Summer Nights at Herrenhausen Garden Theatre

Theatre in the historic Hedge Hall

The Garden Theatre in the Herrenhausen Great Garden was laid out in the early 18th century and is one of the oldest preserved hedge theatres in Europe. High hedge walls form the scenery, and a trimmed hedge separates the stage from the audience. Gilded lead figures and baroque sculptures line the performance space. In the summer months, the theatre is regularly used for performances, and the Summer Nights Herrenhausen bundle selected productions.

2026 Season

The series runs from July 31 to August 23, 2026. Over three and a half weeks, theatre and concert evenings will be held, partly by Hanoverian ensembles and partly by external guest performances. The exact programme details will be published from May 5, 2026, when ticket sales begin.

Atmosphere

Performances traditionally begin at dusk, so the transition from natural daylight to evening illumination becomes part of the staging. The hedges are trimmed to provide acoustics suitable for both spoken texts and soft instrumental sounds. In case of extremely bad weather, replacement dates will be set.

Connection to other Summer Formats

The Summer Nights run concurrently with or shortly after other major summer events in the Herrenhäuser Gärten – including the International Fireworks Competition and the Illumination in the Great Garden. Together, they form a cultural summer calendar that keeps the gardens active for several months.