Sommeroperette Heldritt

Operetta under Coburg's Trees

The Sommeroperette Heldritt is a special feature of the Upper Franconian cultural calendar: the only open-air operetta festival in the Coburg region. The venue is the Waldbühne Heldritt in a district of Bad Rodach (Coburg district). The organizer is the non-profit association Coburger Operetten-Freunde e.V., which supports the festival with professional soloists, an orchestra, and a dedicated team of volunteers.

2026: Emmerich Kálmán's Csárdásfürstin

The 2026 season is dedicated to Emmerich Kálmán's classic "Die Csárdásfürstin" (libretto by Leo Stein and Bela Jenbach). The operetta centers on the love story between Sylva Varescu and Prince Edwin – a positioning between the stage and nobility, featuring the great hit melodies of the Hungarian operetta repertoire. Musical direction has been held by Reinhard Schmidt since 2018, who brings his experience from European opera houses and festivals.

Cast and Season Components

The ensemble of soloists for 2026 includes, among others, Agnes Palmisano (Viennese Dudler tradition, recognized by UNESCO) and the Upper Austrian tenor Harald Wurmsdobler. The season begins on August 9 with a family matinee of Peter and the Wolf (Sergei Prokofiev) and concludes on August 23 with a matinee featuring music by Friedrich Hollaender – thus, the festival deliberately frames the main program with classics for children and the Berlin cabaret tradition.

Waldbühne Heldritt

The Waldbühne Heldritt is a summer-only venue – performances may be canceled in case of torrential rain, but take place under the open sky in normal weather. Heldritt itself is a northern district of the spa town of Bad Rodach, near the border with Thuringia. The combination of forest, classical operetta, and Coburg volunteer spirit makes the festival a hidden gem of the Franconian summer.