Sparda-Bank Klassik Open Air Bayreuth

Classical Music Under the Open Sky

The Sparda-Bank Klassik Open Air is a city festival with sophisticated musical content. In the heart of the Upper Franconian Wagner city of Bayreuth, the Stadtparkett in the central Maximilianstraße is transformed into an open-air concert venue for two summer evenings. Free admission, beer benches set up, cushion rentals available, picnic blankets welcome. The format is accessible, the program high-quality – a combination that has established itself since its premiere in 2015.

12th Edition Meets 150th Festival Summer

2026 marks the 12th edition of the Open Air – and at the same time the 150th anniversary of the Bayreuth Festival, which was founded in 1876 by Richard Wagner with the opening of his Festspielhaus. This double anniversary shapes the program: the second evening is dedicated to Richard Wagner and his Flying Dutchman.

Friday, June 26, 2026 – "Movie Nights"

The Thüringer Symphoniker Saalfeld-Rudolstadt, conducted by Oliver Weder, will kick things off with a film music program. The program features the greatest hits of film music – works by John Williams (Star Wars, Indiana Jones), Klaus Badelt (Pirates of the Caribbean), and Danny Elfman (Tim Burton films). As the Mayor of Bayreuth put it: "The audience can fly into space, set sail, or experience the Star Wars universe up close."

Saturday, June 27, 2026 – "Waves, Wind, and Wagner"

The second evening is titled "Waves, Wind, and Wagner" and is dedicated to Richard Wagner's first major opera. The Flying Dutchman is one of his most emotionally charged scores, impressively realizing the festival theme of "Redemption through Love." The concert is narrated – with contextual explanations of the opera and its significance in the 150-year history of the Bayreuth Festival. Soloists:

• Annika Egert (Soprano) – former scholarship holder of the Richard Wagner Foundation
• Daniel Schliewa (Tenor) – also an alumnus of the Richard Wagner Foundation, and narrator for the evening
• Stellario Fagone (Piano) – accompaniment on the grand piano

Bayreuth and the Festival

Bayreuth, an independent city with around 75,000 inhabitants in Upper Franconia, has been the world capital of Wagner cult since 1876. Every summer, Wagner enthusiasts from all over the world make a pilgrimage to the Festspielhaus on the Green Hill – tickets are considered some of the most difficult to obtain in the classical music world. The Sparda-Bank Klassik Open Air offers a deliberately accessible counterpart: Bayreuth for Bayreuth and all interested parties, without the Festspielhaus aura, but with picnic blankets and free admission.

Organizers and Sponsors

The organizer is the Cultural Office of the City of Bayreuth, and the main sponsor is the Sparda-Bank. This combination of municipal cultural work and savings bank community engagement makes the format financially viable and ensures free access. Both concerts are fully accessible, and wheelchair spaces are reserved.