Oper Oder Spree

Music Theatre between Beeskow and Neuzelle

Oper Oder Spree uses two symbolic locations in the cultural landscape of Southeast Brandenburg: the medieval Beeskow Castle (Frankfurter Straße 23) in the Oder-Spree district, one of Brandenburg's best-preserved moated castles, and the Stiftsplatz in Neuzelle, in front of the Baroque ensemble of the former Cistercian abbey. Both locations offer open-air-suitable courtyards, which are transformed into open-air performance spaces during the summer months.

2026 Programme — Five Productions, Four Summer Months

The 2026 season spans almost three months (June 6 – August 22). It includes five productions: the a cappella concert “Life Could Be a Dream — German Gents” as the opening, the children's opera “Das kleine weiße Pony,” the musical-Italian opera pasticcio “Amore, pasta, vino e basta!” and Ralph Benatzky's Singspiel “Im weißen Rössl” as the musical finale in several performances.

Beeskow Castle as the Main Venue

Beeskow Castle — home to the Oder-Spree District Museum and a vibrant cultural programme — serves as the main venue. The castle courtyard offers a sheltered, acoustically valuable open-air space where the audience sits directly in front of the walls of the medieval complex.

Stiftsplatz Neuzelle as the Secondary Venue

Stiftsplatz Neuzelle is the second central venue: a wide open space in front of the Baroque collegiate ensemble, visited by concert guests from all over Brandenburg, Berlin, and Poland. Its location within sight of the former Cistercian abbey lends the festival a sacred, monumental aura — an impressive backdrop for Singspiele and operettas.

Children's Opera and Family Orientation

The festival has maintained a children's opera tradition for years. In 2026, “Das kleine weiße Pony,” with a musical arrangement by director Lars Franke, will be presented — the story of little Josi, her plush pony Leo, and the magic of music. This explicitly opens the festival to young families and schools from the district.

International Ambition

Oper Oder Spree is “international” because the festival collaborates with ensembles from several countries — a cappella groups from Germany, opera stars from home and abroad, Italian operettas, and classics of German-language Singspiel. Tickets and the schedule overview are available at +49 3366 352727 and operoderspree.de.