Summer Open Air Württembergische Philharmonie Reutlingen

Summer Open Air at the Naturtheater — The Classical Summer Evening

The Summer Open Air by the Württembergische Philharmonie Reutlingen is one of those special concert evenings where classical music and summer atmosphere ideally combine. The venue is the Naturtheater Reutlingen, one of the oldest and most beautiful open-air stages in Southern Germany, located in the Markstraßen-Gewann above the city. The Württembergische Philharmonie Reutlingen — as the state orchestra, one of Baden-Württemberg's most renowned ensembles — presents an evening of entertaining symphonic music here every summer.

2026 Program — Film Hits and Operetta Classics

The 2026 program is titled 'Ich küsse Ihre Hand, Madame – Tonfilmschlager aus alten Zeiten' (I Kiss Your Hand, Madame – Film Hits from Old Times) — a homage to the romantic music of the 1920s and 1930s. Sound film hits from the Weimar Republic, songs from film classics, operetta melodies — all in symphonic arrangements for a large orchestra. It's an evening that evokes the world of Marlene Dietrich, Richard Tauber, and Zarah Leander, in the musical language of the grand orchestra.

The Soloists

Natalie Karl (soprano) and Matthias Klink (tenor) perform the vocal parts — both are internationally sought-after voices with repertoire focuses ranging from Mozart and Wagner to operetta. Conductor Ernst Theis is a specialist in operetta and entertaining symphonic music — a constellation that musically supports the program.

Naturtheater Reutlingen

The Naturtheater Reutlingen was founded in 1947 and is one of Southern Germany's most renowned open-air stages. The stage is located in the Markstraßen-Gewand, nestled amidst forests and meadows, with a stone grandstand and a stage that hosts theater, concerts, and family programs during the summer. The acoustics are surprisingly good, the ambiance unique — stars, the summer soundscape from the surrounding forest, and the view of the Swabian Jura.

Sundowner with Orchestra

Starting at 8 PM — the sun slowly sets behind the mountains, the orchestra begins, and the audience arrives from the Naturtheater's open-air restaurant. This is the special charm of this concert: classical music that isn't heard in concert hall attire but on a summer evening, with picnic blankets and the sunset. The Württembergische Philharmonie has perfected this format — an evening that highlights Reutlingen and the region as a home for classical music.