The wellenklænge, Lunz am See festival was founded in 1997 by Suzie Heger.

Suzie Heger was born in 1946 in Klosterneuburg and grew up in Lunz am See in southern Lower Austria. After obtaining a teaching degree, she went on to work as a costume and stage designer for film, TV and theatre productions – among other things for the Volkstheater in Vienna.
Between 1997 and 2017, she was the artistic director of the wellenklænge music festival in Lunz am See which she also founded. It is a concert series taking place between the realms of jazz, classical and contemporary music revolving around its centrepiece: the lake stage on Lake Lunz that was built in 2004.
Thanks to the “Kunst im öffentlichen Raum” grant from the federal state of Lower Austria and the support of the municipality of Lunz am See, the unique project by artist Hans Kupelwieser could be realized:
The lake stage is a hybrid structure that serves as a stage as well as a diving platform for the adjacent lakeside lido. During swimming hours, the floating stage is underwater on standby and can be mechanically retrieved as needed. The multi-level sun deck can be turned into a covered theatre seating area.
This makes for a unique backdrop for unforgettable evenings that is unparalleled far and wide!

With the season of 2018, Suzie Heger handed the directorship over to musician couple Julia Lacherstorfer and Simon Zöchbauer both of whom have been closely linked to the festival for years; they have performed on the lake stage many times themselves.
“I want my time as artistic director to come to a strong end and open the door for my successors”, Heger said at her last press conference in 2017.
With the new directorship, the festival also gets a new look and on the whole a new and younger team. With regards to contents, however, the open and broad-minded programming of wellenklænge founder Suzie Heger – who won the Österreichischer Kunstpreis (Austrian Art Award) in 2017, her last year – will be continued by the new art director team.

AWARDS
NÖ Kulturpreis, Kulturinitiativen, 2013 (Culture Award of Lower Austria, Culture Initiatives)
Outstanding Artist Award, 2014
Österreichischer Kunstpreis, 2017 (Austrian Art Award)