DomplatzOpenAir Magdeburg

Open Air in front of Magdeburg Cathedral

The DomplatzOpenAir is the annual summer highlight of the Magdeburg Theatre. Since the late 1990s, the theatre has transformed the Cathedral Square, in front of Germany's oldest Gothic church building, into a huge open-air venue every June and July. Stage, backstage, lighting bridges, and a covered grandstand for several thousand spectators are erected over weeks – the result is a backdrop that few other theatres in Germany can offer.

The range of previous productions extends from musicals ("West Side Story", "Sister Act", "Anatevka") to operas ("Carmen", "Aida") and large-scale drama productions. What remains is the promise: a full symphony orchestra live, a large ensemble, elaborate stage technology, and a summer atmosphere that the theatre consciously creates.

2026: Rodgers & Hammerstein's "Oklahoma!"

For the 2026 season, the Magdeburg Theatre has scheduled "Oklahoma!" by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II – the 1943 musical that redefined the genre in the USA. The production is directed by Erik Petersen, with musical direction by Pawel Poplawski and the Magdeburg Philharmonic Orchestra. The story centres on Curly McLain and Laurey Williams, whose love story in rural Oklahoma at the turn of the century is overshadowed by jealousy and conflict – Petersen promises a production with pyrotechnics and fire effects that will transform Cathedral Square into an American prairie landscape.

The premiere on June 19, 2026, at 9 PM is the highlight of the Magdeburg theatre season. A total of 17 performances are planned until July 19 – many dates were sold out months before the season began. Magdeburg is a district-free city and the state capital of Saxony-Anhalt. Cathedral Square is within walking distance of the main train station, the old town, and the Elbe River.