Sinfonieorchester Wuppertal — Open Air on Laurentiusplatz

Classical Meets Jazz — on Laurentiusplatz

Once a year, the Wuppertal Symphony Orchestra leaves the Historische Stadthalle and performs under the open sky. For years, the venue has been Laurentiusplatz in Wuppertal-Elberfeld, framed by Wilhelminian-era facades and the Catholic church of the same name from the 19th century. The Open Air has become a fixture in Wuppertal's summer cultural calendar — free of charge, high-caliber, and right in the heart of the city.

The 2026 Program: Bird, Duke, and Bernstein

On Monday, August 31, 2026, the summer evening will be dedicated to the American classics of the 20th century. The Symphony Orchestra will focus on the works of three icons: Charlie Parker, the inventor of bebop; Duke Ellington, who imbued the big band idiom with symphonic depth; and Leonard Bernstein, whose "West Side Story" and "Mass" have long blurred the lines between popular and classical music. Saxophonist Severin Neubauer, one of the young voices of the German jazz scene, will perform as the soloist.

Before the Concert: Tea Time with the Brewsters

Starting at 4 PM, the supporting program "Tea Time with the Brewsters" will warm up the square and the audience. The main concert will begin at 7:30 PM. Those who want to secure one of the reservable seats should act quickly; in addition, there are numerous free standing areas around the square.

Why This Open Air Fits Wuppertal

Wuppertal is a city that takes its culture seriously — from the Wuppertal Dance Theatre of Pina Bausch to the Symphony Orchestra under General Music Director Patrick Hahn. The fact that an orchestra of Tarifgruppe A leaves its doors for a summer evening and performs an Open Air is a statement: classical music doesn't belong behind closed doors, but in the city. Laurentiusplatz, with its fountain and surrounding cafes, provides the perfect setting for this — when the weather is good, the whole valley gathers here.

Anticipation for Summer in the Bergisches Land

The Bergisches Land is not famous for its warm climate, which makes the few mild summer evenings all the more precious. Wuppertal knows how to stage these moments — with open-air concerts, the Luisenviertel festival, and the traditional Open Air of the Symphony Orchestra. Anyone who has experienced it once — the soaring sound of strings between the burgher houses, the first jazz solos under the evening sky — will return.