Rossini in Wildbad — 37th Belcanto Opera Festival

Rossini in Wildbad — A Belcanto Institution

"Rossini in Wildbad" is one of Europe's leading Belcanto opera festivals and ranks among the top international promoters of Rossini — alongside the Rossini Opera Festival in Pesaro (Italy) and Wexford Festival Opera (Ireland). Founded in 1989 by Viennese conductor Antonino Fogliani and the town of Bad Wildbad, the festival has developed over almost four decades into the world's second most important stage for Rossini rediscoveries. The venues are the magnificent 19th-century Grand Kursaal and the adjacent Königliches Kurtheater — both architectural jewels of the Württemberg spa tradition.

2026 Program: Six Operas in Four Languages

The 37th edition presents a diverse program. The highlight: the Parisian version of Rossini's Sémiramis in the French version from 1860 — a modern premiere with a critical edition. In addition, multiple performances will be staged:
L'occasione fa il ladro (The Thieving Opportunity) — 5 performances
La gazza ladra (The Thieving Magpie) — 3 performances
Le mariage en poste (The Postillion Married) — 3 performances
Additionally, there will be concert performances, a children's opera adaptation (July 20–24), a Spanish zarzuela, and special events such as a forest concert and a lake serenade. A total of around 20 performances spread over the 11 festival days.

Bad Wildbad — The Belcanto Spa Town

Bad Wildbad is a traditional spa town in the Northern Black Forest (Calw district, Baden-Württemberg) with a population of just under 9,600. Known for its thermal baths since the 14th century, the town was an international fashion destination for spas in the 19th century — emperors, kings, and queens took cures here, including Queen Olga of Württemberg, who founded the Königliches Kurtheater in 1865. Today, the town combines classic spa culture (Palais Thermal, Vital Therme) with modern wellness offerings — and, with the festival, is one of the most important classical music destinations in Southern Germany.

International Appeal

The festival attracts Belcanto lovers from all over the world: regular guests from Italy, Switzerland, Austria, Great Britain, France, the USA, and Japan travel to Wildbad every year. Music critics praise the curatorial sharpness (regular rediscoveries) and the high musical quality (soloists from the international Belcanto scene, the festival orchestra under Antonino Fogliani). Recordings from Wildbad are regularly released by major classical record labels (Naxos, Bongiovanni).