Rottweil Music Festival Sommersprossen

Chamber Music in the Oldest Town in Baden-Württemberg

Rottweil, with a population of just over 25,000, is the oldest town in Baden-Württemberg — founded in 73 AD as the Roman settlement Arae Flaviae, it is now the district town of the Rottweil district, located at the transition from the Black Forest to the Swabian Jura. The Sommersprossen Festival, founded in 1995, is the city's most important classical concert series and has become a firm fixture in the summer calendar of the South German chamber music scene over 30 years. Florian Donderer, principal violist and sought-after chamber musician, has been the artistic director since 2019.

Venues with Character

The main venue is the Erich Hauser Art Foundation on the former saltworks site on the edge of the city center. Erich Hauser (1930–2004) was one of the most important German sculptors of the post-war period; his foundation manages his studio and sculptures in a spacious hall that is acoustically and atmospherically ideal for chamber music. Two other venues complement the festival: the Art Nouveau Hall of the Rottenmünster (a former Dominican convent) and the historic Badhaus on Hochbrücktorstraße.

2026 Program

The 2026 festival runs from June 22 to 30. On the opening night, Monday, June 22, 2026, the festival ensemble will perform a romantic program featuring works by Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy, Robert Schumann, and Johannes Brahms — the musical staple of string chamber music. During the festival week, Tanja Tetzlaff (cello), Muriel Razavi (viola), Tobias Feldmann (violin), and Elisabeth Brauß (piano) will perform as the resident ensemble — all renowned soloists and chamber musicians with international reputations. A focus will be on more experimental formats such as the "Rocklounge," where classical music and rock music meet. On June 28, the Erich Hauser Art Foundation celebrates its 30th anniversary with a special concert. The closing concert "Fagottissimo" on Tuesday, June 30, 2026, brings together bassoon specialists and young talents for an evening-long showcase of works.

Advance Ticket Sales and Tradition

Advance ticket sales for Sommersprossen 2026 began in April 2026. Tickets are available through the Rottweil Tourist Information (Tel. 0741/494-280) and the festival office Trio K (www.trio-k.de). The festival enjoys a loyal core audience from the Black Forest, the Swabian Jura, and the Karlsruhe Technology Region — tickets for popular evenings are regularly snapped up quickly.