Calderón Festival Bamberg

Open-Air Theatre in Bamberg's Most Beautiful Location

The Calderón Festival is one of Franconia's most traditional open-air theatre series. Since 1973, the municipal E.T.A. Hoffmann Theatre Bamberg has used the courtyard of the Alte Hofhaltung in midsummer — the oldest residence of the Bamberg bishops, a Renaissance building directly opposite Bamberg Cathedral. The venue is part of the UNESCO World Heritage site of Bamberg's Old Town and provides a backdrop that no stage set could replace.

A Tradition with Spanish Roots

The festival owes its name to the Spanish Baroque playwright Pedro Calderón de la Barca, whose plays shaped the programme in the early years. Today, the theatre presents various classics and occasionally more recent plays: the common denominator is comedy suitable for open-air performance or grand, visually striking drama. The Calderón Festival is the traditional conclusion to Bamberg's theatre season and, at the same time, the most visited production of the year.

2026 Programme: Kleist's »Der zerbrochne Krug«

In 2026, the ensemble will tackle one of the greatest German comedy classics: Heinrich von Kleist's »Der zerbrochne Krug«. The comedy about the corrupt village judge Adam, who must adjudicate his own misdeed, is a highlight of German-language theatre — finest stage rhetoric, drawing from both Tartuffe and Oedipus. The production is directed by Jasper Brandis. Premiere is on Friday, June 26, 2026.

The Alte Hofhaltung as a Theatre Space

The courtyard of the Alte Hofhaltung seats around 600 spectators on tiered seating erected for the season. With its half-timbered facades, turreted staircases, and the immediate proximity of the Cathedral, it appears like a stage that tells its own story even before the first performance. In case of rain, the theatre moves performances to its main venue on Schillerplatz.

Bamberg in the Summer

The festival coincides with Bamberg's busy summer tourist season. Visitors attending a performance should plan to spend the day exploring the Old Town — Cathedral Hill, Little Venice, the seven hills, one of Germany's densest brewery networks with world-famous smoked beer. Theatre plus city experience: guests travel here from Munich, Frankfurt, and Berlin.