Bamberger Totentanz

Theatre in the UNESCO World Heritage Site

Bamberg has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1993. With the Imperial Cathedral, the Old Court, and the Cathedral Square, the city possesses one of Bavaria's most spectacular theatre backdrops. AGIL e.V. – the Bamberg Museum Education Association – has established the Totentanz in this setting as one of Germany's most ambitious citizens' theatre projects.

Promenade Theatre Concept

The Totentanz is conceived as a promenade theatre: the audience follows Death (Felix D'Angelo) through ten stations on the Cathedral Square and in the Old Court, encountering historical figures from the city's history – Emperor Henry II, Otto von Wittelsbach, Agnes Schwanfelder, Lothar Franz von Schönborn – and experiencing the dialogue between Death and the living. The production follows the tradition of medieval Danse Macabre (like Holbein's famous cycle), but radically updates it: not a moral warning, but a political, philosophical, and sometimes humorous exploration of mortality, history, and the identity of a city.

100+ Bamberg Citizens as Ensemble

The special feature: the roles are not filled by professional actors, but by Bamberg residents from all walks of life – pupils from the Franz-Ludwig-Gymnasium research city history, seniors play historical figures, construction workers alongside professors. Annette Schäfer leads the citizens' choir. This mix is the heart of the project: city history played by the people.

Artistic Team

Directed by Nina Lorenz, who has been involved with the project since 2024. Death is played by Felix D'Angelo. The text for 2024 was written by bestselling author Tanja Kinkel; for 2026, Dr. Martin Beyer takes over. The original composition is by Jochen Neurath, Cultural Prize winner of the City of Bamberg. Festival director is Michael Hanisch (AGIL e.V., Vice-President of the European Danse Macabre Association). The performances are under the patronage of the City of Bamberg and supported by numerous cultural institutions.

From Theatre to Festival

Previous performances in 2012, 2014, and 2018 were purely theatrical. In 2024, the production was revived with Tanja Kinkel's text and great success. In 2026, AGIL e.V. is broadening the scope: the theatre project becomes the Bamberger Totentanz Festival with accompanying exhibitions, readings, concerts, and city tours, coordinated with VHS Bamberg, Villa Concordia, and other cultural organizers. Focus for 2026: the last 125 years of Bamberg's history.

Imperial Cathedral as Stage

The venues themselves are actors: the Imperial Cathedral with its medieval sculptures (Bamberg Horseman), the Old Court with its Renaissance courtyard, the vast Cathedral Hill square with views over the old town. Visitors to Bamberg will see the Totentanz and simultaneously understand the city – architecture and play merge.