With more than 30 international productions, the “Theater der Welt” festival captivated some 17,000 visitors in Chemnitz. The huge public response came as no surprise to him; Chemnitz had already proven itself to be a cosmopolitan city during its tenure as the European Capital of Culture in 2025, explained Stefan Schmidtke, one of the festival’s three artistic directors. To wrap things up, a party was planned for Sunday evening at the festival center at the Spinnbau, which was set to last into the early morning hours. Most performances were sold out. Festival organizers put the attendance rate at 91.8 percent. About one-third of the audience had traveled from out of town. The program for this year’s edition had been put together by nine curators from various countries. The program offered a broad spectrum ranging from pop opera to drama and puppet theater to performance art. Above all, the aim was to provide a stage for indigenous voices and perspectives. The festival kicked off on June 18 with “Split Tooth: Saputjiji," by Canadian singer and author Tanya Tagaq, featured throat singing and dance from Inuit culture. A few days later, the opera house became the setting for a flamboyant pop opera. It was dedicated to the South African anti-apartheid activist and poster boy of the queer community, Simon Nkoli. The audience was thrilled and celebrated the production with a standing ovation. In the play “Blur,” attendees were immersed in an oppressive dystopia using VR headsets. “Theater der Welt” is considered one of the most important international theater festivals in Germany. It takes place every three years. Copyright 2026, dpa (www.dpa.de). All rights reservedFrom shrill pop opera to an oppressive dystopia in virtual reality
