Magdeburg Telemann Festival 2026 — Music · Power · Telemann

Magdeburg, Telemann's City

Georg Philipp Telemann was born in Magdeburg in 1681 — yet it took until 1962 for the city to dedicate its own festival to him. Today, more than 60 years later, the Magdeburg Telemann Festival is an international heavyweight on the Baroque music scene: every two years, for ten days, in March, with over 500 participants from more than 30 countries, from Australia to Colombia. The organizer is the Center for Telemann Care and Research, supported by the City of Magdeburg and the Telemann Society.

The festival follows a biennial rhythm and each time a programmatic motto. In 2026, it is "Music – Power – Telemann" — an exploration of the relationships between composer, power, and societal impact. Between March 13th and 22nd, 2026, over 50 events will be offered in the state capital of Saxony-Anhalt: operas, oratorios, chamber music, vocal concerts, symposia, city tours.

Two Operas as Festival Highlights

The focus in 2026 is on two opera productions. "Otto" is a semi-staged performance of the Handel opera "Ottone" (HWV 15/TVWV 22:3) revised by Telemann for Hamburg — a work at the intersection of two Baroque giants, which is experiencing its contemporary rediscovery in Magdeburg. "Orlando generoso" complements the opera program. Both productions take place at the Magdeburg Opera House in cooperation with the Magdeburg Theatre.

Magdeburg in the State of Saxony-Anhalt

With just under 240,000 inhabitants, Magdeburg is the state capital and largest city of Saxony-Anhalt. The city was the seat of Emperor Otto the Great as early as the 10th century — a historical arc that comes into play twice at the 2026 Telemann Festival, as the opera "Otto" is dedicated to this very Ottonian tradition. The festival complements the city's year-round cultural offerings — Magdeburg Theatre, Magdeburg Philharmonic Orchestra, Gesellschaftshaus — with an exceptional international highlight.