused on the main themes »Fernweh« (Wanderlust), »Schumann / Chopin 200th anniversary«, »Festival Special: Opera«, and the composer portrait »Kaija Saariaho«. 154 concerts will be performed at 42 venues in the Rheingau and in neighbouring regions. Numerous castles, concert halls, palaces, charming old churches, monasteries and basilicas, traditional wine estates are among the attractive venues. This summer's guest artists include such eminent soloists and ensembles as Anne-Sophie Mutter, Daniel Barenboim, Lorin Maazel, Vladimir Ashkenazy, Valerij Gergiev, Christoph Eschenbach, Paavo Järvi, Thomas Hampson, Diana Damrau, Angelika Kirchschlager, Ian Bostridge, Rudolf Buchbinder, Albrecht Mayer, Measha Brueggergosman, Hélène Grimaud, Philippe Jaroussky, Xavier de Maistre, Elke Heidenreich, Fazil Say, Maxim Vengerov, Martin Grubinger, Windsbach Boys Choir, Vienna Philharmonic, Mariinsky Theatre Symphony Orchestra, City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Sydney Symphony Orchestra or the hr-Sinfonieorchester. In its 23rd season, the festival transforms once again the region between Wiesbaden and Lorch into a huge concert stage on which celebrated and renowned, national and international musicians walk on and off. Artists of renown worthwhile discovering make the festival attractive, just as the programme's main focal themes do. The full and detailed programme is available on the EFA website. In an interview on 9 May 2010 in the framework of the Varna Broadcast project, launched by the Varna Summer International Music Festival, Michael Herrmann, Director of the Rheingau Musik Festival and Vice President of the European Festivals Association, spoke about the festival’s mission and vision and the role of an umbrella organisation such as EFA.