Klezmer.welten Gelsenkirchen
International Festival for Yiddish Music and Eastern European Jewish Tradition — seven concerts in three Ruhr Area cities
About Klezmer.welten
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Klezmer.welten — three weeks of Yiddish music in the Ruhr Area
The Klezmer.welten Festival has been Germany's largest festival for Yiddish music and Eastern European Jewish tradition since 2003. From March 1 to 22, 2026, the Jewish Community of Gelsenkirchen presents seven concerts in extraordinary venues between Gelsenkirchen, Essen, and Dorsten. The concept combines tradition and the present: old Yiddish songs, classic Klezmer, modern crossover projects, and jazz inspirations.
2026 Program — seven concerts, six venues
The 2026 edition opens with the Purim Ball at the Alte Synagoge Essen (March 1) and concludes three weeks later with the joyful evening by Lea Kalisch & Rabbi T at the Neue Synagoge Gelsenkirchen (March 22). In between, international stars from Israel, the USA, Turkey, Belarus, Poland, and Latvia will perform — a fully curated Klezmer map over three weeks.
Extraordinary Venues
What makes Klezmer.welten special is the choice of locations:
- Alte Synagoge Essen — Opening Purim Ball with Dobranotch
- Neue Synagoge Gelsenkirchen — Concerts with Kapela Kotra and Lea Kalisch
- Schloss Horst — Renaissance castle in Gelsenkirchen-Horst
- Heilig-Kreuz-Kirche in Gelsenkirchen — Stage for The Klezmatics
- Jüdisches Museum Westfalen Dorsten — Jake Shulman-Ment solo program
The Klezmatics — Festival Highlight
The musical highlight of this festival edition is the performance by Grammy winners The Klezmatics on March 14 at the Heilig-Kreuz-Kirche. Active in New York since 1986, the band is considered a central player in the modern Klezmer revival movement and celebrates its 40th anniversary in 2026. A rare opportunity to experience one of the world's most influential Jewish music ensembles in the Ruhr Area.
Gelsenkirchen — Germany's Klezmer Capital
With nearly a quarter-century of festival history, Gelsenkirchen (independent city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Ruhr Area) has established itself as Germany's Klezmer capital. The Jewish Community, supported by the Neue Synagoge on Georgsplatz, is one of the most active in NRW and sees its cultural work as building bridges between Jewish tradition and the city's society. Klezmer.welten is the most visible flagship of this endeavor.
Klezmer.welten — edition 2026
2026 Program — seven concerts in three weeks
The 2026 festival edition brings together international Klezmer stars and new voices from the Yiddish music scene. A total of seven concerts are spread over three weeks and six venues in Gelsenkirchen, Essen, and Dorsten. The opening is with the traditional Purim Ball, and the central highlight is the anniversary performance of The Klezmatics at the Heilig-Kreuz-Kirche.
Venues
- Alte Synagoge Essen — Opening Purim Ball
- Neue Synagoge Gelsenkirchen (Georgsplatz) — Concerts by Kapela Kotra and Lea Kalisch
- Schloss Horst (Gelsenkirchen) — Renaissance castle as a concert venue
- Heilig-Kreuz-Kirche Gelsenkirchen — The Klezmatics
- Jüdisches Museum Westfalen (Dorsten) — Jake Shulman-Ment solo
Tickets via localticketing.de or directly at the Hans-Sachs-Haus.
Programme Klezmer.welten 2026
Sunday, March 1, 2026 — Purim Ball
- Dobranotch (St. Petersburg/Israel) — Dance evening for Purim
- Venue: Alte Synagoge Essen
- Free admission
Thursday, March 5, 2026
- Kapela Kotra — Klezmer and Eastern European vocal music from Belarus and Ukraine
- Venue: Neue Synagoge Gelsenkirchen
Sunday, March 8, 2026
- Black Rooster Kapelye — Latvian and Yiddish sounds
- Venue: Schloss Horst (Gelsenkirchen)
Thursday, March 12, 2026 — Tsvey Strunes
- Jake Shulman-Ment & Abigale Reisman — Two-part tuned violins
- Venue: Jüdisches Museum Westfalen Dorsten
Saturday, March 14, 2026 — Festival Highlight
- The Klezmatics (New York) — Anniversary concert celebrating 40 years as a band
- Venue: Heilig-Kreuz-Kirche Gelsenkirchen
Thursday, March 19, 2026
- Istanbul Klezmer Kapelye — Yiddish music from Turkey
- Venue: Schloss Horst
Sunday, March 22, 2026 — Closing Concert
- Lea Kalisch & Rabbi T (Switzerland/New York)
- Venue: Neue Synagoge Gelsenkirchen
Highlights Klezmer.welten 2026
- The Klezmatics — Anniversary concert celebrating 40 years as a band (March 14)
- Purim Ball with Dobranotch at the Alte Synagoge Essen (March 1)
- Jake Shulman-Ment at the Jüdisches Museum Westfalen Dorsten (March 12)
Prices Klezmer.welten 2026
Individual tickets typically €15–€30, concessions €10–€20 for pupils, students, and social benefit recipients. Purim Ball on March 1 is free admission. Advance sales via localticketing.de, Consol Theater, or Hans-Sachs-Haus (Tourist Information).
Practical information — Klezmer.welten
Getting There
The Neue Synagoge Gelsenkirchen is located on Georgsplatz, within walking distance of Gelsenkirchen Central Station. The Alte Synagoge Essen is accessible via the city center. Schloss Horst is in the Horst district of Gelsenkirchen. The Jüdisches Museum Westfalen Dorsten can be reached by car or regional transport from Gelsenkirchen.
Tickets
Advance sales via localticketing.de and the Hans-Sachs-Haus (Gelsenkirchen Tourist Information). Tickets typically range from €15–€30, with concessions for students. The Purim Ball on March 1 is free admission. Direct purchase at the box office is usually possible.
Tip
Those wishing to attend multiple concerts should book early — especially the concert by The Klezmatics on March 14 at the Heilig-Kreuz-Kirche fills up quickly.
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Travel to this festival
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Where it takes place Klezmer.welten
Alte Synagoge Essen, Neue Synagoge Gelsenkirchen, Schloss Horst, Heilig-Kreuz-Kirche, Jüdisches Museum Westfalen Dorsten
Georgstraße 2, 45879 Gelsenkirchen