As a professional storyteller I had already heard about the Fabelhaft International Storytelling Festival from colleagues in the United States and Germany. I caught up with festival director Tessa Tegetthoff in Café Promenade, a light airy coffee house and popular meeting place in Graz.
This international festival was founded in 1988 by Tessa’s father, storyteller Folke Tegetthoff. Originally based in Graz, the festival is nowadays centred on Bad Schönau in the Bucklige Welt region, with other festival locations in St. Pölten, Baden and the Schallaburg Castle. By taking the event out of the city, the aim is to attract visitors to the beautiful landscape and to encourage local people to share their stories. Special signs have been erected at places of interest, telling stories about them. There are specially organised tours so that visitors can meet local craftspeople and learn about the culture of this picturesque and “un-touristy” part of Austria.
The rich culture of music is also to be found all around the city of Graz. I was fortunate to have been shown around by Professor Hermann Härtel, an expert on Austrian folk music. We drove to Gasthof Jaritz in Gratkorn, a picturesque little place just 15 miles from Graz. This inn is one of a wide network of places where visitors can stay and experience true Austrian folk music. Johann Jaritz, the owner, is himself a fine singer, and on the night we were there I heard some wonderful yodelling from people who had gathered to join Hermann. I plan on returning to stay at the place that offers a wonderful welcome. What they say on their brochure was true for me – “Come as a guest and leave as a friend”.
The next day saw us heading up into the Alps. I was charmed to see the cows grazing on the upland pasture and to hear their bells just as I had read about in my childhood stories. Our destination was a mountain hut above the village of Übelbach where music sessions often take place. A treat awaited us as husband and wife singing duo Veronika and Hansjörg Aigner performed some folksongs with a beautiful backdrop of the valley.
I had the good fortune to experience one of Veronika’s home-cooked meals the next day. She had promised local Styrian fare and we were not disappointed. We scoffed the lot, from the delicious noodle soup to a main dish of Styrian pot roast, dumplings then delicious cake, washed down with chilled home-made elderflower wine. I felt that this was the real Austria – the mix of scenery, excellent local food, folksongs and yes, even some more yodelling!
LIZ WEIR is a professional storyteller who works with all age groups promoting the traditional art for which Ireland is world famous. A children’s librarian by training, she now travels the world telling stories to adults and children, organising workshops on storytelling, and speaking at courses for parents, teachers and librarians. Her wealth of stories is drawn from both the oral and written traditions.
original on treasures.austria.info
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