Dresden Music Festival practices the "lightness of being"

The Dresden Music Festival wants to spread a lot of joie de vivre next year with classical music, jazz and comedy. Under the motto "Lightness of Being", one of Germany's best-known festivals is expanding its range of genres to include drama and comedy, the festival announced. The festival will kick off on 14 May 2026 with humor when the Dresden Philharmonic Orchestra under the direction of Tabita Berglund meets comedian Olaf Schubert.

The festival's motto seems like a provocation in view of the many tensions and conflicts in the world, emphasized festival director Jan Vogler. "We are in difficult times", he said. We wake up early and hear news that is not always easy to digest. Nevertheless, the lightness of being is something that people constantly need - even in difficult times, said Vogler. We need lightness as a counterbalance to heaviness.

Residency for London Philharmonic Orchestra

The audience can also look forward to the third edition of "Cellomania". The "festival within the festival" brings together around 30 renowned cellists from all over the world, with Artistic Director Vogler also taking up the strings of his cello. The London Philharmonic Orchestra under Edward Gardner has a residency at the music festival and focuses on compositions by Edward Elgar. "Lightness is the art of living. With top musical performances, the Dresden Music Festival 2026 will vary the lightness of being in four exciting weeks, evening after evening," promised Vogler.

Wagner cycle is completed

The Festival Orchestra and the Ensemble Concerto Köln under the direction of Kent Nagano will conclude their Wagner cycle with Richard Wagner's "Götterdämmerung". With "The Wagner Cycles", the music festival combines musical practice and science to create a new kind of sound experience. Since 2023, unknown or forgotten facets of the music have been uncovered on historical instruments and in the singing and speaking style of Wagner's time in the four parts of the "Ring des Nibelungen" and performed throughout Europe.

64 performances from jazz to world music to drama

The motto will run like a common thread through the 64 events. In addition to classical music and opera, jazz, world music, crossover, dance, drama, readings and performances will also be given a stage. Almost 30 artists and ensembles will make their debut at the Dresden Festival in 2026, including Austrian actor Tobias Moretti, the Vienna Burgtheater and pianist and YouTube star Hayato Sumino, known as "Cateen".

Hollywood legend Bill Murray comes to the finale

There will be a rendezvous with pianists Chilly Gonzales, Igor Levit, Martha Argerich, actress Martina Gedeck, singer Noa, trumpeter Till Brönner and horn player Sarah Willis. The closing concert promises a reunion with Hollywood legend Bill Murray, who, together with Jan Vogler, Mira Wang and Vanessa Perez, will lend lightness to literary classics with music by Bach, Bernstein, Gershwin and Piazzolla.

With regard to the financial situation of the city of Dresden, however, the lightness of the festival is dwindling somewhat. Next year, the municipal subsidy will fall from 1.25 million euros to 900,000 euros. Nevertheless, the budget is to remain at around five million euros. Vogler wants to increase the sponsorship money from the previous 1.5 million euros as much as possible, as well as the income from ticket sales and tour operations. "Our own contribution will increase. We have the confidence to do so," said the artistic director.

Advance ticket sales for the 49th Dresden Music Festival from May 14 to June 14, 2026 will begin on Tuesday (November 18).