Presentation of the new season
On Wednesday 13 May 2026, Artistic Director Johannes Weigand and Administrative Director Lutz Wengler, together with the heads of the various departments, presented the premieres, concerts, revivals, guest performances and highlights of the Anhaltisches Theater’s 232nd season.
Following a turbulent yet successful 231st season, we are embarking on the new season with great momentum. The programme spans our five departments with over 20 premieres and 14 revivals.
The 2026/27 season will open with the traditional open-air opening concert in front of the mausoleum at Dessau Zoo. In the 232nd season, audiences can look forward to major hit productions such as Giacomo Puccini’s ‘Turandot’, Friedrich Dürrenmatt’s ‘The Visit’ and the musical ‘Bajazzo darf nicht platzen’. Following ‘Don Giovanni’ and ‘Così fan tutte’, the Mozart cycle will be rounded off with ‘The Marriage of Figaro’ as the first premiere in the Main Theatre.
Dance enthusiasts are in for a real treat with the ballet evening “Myths of Love”. Ballet director Stefano Giannetti and rehearsal director Emmanuelle Grizot bring two of the most beautiful love stories to the stage: the ancient fable “Cupid and Psyche” and the Greek romance of the shepherd Daphnis and the nymph Chloé. Love is also the central theme of this year’s Christmas fairy tale “Beauty and the Beast”. Lucy Kirkwood and Katie Mitchell offer a refreshingly new interpretation of “Beauty and the Beast”. The Man in Pink and the Fairy Cécile guide the audience through the plot with wit, irony and a good dose of theatrical magic. They present the fairy tale as a charmingly satirical magic show and invite the audience to question outward appearances and seek true beauty within. The play is directed by resident director Johannes Weigand and shows how love can overcome even the greatest curse.
During his time in America, Kurt Weill created fragments for a musical adaptation of Mark Twain’s young adult novel “Tom Sawyer”. Based on these drafts, John von Düffel and Kai Tietje created a musical theatre adaptation of the material. In 2023, the piece premiered at the Komische Oper. This production will be staged in Dessau from 27 February and will celebrate its premiere as part of the Kurt Weill Festival 2027.
‘Music at the Blue Hour’ returns in June, coinciding with the traditional open-air season at Dessau Zoo. The programme includes the 8th Symphony Concert, a performance by the Saxony-Anhalt State Youth Big Band, and the Halle-based band ‘Frohe Zukunft’ will also be taking to the stage next year.
The puppet theatre is planning four new productions again. For everyone aged 3 and over, there is the fairy tale “The Ugly Duckling” by Hans Christian Andersen, and for older puppet lovers aged 14 and over, there is “Animal Farm”, based on George Orwell’s classic.
The Anhalt Philharmonic Orchestra is once again presenting eight top-class symphony concerts. The popular concert featuring well-known melodies from opera, operetta and concert repertoire, entitled “Erklingen zum Tanze die Geigen” (Let the Violins Play for the Dance), kicks off the season, followed by “Stunde der Klassik” (Classical Hour), the “Christmas Concert” and the “New Year’s Request Concert”. A particular highlight is the Feininger Oratorio “A Modern Man” by Christoph Reuter and Andreas Hillger, whilst six chamber concerts round off the diverse programme. The audience can also look forward to further concerts in the “Raum für Klang” series, which brings new music to the Bauhaus Museum in Dessau.
From 6 to 8 November 2026, young violinists aged between 12 and 21 will once again compete at the Anhaltisches Theater Dessau in the ‘Rust Prize’, the violin competition organised by the Ostdeutsche Sparkassenstiftung. Those who succeed in the two-day competition before the five-member jury will have the chance to choose an instrument that suits them from the foundation’s collection of 14 master violins and to play it for at least two years. In addition, participants can win prize money and earn performance opportunities. The first-prize winner will also have the opportunity to perform as a soloist with the Anhalt Philharmonic Orchestra.
The coming season will once again feature numerous exciting guest events at the Anhaltisches Theater. Furthermore, new series such as “Leseratte 3+”, “Drama Deluxe”, “Murder Mystery Dinner” and “Gemeinsam schauen” expand the programme and invite the audience to enjoy special theatrical and cultural experiences.
The premieres, concerts and events for the 232nd season are now available to view at: www.anhaltisches-theater.de.
Advance ticket sales begin on Wednesday, 15 May 2026.