Salzburg Marionette Theatre was established in 1913 and is one of the oldest continuing marionette theatres in the world. It is based in the city of Salzburg, Austria. Original productions featured live actors and musicians. Today soundtracks are recorded. The Salzburg Marionette Theatre performs a large repertoire of operas, ballets and productions for both children and adults, using marionettes.
The Salzburg Marionette Theatre was founded in 1913 by Professor Anton Aicher. The original production was Bastien and Bastienne, a marionette version of Mozart's famous opera. The company repertoire expanded the following year to incorporate thirteen additional productions.
The Salzburg Marionette Theatre grew more adventurous and started to tour its productions abroad, starting in Hamburg, Germany in 1927. The company made further tours to the Balkan countries. In 1936, it toured the Soviet Union visiting Moscow and Leningrad. As a sign of artistic excellence, the company was awarded the Gold Medal at the 1937 World's Fair in Paris. In 1938, the year of the Anschluss, the Salzburg Marionette Theatre made an extensive tour of Germany and Sweden.
During World War II, the government instructed the Salzburg Marionette Theatre to make tours of frontline areas and the troupe performed in German-occupied Norway, Poland, Russia and Romania until it was forced to cease operations in 1944.