Bad Kissingen, located 50 kms north of Würzburg, is, besides Baden Baden, Germany's most famous spa. The town's “Kur” history starts back as early as 1520. Many German and Austrian emperors flocked to Bad Kissingen and held the natural resources and spa treatments of the resort in high regard. The most famous visitors were Emperor Franz Josef and his wife empress Elisabeth (“Sisi”), Tsar of Russia Alexander II, Prince Otto von Bismarck – the first German Prime Minister, King of Bavaria Ludwig II, Bernhard Shaw, Leo Tolstoy, Rossini, Richard Strauss. The concerts of the summer music festival launched 26 years ago take place in the Regentenbau, famous for its brilliant accoustics. The programme of the opening concert on June 17th featured Wagner's Siegfrid-Idyll, Mozart's Piano Concerto in C Minor (K.491) and Tchaikovsky's Symphony No.5. The soloist of the Mozart concerto was the Norvegian pianist, Leif Ove Andsnes. Bavarian Radio broadcasted the concert live. On June l9th the BFO gave another concert at the famous Bavarian spa. The programme included works by Richard Strauss, Ernst von Dohnányi, Johannes Brahms, Zoltán Kodály and Nicoló Paganini. This has been the BFO's fifth visit to the prestigious festival.