Hamburger Ballett-Tage

Hamburg, the German ballet centre

Since John Neumeier took over the direction of the Hamburg Ballet in 1973, the Hanseatic city has developed into the German ballet centre. The Hamburger Ballett-Tage originated in 1975 as a summer showcase and is now one of the world's most important festivals of this art form. 2026 sees the 51st edition — the first festival arc under the new artistic director who took over the company after 50 years of Neumeier.

Opening: World Premiere Ratmansky

The 2026 edition kicks off on June 20th with a world premiere: Alexei Ratmansky — one of the most important living choreographers, formerly of the American Ballet Theatre, now of the New York City Ballet — is creating a new full-length work for the Hamburg Ballet titled "Wunderland". Further performances follow on June 23rd, 26th, and July 2nd.

Repertoire and Guest Performances

Over the two festival weeks, the Hamburg Ballet performs a cross-section of its season: Neumeier works such as "Nijinsky" (June 24th) and "The Seagull" (July 3rd), contemporary pieces ("FAST FORWARD", "THE TIMES ARE RACING"), as well as a two-day guest performance by the Hervé Koubi Company from France (June 30th and July 1st) — one of France's outstanding contemporary dance groups, known for its fusion of hip-hop and classical dance techniques.

Finale: Nijinsky Gala LI

The traditional finale on July 5th is the Nijinsky Gala — a festive showcase of the best with soloists and guests from all over the world, making Hamburg particularly celebratory for its 51st edition. The venue is the Hamburgische Staatsoper on Große Theaterstraße in Neustadt (Hamburg-Mitte district), one of Germany's most traditional opera houses.