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For a quarter of a century, "Wildes Holz" has been synonymous with the best live music, with captivating good humor and snotty joy in playing. To mark the anniversary, the ensemble presents its new program, "25 Years on the Wood Path." From their beginnings as street musicians to their first CDs and current hits, the three musicians review the highlights of their creative phases. In their concerts, they recount their experiences on and off stage, quirky encounters, funny anecdotes, and moving moments, captivating audiences with humor, charm, and joy in playing. It quickly becomes clear that this journey is far from over, as their joy in bringing seemingly impossible things together will surely last for the next 25 years!

What began in 2017 as a musical celebration to mark the festival's 30th anniversary has now become an integral part of every Rheingau summer: When we invite you to "Soul am Dom" at the beginning of July, Geisenheim's Cathedral Square is transformed into a large open-air stage for every kind of soulful sound. Returning this year are the musicians of Soultyzer, who have repeatedly warmed up Rheingau audiences at various festival events. The band not only brings 100% danceable groove and pure joy to the table, but also some classics from soul, funk, Latin, gospel, and jazz. With select wines and regional delicacies, "Soul am Dom" is also a true Rheingau event. We look forward to seeing you and say: Clear the stage for our musical "festival with the region"!

He received his first musical training with the Kiedrich Chorbuben (Kiedrich Boys Choir), after which Andreas Scholl conquered the big stages – but the countertenor always enjoys returning to his roots: A native of the Rheingau region, he has been a long-time guest with us and is at home on stages throughout the region. This year, the celebrated countertenor, together with his wife and artistic partner Tamar Halperin on the piano, will light up the Union Church in Idstein with his singing. He will present an extraordinary program centered around the English folk song tradition, bringing a part of Great Britain's history to life through sound.

For more than thirty years, the musicians of Mnozil Brass have been zipping back and forth with the utmost ease and their sparkling brass instruments between Johann Strauss and Frank Sinatra, between Shostakovich and Prince, and even, passionately, from Schubert to their chosen relatives in Queen. The solemn grandeur of one side concerns them just as little as the apparent banality of the other. But Strauss – ardently revered by Brahms, Wagner, and Verdi, as well as by tradesmen and suburban girls (and even Gershwin) – was the forefather of nonchalantly straddling the musical ladder. Strauss was the first to produce hits by the meter; he hired an arranger to work faster, and realized that, together with his brothers, he could reproduce his sound worldwide. He was the first to circumvent the European and the Soviet Union and, as the King of the Waltz, became a mass phenomenon – the cash registers had never rung sweeter. In their current program, "Strau$$," the seven musicians of Mnozil Brass reveal absolutely everything about Strauss. Even the most intricate details. And in the end, nothing remains but the naked truth.

Surrounded by the ancient walls of the historic Eberbach Monastery, this evening will feature a selection of the most romantic piano works in music history. From Beethoven's melancholic "Moonlight Sonata" to the delicate sounds of Clara Schumann's First Romance and Brahms' lyrical Intermezzi – this program will make the heart of every piano lover beat faster. Few are better suited to deliver this soulful performance than pianist, conductor, and composer Fabian Müller, who has been a part of the festival family for several years. With intimacy and pianistic brilliance, the ARD Competition winner presents this program as part of a romantic piano night in the atmospheric setting of the Eberbach cloister.

Over two evenings, Sven Garrecht presents a unique blend of music, cabaret, and comedy at the cozy Diefenhardt Winery. With sharp humor, ironic lyrics, and musical talent, the cabaret artist and musician addresses the big and small issues of our time in his current program, taking aim at current topics and everyday moments. His charming manner and the spontaneity of his performances make each show an unforgettable experience, in which the audience not only listens but is actively involved. Look forward to an evening full of wit, music, and entertaining improvisations!

With Brett Dean and the Affinity Quartet, five musicians will represent Australia in this concert. As a viola virtuoso and highly acclaimed composer, Brett Dean captivated Rheingau audiences as a Focus Artist with numerous concerts in the region since 2018. For this concert project, which can only be heard here, he brings not only the award-winning Affinity Quartet but also – alongside magnificent European chamber music works – his own composition "Hidden Agendas," for which the ensemble was awarded the Special Prize for Best Interpretation of a Contemporary Work at the Salzburg International Mozart Competition. As distant as the Australian continent may seem, on this evening the culture of this country can suddenly be experienced up close.

The celebrated violinist Hilary Hahn has been part of our festival family for a long time. This year, the American will share the stage with a very special musician: our featured artist Andrés Orozco-Estrada. As the former chief conductor of the Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra, the Colombian-born conductor conducted the opening concerts of the Rheingau Music Festival for several years and this year will be appearing with the outstanding Munich Philharmonic. In this concert at the Wiesbaden Kurhaus, the renowned orchestra, together with the brilliant violinist and Andrés Orozco-Estrada at the helm, will present Johannes Brahms' Violin Concerto and take you into the "New World" of Antonín Dvořák's Ninth Symphony.

They are a beautiful tradition and unique both in terms of instrumentation and program – the theme nights in the cloister of Eberbach Monastery. And this year, pure harmony is once again the order of the day when we invite you to the Mediterranean Night. The program includes masterpieces from Spain and Italy, bringing the sunny, light-hearted attitude to life and the full range of spirited music of the Mediterranean directly to the audience's own region. An atmospheric concert experience, flooded with a summery flair, that not only puts you in a good mood but also offers a reunion with the Festival Strings Lucerne under the direction of Daniel Dodds and this year's featured artist, Thibaut Garcia.

Liguria – the coastal strip of northern Italy, lined with colorful fishing villages, is home to a rich cultural heritage: Old songs and lively dance music, performed with bagpipes, accordion, violin, and flute, promise world music in the best sense. With a repertoire ranging from traditional and popular songs in the Ligurian dialect to ballads and mazurkas and sbrandi from Piedmont, the ensemble, consisting of well-known musicians from the Italian folk scene, takes its audience into the musical world of Liguria and brings a piece of traditional Italy to the beautiful courtyard of the Rettershof in Kelkheim.