The Staatstheater Wiesbaden presents a vibrant tapestry of theatrical events, blending humor, drama, and magic. From the rebellious NEINhorn's adventures to poignant explorations of inheritance, this season promises a rich array of performances. Audiences will be captivated by quirky unicorns, delve into the complexities of human relationships, and witness the power of music and storytelling. Join us in celebrating the creativity and diverse narratives that make this theater season truly unforgettable.

Exploring Wiesbaden's Theatrical Wonders: A Journey Through Art and Storytelling

Staatstheater Wiesbaden is set to enthrall audiences with a series of captivating performances that highlight both classic and contemporary works. From the creative exploration of inheritance in 'Our Legacy: Tax Me If You Can' to the comic brilliance of Offenbach's 'Fantasio,' and the timeless allure of Wagner's 'The Flying Dutchman,' audiences will be taken on a diverse cultural journey. Meanwhile, the whimsical ‘Magic Flute’ by Mozart and the compelling musical adaptation 'Fack ju Göhte' promise entertainment for all ages.

A Journey Through Art and Opera at Staatstheater Wiesbaden

Staatstheater Wiesbaden invites you on an extraordinary artistic journey, featuring diverse performances from operas by Wagner and Puccini to musical comedies and symphonic concerts. This season promises laughter, reflection, and a deep dive into human nature through the creative lens of talented directors and performers. With unique adaptations and reinterpretations of classic works, the stage is set for a memorable experience that challenges, entertains, and inspires.

A Journey Through Time: The Artistic Odyssey at Staatstheater Wiesbaden

Step into the vibrant realm of the Hessisches Staatstheater Wiesbaden, where a tapestry of theatrical showcases unfurls. From the rhythmic elegance of 'Chronicles' and the gripping narrative of 'Tosca' to the whimsical charm of 'The Barber of Seville,' this season promises a rich array of performances. Discover the evocative interpretations of 'The Marriage of Figaro' and the intimate ambiance of 'Salon Strozzi.' As the curtain rises, delve into the creative genius behind each production, celebrating the artists and the timeless tales they bring to life.

A Tapestry of Artistry: Exploring Wiesbaden's Diverse Theatrical Showcases

The Staatstheater Wiesbaden is set to captivate audiences with a dynamic lineup of events, ranging from timeless operas to contemporary dance performances. This season promises a rich tapestry of storytelling, featuring productions like Richard Wagner's 'The Flying Dutchman,' Puccini's 'Tosca,' and the playful 'The Barber of Seville.' With an ensemble of talented performers and visionary directors, each event is crafted to offer a unique and immersive experience. Join us as we explore the intricate narratives, compelling characters, and the artistic brilliance that define this season's offerings at the Hessisches Staatstheater Wiesbaden.

Staatstheater Wiesbaden: A Season of Operatic Masterpieces and Dance Chronicles

Staatstheater Wiesbaden presents an eclectic lineup of performances that showcase the depth and diversity of artistic expression. From the kinetic storytelling of 'Chronicles' to the dramatic intensity of 'Tosca,' audiences are invited to explore the complex interplay of dance, opera, and theater. The program includes timeless operatic classics like 'The Barber of Seville' and 'The Marriage of Figaro,' alongside innovative pieces such as 'Salon Strozzi' and 'Carousel.' Each event is a testament to the power of performing arts to transcend the ordinary and captivate audiences.

A Theatrical Odyssey: Dance, Opera, and Tales at Staatstheater Wiesbaden

The Staatstheater Wiesbaden invites audiences to a vibrant season of diverse performances spanning dance, opera, and orchestral works. These events promise to captivate with both traditional classics and innovative productions. From the rhythmic storytelling of 'Chronicles' to the playful puppetry in 'The Barber of Seville', the introspective 'Salon Strozzi', the collaborative 'The Creation', and the immersive '8th Symphony Concert', this season celebrates artistic expression in its myriad forms.

A Dynamic Fusion of Arts: Staatstheater Wiesbaden's Spectacular Line-up

Embark on a captivating theatrical adventure at the Staatstheater Wiesbaden, where an array of diverse and thought-provoking productions await. From the haunting tale of 'Jekyll & Hyde' to the satirical drama 'Mephisto,' and the timeless tragedy of 'Romeo and Juliet,' each performance promises a unique exploration of artistic and cultural themes. Join us as we delve into the creative brilliance of directors, composers, and performers who bring these narratives to life, offering audiences a chance to reflect on the complexities of human nature, societal challenges, and the enduring power of love.

A Theatrical Odyssey: Exploring Diverse Narratives at Staatstheater Wiesbaden

Maria Lazar's novella "Two Soldiers" is being staged for the first time. Directing graduate Julia Gudi, in this world premiere of the Austrian author's work, thought to be lost, unflinchingly exposes how obedience , fear, and ideology transform people in times of renewed wars and societal divisions. It's a exploration that questions the true urgency of morality, responsibility, and humanity today.

Two soldiers: A play by Maria Lazar

Hessisches Staatstheater Wiesbaden

From child prodigy to multi-award-winning legend, pianist Gerhard Oppitz brings Beethoven's virtuosic Piano Concerto No. 3 and world-class flair to the Kurhaus. Finnish composer Outi Tarkiainen's orchestral work "The Ring of Fire and Love," which revolves around atmospheric trumpet solos, connects to the moment a baby raises its head at birth. No composer is more closely linked to his homeland than Jean Sibelius. His Symphony No. 1, with its many original themes, was a high point of his work. Also Finnish is Anna-Maria Helsing on the podium. Her meteoric career led to her appointment as Chief Conductor of the BBC Concert Orchestra in 2023.

5th Symphony Concert: Fire and Love

We are celebrating a premiere in our chamber music series and are particularly looking forward to one of the most beautiful song cycles of the Romantic era: Robert Schumann's "Dichterliebe" (Poet's Love). The program will feature an arrangement for string quartet and tenor. The program also includes a classic – Johannes Brahms' Clarinet Quintet.

5th Chamber Concert

Briseis and Spourgitis – they don't know each other, but one thing they know immediately: they must be enemies. Their parents are. Because their cities are at war. Amidst the merciless din of war, the two young people find themselves in silence. They meet inside the wooden Trojan Horse. They are observed by Hermes, the messenger of the gods, who shares his own unique perspective on war and what truly matters. Using motifs from Greek mythology, Henner Kallmeyer tells a story about humanity: about friendship, forgiveness, love – and the courage to see beyond boundaries.

Troy!: by Henner Kallmeyer

Wartburg

The project “Motion Creation Design” opens up new perspectives on the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in art through the dynamic interaction between generative AI systems and the moving human body. The project is presented as an interactive exhibition series, including live performances with dancers from the Hessian State Ballet. “Motion Creation Design” is a collaboration between the Hessian State Ballet, the “Expanded Media” program at Darmstadt University of Applied Sciences under Prof. Thorsten Greiner, and regional exhibition venues such as the Kunsthaus Wiesbaden.

Motion Creation Design: Hessian State Ballet: Cooperation with Darmstadt University of Applied Sciences

KunstHaus Wiesbaden

In Verona, daily life is overshadowed by the (street) battles between two families, the Montagues and the Capulets. The two patriarchs orchestrate this conflict from their back rooms, constantly fueling the violence. Their children and friends are also riddled with prejudice, making carefree celebration and freedom impossible. Despite their animosity, Romeo and Juliet fall in love and are swept into a maelstrom of hatred and violence that seals their fate. Directed by Charlotte Sprenger, who brings canonical literature into the present with her unique pop aesthetic, Shakespeare's classic becomes a visually stunning plea for the power of love in the face of brutality.

Romeo and Juliet: Tragedy by William Shakespeare

King Peter wants to pass the power to his son Leonce. But Leonce, paralyzed by melancholic boredom, rejects every social office. When his wedding to the unknown Princess Lena is imminent, Leonce flees to Italy. Lena, too, wants to determine her own life and also flees her arranged marriage. The two royal children meet by chance and fall in love – without knowing each other's true identities. They cannot escape their predetermined fates. Director Stefan Pucher, who thrilled audiences with "Woyzeck," uses Büchner's comedy, a blend of satire and farce, as the basis for continuing his success story in Wiesbaden.

Leonce and Lena: Comedy by Georg Büchner

A small Hessian town is facing financial ruin, but Mayor Carola Weissgut has the solution: an ideas competition promises millions in funding for "diversity and community." Surely there must be a few queer people in the village who can polish up the reputation of this struggling community! And there are, but they have absolutely no desire to be used for the image campaign. And one or two concerned citizens have a problem with the rainbow flag on the town hall… A dazzling drag queen, arguments and reconciliations, family drama, new elections, and true love complete the rainbow-colored chaos.

All love!: A queer rural operetta by Misha Cvijović and Philipp Amelungsen

Are Celeste and Noah dangerous angry citizens or justifiably concerned? Told in the style of a fictional docudrama, the story follows a young couple who meet online but reject digital data collection, fear climate change, and warn of chemtrails. They soon share their frustration with the state of politics, society, and democracy not only with each other but also with a steadily growing number of followers on their video channel. Celeste and Noah increasingly isolate themselves from society and become radicalized—until they are both found dead. Suicide or state-sanctioned murder? Director Jan Bosse brings a humorous, suspenseful piece to the stage with "Entrückt" (Rapped), in which truth, fake news, and paranoia go hand in hand.

Ecstatic: A play by Lucy Kirkwood

The star of this hilarious comedy is a worldly-wise mother, sung by a bass-baritone: a dream role for ensemble member Hovhannes Karapetyan. The action takes place in a theater and depends entirely on the whims, power struggles, and relationship dramas of the singers who have gathered there to rehearse a new opera. Mamma Agata is actually only employed as a cleaner at the theater, but unexpectedly shakes up the entire ensemble and reminds everyone of what they once dreamed of in their lives… In Wolfgang Nägele's production, conductor Paul Taubitz and the orchestra also take center stage.

La Mamma!: Comic Opera: by Gaetano Donizetti

She grew up in the eternal ice and is therefore immune to the cold. But Rimsky-Korsakov's title character, Snow Maiden, longs for nothing more than to meet people. In her search for love, she must learn that this feeling is not only overwhelming but also life-threatening…

Snowflakes: Opera by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov

London, 1941. Young Alice and her friend Alfred seek shelter from the bombing raids in a subway station. She has her favorite book with her, Lewis Carroll's "Adventures in Wonderland." The story, which she knows by heart, helps her cope with the perilous situation. Alice follows the White Rabbit into Wonderland, where she meets characters like the Mad Hatter, the Queen of Hearts, and the Cheshire Cat. In this world opened up to her by literature and imagination, she processes pain and grief, experiences love, and finds the courage to look to the future. The Tony and Grammy Award-winning creators of "Spring Awakening" touch the listener with their new work, which combines depth and lightness, featuring dreamy songs.

Alice by heart: by Duncan Sheik and Steven Sater

At night, the social scene glitters in the party lights, and right in the middle of it all is Violetta Valéry. She is surrounded by male gazes: some are only interested in her dazzling appearance; others, like Alfredo Germont, love her completely; still others, like Alfredo's father, worry about their own reputation. Just when the young couple has found happiness in unvarnished honesty, he demands a separation. Director Tom Goossens broadens these perspectives, letting the characters grapple with who is allowed to portray whom in what light. A game with reality ensues, a game of disenchantment, recognition, and acknowledgment that doesn't even stop behind the scenes. Throughout, brilliant ensemble voices resonate under the musical direction of Verdi specialist Leo McFall.

La traviata: Oper von Giuseppe Verdi

Symphony concert meets dance floor: Poulenc's Dance Suite, composed for the Ballets Russes, transports its audience to the vibrant atmosphere of 1920s salons. In the ballet "Petrushka," puppetry meets the reality of deadly jealousy, a theme explored by Stravinsky's music with subtle irony and Russian folk dances. The exceptional young guitarist Laura Lootens performs Joaquín Rodigo's popular Guitar Concerto, which transformed its blind composer into a Spanish cultural ambassador and national hero. Chin-Chao Lin, principal conductor of the Klagenfurt City Theatre, returns to Wiesbaden for this concert.

4th Symphony Concert: Petrushka

The Rheingau String Quartet has selected unusual and rarely performed works by the Baltic composers Mikalojus Konstantinas Čiurlionis and Arvo Pärt. The highlight of the concert is the piano sextet for four hands by the Jewish composer Salomon Jadassohn, featuring two outstanding guest pianists.

4th Chamber Concert

High in the sky float Cloud Flutter and Cloud Fluffy. From there, the world looks like a colorful picture book. Curious, they descend, become mist, and feel the grass beneath them. They want to know: What does a poppy smell like? How does an apple tree grow? What does a bee do? It is a sensory tale about growth—of nature, humankind, and the earth. Poetically and with wonder, the clouds drift, constantly in motion, with curiosity through the wonders of this world.

When clouds grow: A poetic storytelling theatre piece by Emel Aydoğdu

The Hessian State Orchestra and General Music Director Leo McFall wish you a happy new year. They ring in the year with music from and about Spain, bringing fire and passion to the cold season, combined with familiar and newly discovered Viennese New Year's classics and waltzes. Celebrate with us with works by Chabrier, Granados, de Falla, and of course, Johann Strauss!

New Year's Concert: ¡Viva España!

Brahms's Third Symphony returns to Wiesbaden, where it was composed in 1883 and met with great acclaim after its Vienna premiere. "Every movement a jewel!" Clara Schumann wrote to the composer. With a playful wink, Sergei Prokofiev created his First Symphony 35 years later: in the "classical style," it feigns adherence to old traditions, only to immediately break the rules and provoke a joyful chaos. As if this program didn't already offer stunningly beautiful melodies and harmonies, Walton's Viola Concerto adds even more. Eleanor Kendra James, principal violist of the State Orchestra, makes her debut as soloist.

3rd Symphony Concert: Brahms in Wiesbaden

Is it really singing? Or is it perhaps just whistling? This question constantly occupies the mouse community when they talk about Josefine, their singer. But in a society worn down by work, her art finds little recognition – after all, it sounds suspiciously like the widespread whistling of mice. Josefine struggles to break free from the harsh daily life of the mice so she can dedicate herself entirely to singing. But such a deviation is not part of the mouse community's self-image, and the singer is ultimately forced to make a decision.

JOSEFINE: Musical theatre based on Franz Kafka

A diverse bouquet of pieces for woodwinds and piano awaits our audience at this concert. Included are classics such as "Prélude à l'Après-midi d'un faune" by Claude Debussy and "Libertango" by Astor Piazzolla.

3rd Chamber Concert

Developed between 1976 and 1979, the Dutch composer ten Holt's composition is unique in its open structure, which grants performers considerable freedom regarding duration, dynamics, and instrumentation. Cantos unfolds as a surreal tableau—a distorted mirror of human folly and carelessness, inspired by the biting visions of Francisco de Goya's Proverbs (Los Proverbios) and Follies (Los Disparates), as well as the playful provocations of Marcel Duchamp.

Cantos: Hessian State Ballet: Choreography by Maciej Kuźmiński

This concert is dedicated to the award-winning composer Sofia Gubaidulina, who passed away in 2025. She wrote music for a fairy tale about a small piece of chalk with big dreams, a story that reads like a parable about the fate of an artist. Mahler's "Songs of a Wayfarer" also delve deep into the human soul: the poems oscillate between the joys and sorrows of love and the question of fulfillment between "world and dream," this life and the next. In this respect, they come close to Shostakovich's Eighth Symphony: the composer, who was persecuted by Stalin at times, allowed the horrors of World War II to resonate within its pages. With Leo McFall and the celebrated singer Paula Murrihy, renowned for her operatic and lieder interpretations, this program is in excellent hands.

2nd Symphony Concert: Music for peace

On the last day of the year, the evil wizard Beelzebub Irrwitzer and his aunt, the witch Tyrannja Vamperl, find themselves in trouble because they haven't caused enough destruction and suffering in the world. Now, only a powerful magic potion can save them: the satanarchaeolügenialcoholic Wish-Punch! But two spies from the High Council of Animals, Maurizio the cat and Jakob the raven, devise an extraordinary plan in a race against time to avert disaster. Will the animals succeed in saving the world?

The satanarchaeolidealcoholic wish-punch

Hats, gloves, thick jackets, and lined shoes are ready, but it's not really cold yet. We still have to jump in lukewarm puddles instead of sledding down the hill. That's autumn for you: eagerly awaiting the first flakes that will transform the gray into snow-white. Luckily, there's something in November that, while it can't change the weather, can conjure up snowdrifts in our mind's eye: music. The Hessian State Orchestra Wiesbaden will transform the Great Hall into a small, autumnal, early winter dream with music by composers including Leopold Mozart, Florence Price, and Claude Debussy.

When are you coming?: Children's concert with a large orchestra

In this concert, the brass players will dedicate their performance to the composer Victor Ewald, who was born in the Russian Empire. He composed some of the very first concert works for brass instruments.

2nd Chamber Concert: including works for brass instruments by Wiktor Ewald and others

Everything begins somewhere. The day in the morning, school in the first period, summer at the end of spring. And music, too, begins in many different and special ways. Sometimes with a grand fanfare, sometimes stumbling, and sometimes whispering so quietly that almost no one notices. Together with musicians from the Hessian State Orchestra Wiesbaden, we embark on a journey of discovery, in which the entire audience is invited to participate and explore how music begins.

Ready, set, MUSIC!: 1. Chamber concert for children

The war between the brothers Polynices and Eteocles leads to a deep division in Thebes. King Creon refuses to grant the fallen Polynices a proper burial, prompting Antigone to defy the law and pay her brother the last respects. Conflict and violence not only shake the battlefield but also the moral foundations of a patriarchal society. Antigone's act of resistance, punishable by death, shakes the authoritarian system to its core. With his first production at the Hessian State Theatre Wiesbaden, Georgian director Mikheil Charkviani poses the question to a democratic society: How prepared are you to defend your moral values?

Antigone: Tragedy after Sophocles: by Roland Schimmelpfennig

Two short operas in just under an hour – two stories about two couples: a woman, a man, and a telephone whose ringing prevents any deeper conversation. A pair of lovers, members of opposing sides, meet on the battlefield and are fatally wounded, each unknowingly. What can love be? And what happens when an abyss yawns on both sides of the tightrope walk between mutual love and individual freedom? The young director Kilian Bohnensack bridges the gap between the archaic and the modern with his combination of two music theater compositions.

The Telephone / Il combattimento: Double evening by Gian Carlo Menotti / Claudio Monteverdi

The season opens with an exceptional string quartet program. Alongside works by the Romantic composers Alexander Zemlinsky and Franz Schubert, a piece by the young contemporary composer Caroline Shaw will be performed. She was awarded the Pulitzer Prize of Music in 2013.

1. Chamber concert: Works by Caroline Shaw, Alexander Zemlinsky and Franz Schubert

Hendrik Höfgen's acting career, which began in 1926 at the Hamburg Artists' Theatre, takes a steep rise in the so-called New Reich: courted by the Prime Minister, Höfgen becomes a star and betrays his political and moral values for personal gain. The opportunist realizes too late that he has actually made a pact with the devil. Luk Perceval, one of the best-known directors in contemporary theater, stages Klaus Mann's satirical exile novel. He analyzes the responsibility of the individual in a fascist state and drills deep into the wound between art and power.

Mephisto: based on the novel by Klaus Mann

Free seating means: Grab a cushion and make yourself comfortable – right next to your favorite instrument. Then the orchestra will begin. And you, as the audience, are right in the middle of it. Mornings are for school classes, evenings are for after-work concerts. While selected excerpts from Tchaikovsky's 5th Symphony introduce students to the work and the orchestral instruments in the morning, the entire "Fate Symphony" will be performed in the evening with a short introduction by Leo McFall.

Mitten im Klang: Tschaikowski

Good and evil! The scientist Dr. Jekyll has made it his life's work to research the separation of these two sides of man. The experiments he conducts on himself lead to the splitting of his personality and the creation of Mr. Hyde. When the experiment gets out of control, the researcher is increasingly dominated by Mr. Hyde and evil, until it comes to a relentless battle with himself for life and death. The abysmal story moves as a great musical by award-winning Broadway composer Frank Wildhorn with sometimes rocking, sometimes romantic music and impressive choreography. Eerily touching!

Jekyll & Hyde

Eating flies all day and bathing in the pond at night in the moonlight with beautiful music - all frogs love their frog life! If it weren't for the fact that one day a frog girl accidentally finds a crown, declares herself queen of the frogs and upsets the balance in the pond. Because a queen no longer has to catch her own flies, she can give orders and even punish other frogs. But is a crown enough to be queen? Davide Calì's children's book of the same name about the arbitrary exercise of power and equality is being staged at JUST for the first time this season as a musical theater premiere.

The queen of frogs: based on the picture book by Davide Calì and Marco Somà

“I freed myself from your father and thought everything would be better now.” After “A Woman’s Freedom,” Édouard Louis returns to his mother’s story. To a woman who has already freed herself once. From alcohol, violence, and shame, from silence. And whose story threatens to repeat itself when she calls her son one night while her new partner rudely berates her in the background. Step by step, the son plans her escape with her, a new beginning succeeds, but how does life go on when you have never learned freedom? The Nestroy Theatre Prize-winning director Sara Ostertag stages – for the first time at the Hessian State Theatre Wiesbaden – the continuation of Monique Bellegueule’s story.

Monique breaks out: based on the book by Édouard Louis

"Corps de Walk" is a style-defining piece from the period before the international breakthrough of star choreographer Sharon Eyal. First performed in 2011, the commissioned work by the contemporary Norwegian dance company Carte Blanche is about the dangerous eroticism of the masses. Together with her partner and techno artist Gai Behar and DJ Ori Lichtik, Eyal parodies the large group scenes of classical ballet with choreography that seems to come straight from the dance floor of a futuristic techno club. Almost 15 years after its premiere, "Corps de Walk" is being re-staged by the Hessian State Ballet.

Corps de Walk: Hessian State Ballet: Choreography by Sharon Eyal and Gai Behar

The journey from darkness to light has been a popular impulse for composers for centuries. In Mozart's Piano Concerto, for example, soloist and orchestra work their way from oppressive chromaticism to the airy final movement. Dvořák's Symphony No. 7 also begins in somber colors and only finds triumphant resolution in the finale. Leo McFall on the podium and David Fray at the piano bring these ideas to life. The pianist is one of the world's leading stars of his generation and captivates audiences from New York's Carnegie Hall to YouTube.

1st Symphony Concert: From night to light

"Give My Regards to Old Broadway": Our opera ensemble and the Hessian State Orchestra bring the golden age of musicals to Wiesbaden. Grand glamour, tender moments: In this gala concert, the hits from Broadway to the MGM films of the 1940s to 1960s are presented at their very best. Look forward to a dazzling journey through time for fans of George Gershwin, Rodgers and Hammerstein, Irving Berlin, Leonard Bernstein, and many more!

Summertime: Broadway in concert: Concert featuring works by George Gershwin and others

"Let's dance!" is the motto for the last symphony concert, which goes beyond the usual concert framework: instead of in the Kurhaus, the State Theater building will be used - on all stages, in the foyers and in all nooks and crannies that can offer surprises.

8th Symphony Concert

Duke Frederik steals the title and power from his brother, the heir to the throne. Their daughters sneak away from the court into exile in the forest, where a colorful mix of outcasts under their deposed brother try to form a new society with different rules, conventions and norms. Errors, confusion, disguises, lovers: Nurkan Erpulat devotes himself to Shakespeare's version of a pastoral romantic comedy that deals with the themes of inheritance, exile and class with lust and humor.

As you like it

Franziska Angerer's production of Joseph Haydn's oratorio is all about creating something you can take part in! General Music Director Leo McFall conducts, the Bach Choir Wiesbaden, the State Theater's extra choir, and children and young people from the Evangelical Singing Academy Wiesbaden take part. And the audience is also asked to take part when, in the weeks and months before the premiere, something new is created directly behind the theater to accompany the production.

The Creation

“One day this terrible war will end, one day we will be human beings again and not just Jews.”

The Diary of Anne Frank

A legendary heroine is honored and the State Theater invites you to a round table. Based on the baroque opera "King Arthur" by Henry Purcell, the young choreographer Chris Jäger is developing a modern version of the legendary material about the British King Arthur in an interdisciplinary project of the Hessian State Ballet, Drama and Music Theater. The musical work, which was groundbreaking at the time, to the five-act libretto including prologue by John Dryden, offers plenty of fuel for a spectacle at the end of the season. Big cinema in the small house.

King Arthur

In Giulia Giammona's theatre, elements of opera, drama and dance are combined to create visually powerful narratives. From 2017 to 2019, she was director at the Bavarian State Opera, where she showed her first own directing work as part of the festival workshop. She is now completing her directing studies at the Mozarteum Salzburg with a production at the Wiesbaden State Theatre. It will be an interdisciplinary musical work, inspired by a mythological female figure: Judith.

Judith

Life is not a children's birthday party. But sometimes it is! After the great success of "blau" by Felix Berner in the past seasons, the Hessian State Ballet is planning another dance piece for the audience of the day after tomorrow with "Karussell". In keeping with the company's tenth anniversary, there will be a lot to celebrate.

Carousel

When Verdi is on the programme, it can be wonderfully grand and theatrical. That is why his "Messa da Requiem" is being performed as part of the International May Festival in the dimensions it deserves: with two choirs, the in-house choir of the Hessian State Theatre and the choir of the city of Wiesbaden.

7th Symphony Concert

What would I give my life for? How can I stand up for love and freedom? In Beethoven's opera, Leonore has to face existential questions. Her husband Florestan has openly spoken out about social injustice and disappeared into prison. Leonore dares everything and - disguised as Fidelio - sets out to free him. The role has been sung many times by the exceptional singer Evelyn Herlitzius. In Wiesbaden she directed the production for the first time and tells the story of the political prisoner Florestan and his liberator Leonore as a question about the people behind the heroism.

Fidelio

What does one generation expect from the next? Can the experiences of young people today still be compared with those of young people 50 years ago? And what will it be like for young people in 50 years?

Futur4 – ongoing theme of life

This co-production between JUST and the Hessian State Ballet is another interdisciplinary work. Members of the JUST drama and ballet ensembles are developing their own, cross-disciplinary form together.

Root tree: Premiere

The production sold out houses in Belgium, Luxembourg and France; now it is coming to the International May Festival in Wiesbaden. With a clever twist, the FC Bergman collective has transformed the exotic coastal landscape of the pearl fishers of Ceylon into a retirement home. The friends Zurga and Nadir used to be in love with the same girl. To save their friendship, they promised each other to suppress their feelings for Léïla. But now Léïla is returning, and long-suppressed anger, love and jealousy break over the men like huge waves. Past and present blur and can only be separated with difficulty.

The Pearl Fishers

She received great enthusiasm for her dazzling, sophisticated music, and yet she performed almost exclusively within her own four walls: Barbara Strozzi, singer and one of the most exciting and productive composers before 1700.

Salon Strozzi

A prince is condemned. Although Friedrich von Homburg was victorious in the Battle of Fehrbellin, he is punished by the king for disobeying orders. What does disobedience mean? How do group dynamics influence individual actions? And what consequences are we prepared to accept if we oppose an authority? Amir Reza Koohestani examines the political dimensions of Heinrich von Kleist's last play and places it in a popular context: football.

FC Prinz von Homburg: Dreams and scuffles

A sophisticated story and timelessly good music are the best prerequisites for a successful comedy. With "The Marriage of Figaro", Mozart opened his trio of legendary master operas, all of which the composer wrote based on librettos by the Italian Lorenzo Da Ponte. The piece presents an everlasting love story, a playful and biting social satire - and yet all these descriptions fall short. Because "Figaro" is above all: a work of upheaval, a piece of stormy pressure for personal recognition and thus at the same time a timeless symbol of the individual's rebellion against the establishment.

The Marriage of Figaro

Beethoven’s 4th and Nielsen’s 5th symphonies share a strong tonal similarity: in both works, surprising gentleness can be found alongside rough, rugged landscapes – both in a delicate balance. Nielsen, who became an important representative of Danish late romanticism, especially with his orchestral music, found his most modern musical language in his symphony, which premiered in 1922. Robert Schumann once said of Beethoven’s Fourth from 1807 that it was the most romantic of his symphonies. Both compositions are comparatively rarely played in concert programs: Beethoven’s 4th Symphony is overshadowed by the preceding “Eroica” and the subsequent so-called “Symphony of Fate”. And Carl Nielsen is celebrated in Denmark and sometimes referred to as a national composer, but he is little known here.

6th Symphony Concert

The wild hand puppets of puppetry master Nikolaus Habjan conquer the stage! In his celebrated production at the Theater Basel, everyone is drawn into the fast-paced, funny and sometimes darkly absurd game of confusion surrounding the barber Figaro. No one escapes the puppets - until the cheerful happy ending. A comedy for families as well as for a good evening with friends.

The Barber of Seville: Gioacchino Rossini

The Italian opera classic as a gripping thriller: The singer Floria Tosca and her lover, the artist Mario Cavaradossi, find themselves in the crosshairs of police violence, political intrigue and deception. For the 125th anniversary of the opera, director José Cortés takes a close look at the well-known material and reveals the depths of human nature.

Tosca: Giacomo Puccini

At borders: by Özlem Özgül Dündar

The cinema hit as a musical! The story about ex-prisoner Zeki Müller, who poses as a substitute teacher in search of his last loot and gets to know the special characters of class 10b and their overly correct teacher, is also a hit on stage.

Fack ju Göhte

What can the architecture of a building tell us about the people who move around in it? Are we gradually adopting the facades of the buildings around us? Where do we feel like we belong or are strangers, and what should democratic meeting places look like?

Facades: Music-Theater-Walk

A trip to Italy at the end of winter! At the age of 22, Richard Strauss went on an educational trip to the land of lemons and brought back music as a souvenir that ranks among the Italian compositions of the 19th century by Mendelssohn, Bizet and Tchaikovsky. Enchanted by cities, ruins and life by the sea, Strauss called the movements of his orchestral fantasy "Beaches of Sorrento" or "Neapolitan Folk Life". He wove Italian hits such as "Funicoli, funicola" into the pieces. In the versatile concerto for his own instrument, the double bassist, composer and conductor Giovanni Bottesini set vocal passages alongside acrobatics across the entire fingerboard. As the "Paganini of the double bass", Bottesini revolutionized the way his instrument was played in the 19th century. The British double bassist Alexandra Scott - who travels with Europe's top orchestras and is a sought-after lecturer, chamber music partner and professor at the Munich University of Music - takes on the crazy challenge of "playing the violin with the double bass", as her colleague Ödön Rácz said.

5th Symphony Concert

Nicky runs away from home because she can no longer bear it there and would prefer to forget. Singer Gabriela, on the other hand, struggles desperately to remember. The two men's world is out of joint - until the day they meet each other. Together they discover not only the power of friendship, but also the magic of opera. A story that touchingly connects the lives of two generations.

When we didn't know who we were

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The big FIM fundraising gala

The sea has always been there - but it has changed a lot from then until now. Who could tell us about it better than a grandfather who has always lived by the sea? His painted letters and various pieces of music take us on a journey through time between ebb and flow, beach and sea, accompanied by the musicians of the Hessian State Orchestra, who make the waves sound with their instruments.

The Whisper of the Sea: Children's concert

We open the stage and leaf through the dance. Legends surround him. His changeable figure, this hasty traveler, is celebrated in song. The chroniclers draw from his inexhaustible source, the body, and write a new chapter in the book of movement.

Chronicles

In this wild comedy, everything that can go wrong on stage goes wrong - and that is a huge theatrical treat. "The Play That Goes Wrong" is not just the subtitle of this fast-paced comedy, but also the program: Actors who only know their lines inadequately, stage elements that fall down and a wild mix-up of props are an integral part of this performance, in which the murderer of the master of Haversham Castle is actually to be hunted down.

Murder at Haversham Castle: The Play That Goes Wrong

About once a month, two ensemble members introduce themselves to the audience in a more personal way. You can expect a reading from the youth diaries, a concert with the latest break-up playlist, or a relaxed conversation about the beginnings of professional life and bizarre stage experiences. Look forward to a diverse format in the studio!

Actor's Studio: The acting ensemble up close

"Carmen" is still one of the most popular operas today. At the premiere in 1875, audiences were initially more shocked than enthusiastic, because Bizet elevated the underprivileged - the fatally seductive Carmen and the deserting soldier Don José - to the main characters of his story. Nevertheless, the opera began its great triumph. Even more than one hundred and forty years later, the work fascinates audiences all over the world with its world of smugglers, bullfighters, factory workers, policemen, children and soldiers. In addition to ensemble member Fleuranne Brockway as Carmen, Stefano La Colla, one of the most important tenors on the international opera scene, is a guest in Wiesbaden and is making his debut as Don José. The revival is being conducted by General Music Director Leo McFall.

Carmen: Georges Bizet

Music knows no age limit, and even the very youngest children are fascinated by the sounds and rhythms that they can experience in the baby concert. Here, babies and toddlers can behave according to their age - whether they are sitting on your lap or lying on their blanket. Swinging, dancing, crawling, gurgling, babbling and laughing are expressly permitted.

Little brother, come dance with me: Fairytale String Concerto

Staatstheater Darmstadt

The large cabaret revue at the hr2-Hörfest Wiesbaden guarantees the best entertainment and pampers both ears and funny bones – with the satirical songwriter and performer Miss Allie , the virtuoso a cappella ensemble Anders , the award-winning stand-up newcomer Ana Lucía and the word acrobat Martin Zingsheim.

hr2-Hörgala: The great cabaret revue

"My mother struggled with poverty and male violence her whole life." Édouard Louis tells a vivid story about his mother Monique Bellegueule, who grew up in precarious circumstances without any vocational training and was trapped in marriages with violent and alcoholic men. He talks about his wish to have had a different mother as a child and the great happiness of seeing her today as a liberated, happy woman.

The Freedom of a Woman: based on the book by Édouard Louis

We encounter the Romantic era on calendars, postcards, Insta posts, and our first love letters. But do its images still suit us? Or have we actually outgrown it? Do we still need its language? We think: In a way, yes - and yet: it is time for an update.

The Earth Silently Kissed: or: How to Romance: A Moonlight mashup

Other times shimmer through the works in this program. In a wide variety of forms, the compositions seek to engage with heritage and tradition, to deal creatively with past styles and eras. Both Gustav Mahler’s 4th Symphony from 1901 and Thomas Adès’ Couperin Studies from 2006 allow new sound worlds to grow out of old. Adès built a framework around three harpsichord movements by the Baroque composer Couperin, which adds new effects to the basic structure and lets the orchestra dance with the fragments of the original. Mahler’s Fourth says goodbye to the romantic pathos of the past 19th century. On the one hand, it seems almost classical, but on the other hand it looks to the future: to Mahler’s late works, which are breaking into the modern era. Here, cheerful idyll lies close to the abyss. Everything is geared towards the finale with a poem from “Des Knaben Wunderhorn”, whose delicate lines are made for the soprano Alyona Rostovskaya from the opera ensemble of the Wiesbaden State Theater.

4th Symphony Concert

With the development of the play "dokoła pokola" (translated: all around and back and forth), JUST is trying out international cooperation: for the first time, the Polish director Gosia Dębska has staged a play in Wiesbaden. A play with little language has been created for children aged 2 and over. The focus is not only on the popular JUST actress Sophie Pompe, who is performing solo here, but also on the fascinating art of puppetry.

Study notes: by Gosia Dębska

The next behind-the-scenes chat will take place on Monday, January 27, 2024, at 7:30 p.m. in the foyer. In a conversation with Katharina Queck, the ballet director of the Hessian State Ballet, Bruno Heynderickx, will introduce himself that evening.

Behind the scenes

Two families lived in Wiesbaden's Bahnhofstrasse during the Second World War. The Jewish Strauss family lived at number 46, and the Moos family lived at number 44 - convinced Nazis until the end of the war. Veronika Moos, head of the painting room at the Hessian State Theater, has immersed herself deeply in her own family history and that of her neighbors. Actors from the ensemble read from her book.

Reading: Neighbors: Bahnhofstraße 44/46 in Wiesbaden

Backstage for everyone: Behind the scenes tour

The evil and cruel wolf lives in the dark forest, or so the story goes in the village community where Little Red Riding Hood, whose real name is Dorothea, lives. The fear of the forest and the wolf is great, but at the same time Dorothea is magically attracted to them. One day curiosity wins out and the young girl sets off into the forest against all warnings...

Grimm – The really true story of Little Red Riding Hood and her wolf

Brushing teeth, math lessons, visiting grandma, summer holidays, "How many times do I have to tell you that?": Our lives are full of repetitions. Sometimes they bore us, sometimes we look forward to them with anticipation. We also encounter repetitions everywhere in music and in our work as musicians. Together we find out what they do to us and why we need them again and again - of course with lots of music to listen to and join in with!

And again – repetition in music: 1st Chamber Concert for Children

Once a month we offer an open training session for non-professionals. With different styles and dance techniques – from classical ballet to contemporary dance.

Dancing: open dance training for non-professionals

Good and evil, childhood and growing up, dreams, fears and trials - the popular opera by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart puts people at the centre. And at the same time it is a fairy tale: Prince Tamino is not necessarily a hero in the classic sense. When the three ladies entrust him with the task of freeing the Queen of the Night's daughter from the clutches of the mysterious Sarastro, he is anything but enthusiastic. But a picture of the young princess suddenly gives him new motivation: he falls head over heels in love with Pamina's image. He sets off with the quirky bird catcher Papageno. Equipped with the magic flute and magic bells, they are ready (or not) to face Sarastro's three great trials.

The Magic Flute: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

"Francis Footwork" by David Bolger is a virtual reality dance piece about freedom of expression and individuality:
When the kind-hearted King Two Lefties ascends to the throne, his trusted advisor Colonel Headbanger forces him to rule the country with an iron fist. He wants to put an end to all dancing. So Francis gives him a dance lesson he will never forget!


Francis Footwork: Dance workshop & virtual reality performance

A father is looking for his rejected son. In a magician's cave, his life is revealed to him as a game within a game. There, people love, kill, die and, again and again, are deceived. The prodigal son's changeable life becomes an illusionary game of identities, with a surprising twist at the end.

Game of Illusions: by Pierre Corneille

The Hessian State Theater in Wiesbaden is the first opera house in Europe to cultivate tango as a "cultural phenomenon" and as a "social event" since 1984. In the current season, Argentinian and German tango musicians who have already performed in Wiesbaden once or several times and offered outstanding performances are again invited.

Salón Tango: With Gabriel Sala

Four abandoned cats between garbage cans in the backyard of a pizzeria: each has its own fate, and each has a dream of a better life. A backyard concert, sometimes cheerful, sometimes romantic and yearning, about life and its stories.

Cats: A Miezical by Agneta Elers-Jarleman

"Flashdance" tells the stirring story of 18-year-old welder Alex Owens, who does everything to make her dream of becoming a dancer come true.

Flashdance

A special production is taking place in the Hessian State Museum in Wiesbaden: Between paintings, installations and sculptures, the private scholar Atzbacher, the music philosopher Reger and the museum guard Irrsigler meet and discuss art, our society and its life. And the audience is right in the middle of Thomas Bernhard's "Old Masters"!

Old Masters

Museum Wiesbaden

On the "Fantasio" stage, the two play a bitter game of cat and mouse; after the rehearsal, they like to joke in English, their shared mother tongue. Fleuranne Brockway and Jack Lee put a good dose of romance into their recital. In addition to songs full of longing, wanderlust and high tension, they also sprinkle artistic folk song arrangements into their program.

Lieder-Soiree

We sip a glass of lemonade with Galina Benevich, who has already shone as the Queen of the Night in Glyndebourne, Basel, Bremen and many other places, and the young talents of the Limburg Cathedral Choir. And in doing so we show that The Magic Flute is a delight for opera newbies and old hands - not only in the audience, but also on the stage.

To a glass with: Talks and more in the foyer

The musical, which premiered in New York in 2016, is an adaptation of William Shakespeare's romantic comedy "Twelfth Night" ("Twelfth Night") and promises confusion and love troubles: When Viola ends up stranded on the island of Illyria after a shipwreck and takes on the role of her supposedly drowned twin brother, the turbulent story takes its course.

Twelfth Night (As You Like It)

Restless, uprooted, searching for a void that no one can fill: Richard Wagner's powerful music invites us to analytically question the driven characters of his opera. In the new production, director Martin G. Berger focuses on the mysterious past of Senta, her father Daland and the Dutchman. Using retrospection and memory, the production delves deep into the story. Layer by layer, it reveals the patriarchal structures that overshadow the relationship between father and daughter and from which the grown-up Senta, now her own redeemer, tries to fight her way out. Alexandre Corazzola's stage design shows the surface of an idyllic family home and is transformed into a psychological space with the videos by Vincent Stefan.

The Flying Dutchman: Richard Wagner

By listening, playing, singing and speaking together, the opera's plot and characters come to life and can be experienced. A workshop for children and adults, participation is expressly encouraged.

Opera Active!: Musical-scenic workshop

Konstantin not only looks after his little sister Lada when his mother is on the phone late into the night, but also cleans her kitchen. Devoted and meticulous. Is it contemplation? Obsession? Or an attempt to restore order in a world of alienation?

Staatstheater Wiesbaden

Feb 21 - Jun 20, 2026

Romeo and Juliet: Tragedy by William Shakespeare

Oct 24, 2025 - Mar 21, 2026

Antigone: Tragedy after Sophocles: by Roland Schimmelpfennig

Feb 27 - Mar 24, 2026

Troy!: by Henner Kallmeyer

Mar 21 - Jun 26, 2026

The birds: Opera by Walter Braunfels

Feb 14 - Apr 29, 2026

Snowflakes: Opera by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov

Mar 13, 2026

Two soldiers: A play by Maria Lazar

Mar 4, 2026

5th Symphony Concert: Fire and Love

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Staatstheater Wiesbaden