She's sung at the famed Salzburg Festival, and later this year, will perform at Japan's Saito Kinen Festival.

WSJ: 'Heisman Trophy of opera' goes to Isabel Leonard

Does that mean the future of a truly lively Salzburg festival is assured?

ECONOMIST: What to wear for Salzburg

Philippe Jordan leads concert performances at the Salzburg Festival in August.

WSJ: Richard Wagner's 'Orphans' | By Matthew Gurewitsch

Looking to future seasons. the Met has joined with the Royal Opera and the Salzburg Festival to commission Thomas Ades' "The Exterminating Angel, " based on the Luis Bunuel film.

WSJ: Met cuts ticket prices following box office slump

Over the following years Mr Kaplan was invited to conduct flagship ensembles at La Scala in Milan, in Munich and Vienna, to open the prestigious Salzburg festival and to give the work its Chinese premiere in Beijing.

ECONOMIST: Gilbert Kaplan

Not all festival offerings are as strenuous as that, but to get the most out of Salzburg these days you have to work hard and make some tough choices.

ECONOMIST: What to wear for Salzburg