SHMF Roxette Concert Kiel

Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival — the 41st Edition

The Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival (SHMF) is one of Europe's largest classical music festivals and the defining cultural summer event in Schleswig-Holstein. Founded in 1986 by Justus Frantz and Leonard Bernstein, it fills barns, churches, castles, and concert halls every summer, from the Kiel Canal to Sylt. In 2026, the 41st edition will run with a cultural focus on Stockholm — the Swedish capital as a guest and source of inspiration.

Roxette in Kiel — Swedish Pop History

As part of this focus, Roxette will perform on Saturday, July 18, 2026, at the MERKUR Ostseehalle Kiel. The Swedish pop-rock band, founded in 1986 in Halmstad and known worldwide for hits like 'The Look,' 'Listen to Your Heart,' and 'It Must Have Been Love,' brought Swedish pop to the global charts. With Roxette, the SHMF brings a classic of modern Swedish music history to the state capital Kiel — an example of the festival's noticeably open orientation, which also programs international pop and jazz beyond classical chamber music.

The MERKUR Ostseehalle as the Venue

The MERKUR Ostseehalle Kiel is the largest event hall in Schleswig-Holstein and thus the designated venue for the SHMF's major events. With a capacity of several thousand seats, it is as well-suited for pop concerts as it is for orchestral evenings. Location: centrally located in Kiel, within walking distance of the main train station, with good connections to buses and trains — and thus the truly easily accessible festival heart of the Schleswig-Holstein state capital in the independent city of Kiel.

A Concert in the Grand Festival Context

Those attending the Roxette concert will also immerse themselves in a festival week that features numerous other venues in Kiel — from the concert hall of Kiel Castle to the Sparkassen-Arena. The Stockholm focus in 2026 will also bring many Swedish ensembles and soloists to the program. For both SHMF attendees and Roxette fans, the concert evening offers a good opportunity to combine several SHMF dates.