The Ludwigsburger Schlossfestspiele 2025 is set to bring an eclectic mix of musical performances, cultural expressions, and innovative art to the heart of Ludwigsburg, Germany. From musical bike tours by the French chamber orchestra Les Forces Majeures to the unique soundscapes of violinist Rakhi Singh, this festival promises an unforgettable experience. With orchestras and musicians from around the world, the festival will explore themes of mobility, cultural heritage, and the future of music, making it a must-attend event for music lovers and cultural enthusiasts.

Ludwigsburger Schlossfestspiele 2025: A Symphony of Music, Culture, and Innovation

Unfolding across the grand settings of Ludwigsburg, the Ludwigsburger Schlossfestspiele illuminates the cultural landscape with an eclectic mix of events. From Mozart's unfinished operatic tale 'Zaide' to the innovative Stegreif Orchestra's 'freesolo' program, this festival is a confluence of classical mastery and modern innovation. Amongst its highlights are the Freiburg Baroque Orchestra's homage to historic composers, the youthful exuberance of Alexander Gadjiev's piano recital, and the vibrant 'Spanish Night' by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Each event, distinct in its own right, collectively weaves a rich tapestry of music and cultural dialogue.

Exploring Boundaries: A Journey Through the Ludwigsburg Music Festival

The Ludwigsburger Schlossfestspiele offers a vibrant tapestry of cultural and musical experiences, captivating audiences with diverse themes and performances. From Mozart's exploration of 'Turkishness' in 'Zaide' to the dynamic piano renditions of Alexander Gadjiev, each event showcases unique artistic expressions. Whether it's the youthful 'Mini X Courage' project or the masterful violin performances by Anne-Sophie Mutter, this festival presents a rich panorama of artistic endeavor. Join us as we delve into the highlights of the season, where music transcends boundaries and brings people together.

A Symphony of Cultures: The Ludwigsburger Schlossfestspiele Journey

Musical mysteries, drinking songs, baroque party games, singing instrumentalists, cheerful polyphony, and candlelit rituals: Apollo's Cabinet is no ordinary baroque ensemble, and its programs extend far beyond historically informed performances. The musicians, who came together in 2018 at the Guildhall School of Music in London, aim to make early music accessible to everyone and more interactive. No sooner said than done: In its concerts, Apollo's Cabinet not only delights with first-class, profound baroque interpretations, but also combines them with texts, acting, dance, singing, and a wink of the eye. With original twists, an unparalleled drive, and guaranteed to be free of dust and boredom, Apollo's Cabinet takes the Bad Imnau audience on a journey back to the 18th century for the birthday celebration of King Frederick the Great. Interwoven with anecdotes, serenades, and interactive party games, the concert promises to be an unforgettable evening.

Apollo's Cabinet

Prince's Hall

Since 2016, the Gaechinger Cantorey has captivated audiences as Bach ambassadors with their own unique "Stuttgart Bach style," which the baroque orchestra and choir enjoy presenting far beyond the country's borders. The acoustics of the baroque pilaster church of St. Catherine in Wolfegg are tailor-made for Bach: His appointment to Leipzig's St. Thomas Church enabled the composer, for the first time, to devote himself entirely to "regulated church music in the glory of God." Sunday after Sunday, his sacred works were now heard in the three churches assigned to him as St. Thomas Cantor. Even though he occasionally took on existing works, posterity is amazed at the workload he managed each week. Added to this is his original, creative output, as well as the fact that he also organized the practical implementation, from writing the parts to rehearsals and performances. Together with four vocal soloists, the Gaechinger Cantorey performs three cantatas, which in turn accompany the readings of the Good Samaritan, the healing of lepers and the Archangel Michael.

Gaechinger Chantory

St. Katharina

Some of Leonardo da Vinci's inventions and studies have remained hidden from humanity or been forgotten – like his idea of ​​a portable organ. It wasn't until 1964 that a manuscript containing sketches surfaced in Madrid. According to these sketches, the 15th-century Italian polymath was working on a concept for a type of organetto (diatonic accordion). This was a revolutionary discovery, considering that the accordion's physical precursors were only dated to the beginning of the 19th century. However, there are no sources that prove that such an instrument based on da Vinci's ideas was ever built and used in practice. 500 years later, the charismatic, passionate musician Martynas Levickis pays homage to Leonardo da Vinci's early vision and invites the audience in the Old Parish Church to take a musical journey through his beloved instrument, from its origins as a secret prototype to its present form.

Martynas Levickis

Old Parish

Numerous traditions from past eras provide us with detailed information about how composers of the past centuries lived and worked, and even the inks they used for their compositions. However, how these compositions actually sounded in their time remains only a matter of conjecture; until the invention of the first functional phonograph in 1888, there was no way to permanently record sounds for posterity. Historically informed performance practice, and the Gaechinger Cantorey as a select specialist, are dedicated to the endeavor of getting as close as possible to the presumed reality of sound. Since 2016, a renowned ensemble has been formed under this name, aiming to bring Baroque masterpieces to the stage in an authentic way. Unique accompaniments to this process are two replicas of original instruments from the Baroque period – a harpsichord and a chest organ, which were specially made for the ensemble and will also be performed in Wolfegg. In the atmosphere of the equally baroque Knight's Hall, the Gaechinger Cantorey sensitively recreates the sounds of the 17th century.

Baroque Masterpieces

Knights' Hall

Paris has seen several World's Fairs. In addition to the one in 1889, where Debussy found groundbreaking inspiration through gamelan music, the 1900 Exposition literally ushered in a new century: the Métro was opened. Life now moved at a new pace to the rattling rhythm of subways, engines, and machines. It was to this Paris that Igor Stravinsky presented his ballet music "The Rite of Spring" in 1913, overwhelming and outraged the premiere audience with the archaic and percussive power of his composition. While the "Jazz Age" was in full swing in the USA, George Gershwin experienced its French counterpart around fifteen years later – a bustling, golden Paris in his "Années folles," whose impression he set to music in "An American in Paris." Gershwin's playful, "symphonic jazz" and Stravinsky's energizing beacon meet as electrifying poles in the two choreographies by Jeroen Verbruggen and Marco Goecke.

Festival Finale

Forum at the Castle Park

For five years now, Ludwigsburg's market square has been an integral part of the festival summer, making it not only the heart of the city but also a meeting place for the Palace Festival and its audience. This tradition continues in 2025, with a stage between the fountain and the city church offering a mix of pop, folk, and indie bands, a jazz combo, and the communal circle dance "Dabke" – as usual, free of charge and under the open sky. But that's not all. This year's season sees the festival opening up several new venues in the city and looking forward to new encounters: Against the backdrop of Favorite Palace, classical chamber music ensembles invite you to princely, yet free, open-air concerts in the palace gardens. The park music rounds out the intimate concerts in the Favorite Palace's interior, which are also a novelty and highlight of the new festival season.

Music Outdoors

Schloss Favorite, Ludwigsburg

Delicate and powerful, pure and unaffected: In 1982, at the age of eleven, Midori captivated the New York Philharmonic and Zubin Mehta. Over 40 years later, the concert violinist has mastered this strength down to the smallest detail: she regularly delights audiences around the world with her playing and program selection, which are characterized by elegant precision, profound expressiveness, and great intellect. The idyllic setting of the lakeside palace Monrepos offers a rare opportunity to experience the celebrated artist up close and in a small group at work. In collaboration with Özgür Aydin, the works for violin and piano by Beethoven, Ravel, Schubert, and Poulenc guide the listener through the transitions from Classical to Romantic and melodic Modern – inviting them to leave behind all sense of time.

Midori

Monrepos Lakeside Palace

Bach reached the pinnacle of his contrapuntal creativity at a time when the century was turning its back on him. Fortunately for his posterity, otherwise he would not have left behind one of the most coveted and yet most difficult works in cello literature. The purist beauty of the music, coupled with its technical difficulties, as well as the numerous unanswered questions of interpretation, lead some cellists to devote their entire lives to intensive study of the suites. Alexander Warenberg, too, has taken on this life's work. In addition to his award from ARD, he also received a special prize from the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra in 2024 for his performance in the final round of the music competition. At Schloss Favorite, you will have the opportunity to experience this promising cellist at work. In addition to the dance suites, Alexander Warenberg will also present a Bach-inspired sonata by the Belgian composer Eugène Ysaÿe.

Alexander Warenberg

Travel through the seasons with Tchaikovsky, experience the great operatic moments with Liszt: Much is possible on the piano, as demonstrated not only by the two composers, but also by pianist Jean-Paul Gasparian. In his dazzling concert at the lakeside palace of Monrepos, the young French-Armenian musician will first lead the audience through Tchaikovsky's twelve character pieces – one dedicated to each month, with three pieces depicting the special features of a particular season. Poetic settings of specific themes such as Carnival and the approaching spring, the harvest and hunting season, the melancholy of autumn, and, finally, the joy of Christmas will be heard. Liszt also took great delight in the operatic music of his contemporaries Wagner and Verdi, and paid homage to them by transforming the core scenes and original gestures of the operas into multi-layered, virtuoso piano paraphrases.

Jean-paul Gasparian

In her early 30s, soprano Aurora Marthens is no newcomer to the classical music world; after all, she has been a member of the Vienna State Opera ensemble since 2022 and already counts numerous performances and awards to her resume. However, the second prize and the Audience Award at the 2024 ARD Music Competition pave the way for the Finnish singer to greater international success. With her radiant presence and voluminous voice, she has already brought operatic roles by Wagner and Richard Strauss, among others, to the stage in concerts in Palermo, Helsinki, and Vienna; she will also bring some of these large-scale arias to the Schlossfestspiele and complement them with heartfelt, romantic song compositions by Wagner, Strauss, and her compatriot Sibelius. The "Four Last Songs," which Strauss wrote a year before his death, are particularly captivating with their lyrical exploration of life, farewell, and death. Three of the four songs were based on poems by Hermann Hesse. The particularly moving song "At Sleep" lets the soul "float in free flight, to live deeply and a thousandfold in the magic circle of the night."

Aurora Marthens

"Todo cambia, menos el tango," goes an Argentinian proverb. "Everything changes, except the tango." And yet Astor Piazzolla succeeded in revolutionizing precisely this genre. His recipe for success: The composer complemented the rousing rhythms of the "Tango Argentino" with classical elements and jazzy timbres to create a finely balanced stylistic kaleidoscope. His "Tango Nuevo" was born, with which he rescued the traditional Argentinian tango from the disreputable establishments of Buenos Aires and established it as a virtuoso art form. While Piazzolla had to endure some hostility from his contemporaries for his "high treason against the tango," today he is celebrated for his stylistic revolution as one of the most important composers in modern music history. Since his death in 1992, his wife, Laura Escalada Piazzolla, has dedicated herself to preserving his valuable artistic legacy, launching the "Astor Piazzolla Quintet" project specifically for this purpose. As the only ensemble with access to the tango revolutionary's complete legacy, the ensemble has been faithfully bringing his unique sound into the present for 20 years – thus fulfilling Piazzolla's lifelong ambition to create a tango that would transcend time.

Astor Piazzolla Quintet

First to the concert, then to the party? Munich's arcis_collective takes a different approach, inviting you to fully immerse yourself in the nightlife with dance performances and saxophones. With its "Quirky Nightclub Chronicles," it brings the flair of trendy nightclubs to concert halls—and also to the vaulted cellar of our Palais Grävenitz. Creative, powerful, and a little eccentric: You can expect dance, rousing rhythms, fresh sounds, and captivating stories that leave a lasting impression. The collective will top it off with a DJ set—a party for everyone until late into the night.

Graevenitz Goes Nightclub

Grävenitz

Music has an incredible amount to say, and one could really talk about music all day long, says Leonid Surkov. With his sometimes almost poetic statements, the Russian oboist is a pleasure to listen to. Leonid Surkov, currently a student at the Berlin University of the Arts, recently won first prize at the ARD Music Competition, breaking a 15-year drought in his field. It has been that long since there were any first-place winners. In fact, the prizewinner is only the fourth musician on his instrument to make it to the top – a sign that his career is firmly on track. Accompanied by pianist Kimiko Imani, he leads the way through his varied oboe program. In addition to sonatas by Poulenc, Medtner, and Saint-Saëns, Marina Dranischnikova's "Poème" also impresses. In between, Mozart's nod to Sacchini's magnificent coloratura piece from "L'eroe cinese" (The Chinese Hero) and the dreamy fantasy on Donizetti's "Poliuto" whisk you away into the entertaining sound worlds of the opera.

Leonid Surkov

"I am extremely happy, it went very quickly," wrote Antonín Dvořák under the heading of his 12th String Quartet, the sketch of which he completed in just a few days. The natural idyll of rural Spillville inspired him so deeply during his stay in the USA that the composition came easily. Along with his Ninth Symphony, "From the New World," which was also written in America, this string quartet is one of his most famous works. Dvořák's soulful chamber music provides a positive moment of calm in the Alinde Quintet's otherwise melancholic program: in arrangements for wind quintet, the up-and-coming Czech ensemble explores the emotional complexity of Josef Suk's elegiac, pleading meditation, Pēteris Vask's composition "For a Deceased Friend," and Shostakovich's plaintive Eighth String Quartet.

Alinde Quintet

Virtuosic in the middle register, tenderly melancholic in the upper register, and finally a rich, sonorous depth that immerses you in the music: the exciting facets of the cello are particularly palpable in the concert by Krzysztof Michalski and Yanjun Chen. Not only because two outstanding, dedicated performers perform together, but above all thanks to their program. Schubert wrote his A minor sonata for the arpeggione, a middle-range hybrid instrument that only briefly enjoyed popularity, somewhere between guitar, viola, and cello. Translating it to viola or cello was a natural choice and quickly became established after Schubert's publication. Michalski addresses this virtuoso piece with nimble finesse at the beginning of the intimate palace concert. The following Brahms sonata rocks in melancholy E minor, whereas Poulenc's sonata flirts with light-footed elegance. At the end, Michalski and Chen go all out and sweep everyone away with Rachmaninoff's powerful and beautiful tonal language.

Krzysztof Michalski

Inspired by the strong communal values ​​and functionalist aesthetics of the American Shaker community, Finnish choreographer Tero Saarinen choreographed "Borrowed Light" – one of his greatest international successes. "Borrowed Light" premiered in 2004 as a European co-production and toured major venues in Europe, North America, and Oceania from 2004 to 2014, reaching more than 50,000 people on its tour. Twenty years after its successful premiere and ten years after the end of the tour, the piece returns to the stage. With a powerful pull, eight dancers and the eight vocal voices of the Boston Camerata transport the audience into a minimalist world that, while drawing inspiration from the architecture and design of the Shaker religious community, is ultimately dedicated above all to the sense of community and conscious devotion. The fusion of harmonious Shaker hymns and ritualized movements reinforces the collective identity. But at what point do rigid values ​​push the individual to the limits of his or her devotion?

Tero Saarinen Company

Johann Strauss composed over 500 waltzes, polkas, and mazurkas over the course of his life—not for nothing is he nicknamed the "Waltz King." But he not only composed dance pieces; he also wrote thrilling operettas for the stage, including "Die Fledermaus." To mark his 200th birthday, the program includes waltzes and arias from the popular operetta, as well as other works with dance-like, celebratory verve by Alexander von Zemlinsky and Richard Strauss. Accompanied by a magnificent fireworks display, Vinzenz Praxmarer and the Divertimento Viennese Orchestra will transform the lakeside palace of Monrepos into an atmospheric, expansive Viennese ball scene of the fin-de-siècle.

Monrepos Open Air

Named after the title character in Richard Strauss's opera "Arabella," Steinbacher grew up in a family of musicians and began playing the violin at the age of three. It's hardly surprising, then, that her personal connection to Strauss's music was practically instilled in her from birth. Ultimately, however, Arabella Steinbacher devotes herself to the entire violin repertoire and has been one of the great stars of the string firmament for many years. She performs not only as a soloist but also as a chamber music partner—for example, in a duo with the versatile pianist and arranger Peter von Wienhardt. With dance-like verve and sophisticated arrangements of well-known opera and ballet music, including, of course, music by Strauss, the two musicians present a spirited chamber concert.

Arabella Steinbacher

Ludwigsburg Residential Palace

The Boston Camerata regularly delights numerous music lovers with its groundbreaking programs. Particularly through its presentation of early American music, the Camerata explains and preserves the rich cultural identity of North America. In the Haigerloch Castle Church, the vocal ensemble shares its enthusiasm for the music of the USA's founding fathers and artfully traces the trends of early American song. Along both spiritual and secular paths, the musical traditions of various religious communities that found their home in the so-called New World can be found: the Puritans in New England, the visionary Shakers, the Amish and Mennonites in Pennsylvania, and the newly liberated African-American religious communities. Their works of art document life on the North American continent as a spiritual quest and provide a deep insight into the depths of the American soul.

Boston Camera

Even musicians later considered geniuses had to apply officially for a position. This was the case for Johann Sebastian Bach, who in 1723 received confirmation of his long-awaited position as Thomaskantor in Leipzig. The following 27 years of his artistic career were henceforth characterized by service to the church, in particular the composition of cantatas for Sunday services. Around 200 of these multi-movement works for vocals and instrumental accompaniment by Bach have survived. These works—embedded in Christian doctrine—tell of central human experiences. The personal path from suffering to heavenly redemption—or, in universal terms, that life is not just a leisurely stroll—is the subject of the two cantatas presented by the Gaechinger Cantorey in Ludwigsburg's Schlosskirche. As an internationally renowned period ensemble, the ensemble impressively demonstrates the high artistry with which Bach traces the human journey to the "place of longing, heaven" in a timeless and still moving musical language.

Abel Selaocoe finds his home in the cello – and at the same time a means of expressing the many different kinds of "home." For the South African musician, people, melodies, vocal techniques, spiritual rituals, and the all-encompassing love are also important places of refuge, as he explores them musically in his album "Hae ke Kae" (Sesotho for "Where is home?"). What is special about Selaocoe is that he combines cello playing with (throat) singing, percussion, and improvisation, building bridges between Western and South African musical traditions. The Italian composer Giovanni Sollima also knows how to blend different styles. In addition to his six-movement cycle "When We Were Trees," Caroline Shaw's contemporary response to Haydn's last string quartet and David Fennessy's weightless sonic impression of the deserted island of Hirta complement the Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra's musical search for home.

Abel Selaocoe

The student becomes the teacher – and in turn learns from his students. Only four years separated Benjamin Appl's private lessons with Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau and the start of his teaching in London in 2016 at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. He also shares his knowledge in international workshops and masterclasses. "The wonderful thing about teaching is that you learn so much about yourself. I see teaching as learning," Appl explains in an interview with Klassik Radio. You can gain an insight into such a trusting and inspiring teaching situation at the public masterclass on July 14. He will work with selected vocal students from the Stuttgart University of Music and Performing Arts (HMDK) for 30 to 45 minutes to fine-tune their song interpretations. The class is open to interested listeners, and admission is possible at any time during the afternoon.

Public Masterclass

Schubert, who died young, had no idea while composing this sonata that it would be his penultimate piano sonata. Yet the A major sonata stands out for its poetic – some say prescient – ​​otherness. The piano recital begins accordingly lyrically and sensitively. Schumann's impetuous and sensitive Davidsbündlertänze glide and leap across the keyboard in rich contrast, ultimately evolving into exuberant Lisztian virtuosity. The Russian pianist Arcadi Volodos presents his three-part recital in the Forum am Schlosspark, with which he recently thrilled the Salzburg Festival audience, with a consummate performance. "Volodos wouldn't be Volodos if Liszt's sinfully difficult musical text weren't too easy for him. He needs his own, even more difficult version," says BR-Klassik, describing the keyboardist. In addition to his technical brilliance, for which he has been celebrated since the early 1990s, he also knows how to sensitively bring out the romantic nuances.

Arcadi Volodos

Franz Schubert set the scene of the "cheerful," "capricious trout" from Christian Schubart's poem to music in one of his most famous and popular songs. So popular that, a few years after this popular success, he used the themes of the "Trout" song as the basis for a sequel: the equally cheerful "Trout Quintet." Within Schubert's oeuvre, the posthumously published piano quintet is the only one of its kind. Before the Simply Quartet crowns its Ordenssaal concert with this captivating and characterful piece, it will perform excerpts from the first string quartet by jazz musician and composer Wynton Marsalis and the late-discovered and published "Poem" by the late Romantic composer Rebecca Clarke.

Trout Quintet

Compositions by Chopin, Brahms, or Beethoven blend seamlessly with Georgian songs? You'll be amazed at how well this works. Giorgi Gigashvili is not only a promising newcomer to the classical music scene, he is also a fascinating cross-border artist who knows how to uniquely present musical worlds from his local nightclub in Tbilisi to the international concert stage. In the Order Hall of the Royal Palace, he explores his roots and his love of Georgian musical tradition, combining folklorically influenced compositions from the 18th to 20th centuries with Georgian folk-pop songs. In a duo with singer Nini Nutsubidze and her velvety voice, the pianist captivates with effortless transitions and invites you to cross musical and cultural boundaries.

Giorgi Gigashvili & Nini Nutsubidze

Anne-Sophie Mutter is a musical phenomenon: For almost five decades, the virtuoso has performed in all major music centers around the world, shaping the classical music scene as a soloist, mentor, and visionary. The four-time Grammy Award winner is equally committed to the performance of traditional compositions and to the future of music. For several years, she has enjoyed a close personal and artistic friendship with the composer John Williams, who frequently dedicated pieces to her—such as his Second Violin Concerto—and also wrote adaptations of his most famous film themes. The legendary composer referred to Anne-Sophie Mutter as his muse.

Anne-sophie Mutter

An impressive presence that never prioritizes the music: the grande dame of the piano, Elisabeth Leonskaja, overwhelms on stage with the power of music alone. She doesn't seek herself in the music, but rather the music within herself, says the pianist, thus positioning herself as a performer through and through. With her narrative flow, her fine sense, and her at times almost somnambulistic intuition, she knows how to captivate the audience. The profound sound worlds once created by Franz Schubert could not be better suited. The nature-loving Viennese was a passionate wanderer who, like so many in his time, was also figuratively on a constant, searching journey. Even today, posterity marvels at his ability to so aptly capture the emotion of the insecure and alienated people of the early 19th century and their escape into nature. Above all, in his powerful "Wandererfantasie" (Wanderer Fantasy), these complex emotional worlds reveal themselves in their full spectrum. Elisabeth Leonskaja knows how to project these sublime moments unadorned and shows the way to walk in Schubert's footsteps in the Forum am Schlosspark.

Elisabeth Leonskaja

A warm southerly breeze blows through the palace courtyard: At its second Ludwigsburg open-air concert, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, together with Colombian-American conductor Lina González-Granados and Spanish violinist Leticia Moreno, creates an atmospheric "Spanish Night." The orchestra begins by transporting the audience to Seville, the setting of "Carmen." George Bizet's interpretation of a "Spanish" musical language resulted in many catchy melodies that quickly became audience favorites. Less popular, however, is Maurice Ravel's highly virtuosic concert rhapsody "Tzigane" – a piece of cake for the finger-tapping acrobat Leticia Moreno, who also shines expressively in Camille Saint-Saëns' virtuoso piece. With excerpts from the ballets "El amor brujo" (Love Spell) and "The Three-Cornered Hat" by the Spanish composer Manuel de Falla, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra leads the visitors of the "Spanish Night" in the palace courtyard on an exhilarating journey to the musical fireworks of the Blooming Baroque.

Spanish Night

From an early age, Alexander Gadjiev found the piano entertaining. He was particularly amused by how easy it is to produce a note, but how difficult it is to shape notes. This childhood enthusiasm developed into something more: at the age of nine, Alexander Gadjiev played with an orchestra for the first time. At ten, he had his first solo performance, followed in the years that followed by top marks and a long list of competition successes. But the Italian-Slovenian pianist has more than just a technical talent for the keyboard. He also considers his fluency in five languages ​​a key to his success, allowing him to absorb and process different musical styles and languages, adapting them to his own taste. With his nuanced touch, he will guide the audience through masterpieces of piano literature on July 3. Short character pieces by the humanist ambassador Beethoven will be followed by Polish folklore by the introspective Chopin. Dreamy sound vignettes by Debussy fade into Scriabin's expressive etudes, and finally, Mussorgsky's piano cycle opens the doors to a musical foray into the exhibition of his friend, the painter Viktor Hartmann.

Alexander Gadjiev

What do you get when you multiply small ideas with a generous dose of courage? The product of our music education formula "Mini x Courage" is a fantastic concert experience for around 90 third-grade elementary school students from Ludwigsburg. During the several months of preparation, the focus is on discovering and experimenting with sounds and with the instruments available at the time, from which small motif ideas emerge. From these individual ideas, each class creates a collaborative composition, which they will perform on July 3rd in the music hall. The music can be created with objects from nature or everyday life, with the voice and one's own body, or with small and large instruments – you can look forward to seeing what the classes in this year's edition come up with and bring to the stage together with the courageous dancers from the Hirschberg School!

Mini X Courage

Ludwigsburg Music Hall

Some contemporaries never meet, others remain connected for life: For example, George Frideric Handel and George Philipp Telemann first met in Halle at the beginning of the 18th century and deepened their friendship through years of correspondence. Telemann was not only a passionate letter writer, but also learned to love gardening in his adopted home of Hamburg. From London, Handel supplied the amateur gardener with rare flower bulbs. In general, the friendship blossomed magnificently: there are 117 musical ideas that Handel adopted or parodied from Telemann. The Freiburg Baroque Orchestra devotes itself to some examples of these, supplementing it with the third great composer of the time, Johann Sebastian Bach. Although Bach and Telemann did not exchange botanical gifts, they were just as close on a familial and musical level.

Freiburg Baroque Orchestra

Like no other genre, the classical solo concerto represents the relationship between competition and cooperation, as well as the negotiation process of different leadership styles. The innovative Stegreif Orchestra addresses this fascinating field of tension in its program "freesolo," telling its own unique story of the development from autocracy through competition and anarchy to collaboration. Using various improvisational techniques in solo and group improvisations, as well as through recompositions of classical solo concertos by Dvořák, Bach, Mozart, and Bartók, it illuminates the topic from a musical perspective. As we have already seen from its previous Castle Festival performances, we can look forward to refreshing, unusual perspectives and listening styles from the "improvising symphony orchestra," as it calls itself.

Impromptu Orchestra

Did you know that Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart called his contemporary and colleague Joseph Haydn "Papa"? Undoubtedly, the two were immensely fond of each other. Haydn recognized Mozart's musical genius and championed him wherever he could. Mozart, 24 years his junior, appreciated this and viewed him as a great master and mentor: "No one can do everything—to tease and shock, to provoke laughter and deep emotion—and everything as well as Haydn!"

Alexandra Dovgan

"Let us sing, let us laugh, there is no other way. The world and hardship are the same, no one is free from torment," says Mozart's unfinished work, a tragic love story named after the slave Zaide and set in Turkey. In Mozart's great operatic oeuvre, "Turkishness," and thus the confrontation between Orient and Occident, occupies a considerable space. Alongside elements in "Così fan tutte" and "The Magic Flute," exoticisms are particularly prominent in Mozart's first German Singspiels, "The Abduction from the Seraglio" and the preceding "Zaide." But "Turkishness" in his Singspiel certainly does not come from Turkey. Director Jessica Glause, together with a select ensemble of young Mozart voices from the Stuttgart State Opera, explores the extent to which foreignness and inclusion can be influenced by music.

ZAIDE

"Once upon a time there was a rascal": Richard Strauss used these fairytale-like words to title the prologue to his program music "Till Eulenspiegel's Merry Pranks," introducing the mischievous protagonist on the one hand and establishing the orchestra as narrator on the other. The colorful tone poem "Don Juan" and the symphonic interludes of Strauss's biographically inspired opera "Intermezzo" also thrive on an expressive ensemble. This was just the thing for the 90-member German Radio Philharmonic Orchestra: It is entirely dedicated to the late Romantic composer Richard Strauss and presents his symphonic masterpieces and soulful orchestral songs with former Schlossfestspiel chief conductor Pietari Inkinen at the helm. Strauss's premiere audience was thrilled by Eulenspiegel's "witty and crudely humorous" musical jokes, which "barely allowed the listener to regain their composure." In 2025, the premiere of this impressive orchestral work will be 130 years old and has lost none of its entertaining effect.

Richard Strauss Festival

For cellist Antoine Lederlin, a string quartet is, above all, a human idea and imagination, before any musical idea. In the case of the Belcea Quartet, all three aspects have undoubtedly been successfully consolidated, having now spanned over 30 years together. In the Ordenssaal, the chamber music heart and home of the Ludwigsburg Palace Festival, the musicians present three complex masterpieces of quartet literature from Viennese Classical and Modern periods, a program that invites both concentrated listening and relaxed contemplation. Furthermore, Mozart's string quartet, known as the "Hoffmeister Quartet," as well as the late works of Benjamin Britten and Ludwig van Beethoven, evoke a wide range of emotions: Mozart's work from his Viennese years—like his "Figaro"—can instantly provoke laughter and tears at the same time. In his last completed instrumental work, Benjamin Britten dramatically and fatefully explores the dark sides of humanity, while Beethoven wrapped the suffering of his everyday life in C-sharp minor, sonorous but with noble restraint.

Belcea Quartet

A magnificent mosaic of magnificent compositions and exceptional musicians: a concert evening with the LGT Young Soloists promises nothing less. The highly talented young members hail from over 20 nations, all performing as soloists and accompanying musicians. Since its founding in 2013, the ensemble has enjoyed success with this concept; two years ago, it made its US debut and toured internationally through Australia, Asia, and North America. Under the direction of their founder, Alexander Gilman, the LGT Young Soloists will present serene string divertimenti, romantic and wistful works by Max Bruch, baroque lightness from Schnittke's new music, Paganini virtuosity on the double bass, and, last but not least, the passionate tango counterpart to Vivaldi's classic "The Seasons."

Lgt Young Soloists

When Rakhi Singh performs, one would think she is more than just a soloist; thanks to electronic technology, she allows the violin to expand beyond its sound palettes and worlds, becoming like an entire ensemble. The musician experiments passionately with her instrument and devotes herself to the unconventional use of the violin. Her goal: to breathe new life into music in a joyful way. Over the past ten years, Rakhi Singh has established herself as one of the leading figures in the classical-contemporary instrumental scene in Great Britain, not least because of her extensive repertoire and progressive stylistic mixes, which also draw on her Anglo-Indian roots and other cultural influences. In the old porcelain factory of the Residenzschloss, Singh adds a sensory component to Vera Mercer's photographs, which can sometimes trigger hypnotic-meditative states.

Rakhi Singh

Ludwigsburg Market Square

Whether loud or quiet, political or private: we have a voice with which we can make a difference and contribute, with which we can stand up for others and ourselves. "We know we all can stand together with the power to be powerful. Believing we can make it better." John Farnham chooses these uplifting words in his song "You're the Voice," and in doing so, simultaneously offers the motto for this year's edition, "Generation Zukunftsmusik." Choral and instrumental ensembles from the four partner schools will use their voices musically and symbolically in a variety of configurations. The concert will be framed by a group of young people who have developed presentations and ideas for "Generation Zukunftsmusik" in previous workshops. Together, all participants will create a community-building musical event that is intended to encourage you too: Your voice is important, use it!

Generation Future Music

Karlskaserne Art Centre

Sergei Rachmaninoff wrote such difficult piano parts that not many people wanted to have a work dedicated to them. Some, however, were given the opportunity to play it without being asked; this was the case with the Polish pianist Josef Hofmann with the Piano Concerto No. 3 in D minor. Rachmaninoff practiced his own compositions for several hours a day, setting himself apart from his contemporaries in terms of technique and playing ability. Giorgi Gigashvili, on the other hand, never practices for many hours, as he is not concerned with duration but with a love of the process. Perhaps this is precisely why the Third Piano Concerto is in such wonderful hands with him, through which he knows how to guide the audience with playful ease. Under the direction of Joana Mallwitz, the Konzerthausorchester Berlin juxtaposes the melodic and weighty drama of the Russian composer with Schubert's "Great" Symphony. Marked by song-like melodies and profound emotions, the door opens to the new season.

Festival Opening

After two musical bicycle tours, the journey isn't over yet: The French chamber orchestra Les Forces Majeures hops from their bikes onto the stage and rounds off their visit to our region with a concert in Bietigheim. The musicians also continue the themes of travel and mobility dramaturgically, selecting suitable works by mostly French composers: With Poulenc, we travel by train and on foot; with Haydn, Debussy, and Ravel, we continue on a boat; Schumann whisks us away into the forest; and Josef Strauss dances a bicycle polka with us. Whether on foot, at sea, or on wheels: Les Forces Majeures are bustling and inspire a spirit of mobilization and departure—literally and figuratively.

Major Forces

Old winery

"Accordez Vos Vélos!" reads the slogan on Les Forces Majeures' striking yellow T-shirts, which translates as "Match your bikes!" The unconventional chamber orchestra from France invites the audience on a musical bike tour, framing the tour with music at the start and finish points, as well as during the stop at Lakeside Palace Monrepos. This not only offers a completely new and literally moving concert experience, but also draws attention to the diverse and community-building possibilities of a climate-friendly means of transport. The chamber music collective also wants to align and coordinate with the Ludwigsburg audience and looks forward to welcoming interested cyclists on Ascension Thursday and the following Friday. Les Forces Majeures' visit will be rounded off with a concert on Friday evening at the Alte Kelter Bietigheim, in which the topic of cycling and travel will be musically explored from various perspectives.

Ludwigsburger Schlossfestspiele

Sep 21, 2025

Apollo's Cabinet

Sep 14, 2025

Gaechinger Chantory

Articles & News

Ludwigsburger Schlossfestspiele