Thüringer Schlossfestspiele Sondershausen

20 Years of Open-Air Theatre in Front of the Residential Palace

In 2006, the Thüringer Schlossfestspiele Sondershausen was founded by Theater Nordhausen and the Loh Orchestra Sondershausen – as a summer counterpart to the regular theatre season. Since then, they have presented operas, operettas, musicals, and family productions outdoors every year in the Lustgarten of the Sondershausen Residential Palace. 2026 marks the 20th anniversary season: a quarter of a century minus one, during which the festival has developed into the most important open-air summer stage in Northern Thuringia.

The Sondershausen Residential Palace

The Sondershausen Residential Palace is one of the most significant palace ensembles in Central Germany. The current complex largely dates from the era of the Princes of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen (17th–19th centuries) and today houses the Palace Museum with the famous "Golden Carriage" and several original 18th-century rooms. The Lustgarten – a baroque garden directly in front of the palace facades – is the natural stage for the Schlossfestspiele. The open-air acoustics, the palace architecture as a backdrop, and the intimate proximity between stage and audience make the experience unique.

Verismo Double Bill: Pagliacci and Cavalleria rusticana

The central program highlight of the anniversary season is the double bill of two of the most important works of Italian Verismo: "Pagliacci" by Ruggero Leoncavallo and "Cavalleria rusticana" by Pietro Mascagni. Both operas were written in the late 19th century and are considered the founders of the Italian Verismo style – the musical-dramatic portrayal of "real" life. The two one-act operas are traditionally performed together as a "Pagliacci double bill" – premiere is on June 19, 2026, at 8 PM.

Songs for a New World – Musical Revue

As a musical counterpoint to the opera, the festival presents the 2026 musical revue "Songs for a New World" by Jason Robert Brown – one of the most important contemporary American musical composers. Premiere is on June 26, 2026; the piece offers a collection of pop, gospel, jazz, and funk songs and is aimed at a broader audience beyond classical opera fans.

Family Opera Abu Hassan

The third program item is a family opera: "Abu Hassan" after Carl Maria von Weber – an oriental-inspired comedy from the early 19th century. Premiere on July 3, 2026, performed on the theatre meadow in front of the palace rotunda, in a child-friendly production. This allows the festival to tap into its own family target group and bind the region to the Schlossfestspiele in the long term.

Sondershausen – The Residential City in the Kyffhäuser District

Sondershausen is the district town of the Kyffhäuserkreis in the state of Thuringia. With around 22,000 inhabitants, it is a comparatively small residential city – but with disproportionately high cultural appeal thanks to the Residential Palace, the Loh Orchestra, and the Schlossfestspiele. Visitors to the festival can easily combine a visit to the Palace Museum, the historic town center, and the nearby Kyffhäuser region (with the famous Kyffhäuser Monument) into a weekend trip.