With a schedule of more than 30 premieres, just as many concerts and numerous repertoire productions, the team presented a diverse program. With the puppet theater production "Und über uns der große Wagen", which opens in August, and the opera premiere "Rummelplatz" in September, two groundbreaking productions are also celebrating their premiere, which were created especially for the Capital of Culture year Chemnitz 2025. This season will also see a special highlight with the international theater festival "Theater der Welt", which will take place in Chemnitz in June 2026.
Music theater
On September 20, 2025, Chemnitz Opera will open its new season with a special premiere: with the world premiere of the opera "Rummelplatz " - a production as part of the Capital of Culture Year 2025 - the opera house will bring an impressive adaptation of the novel of the same name by Werner Bräunig to the stage. Composed by Ludger Vollmer and with a libretto by Jenny Erpenbeck, the new music theater work promises to be a gripping cultural highlight. Chemnitz Opera will continue to focus on great classics of the repertoire for the rest of the season: Ruggero Leoncavallo's masterpiece "The Bajazzo" will return to the stage on November 15, 2025. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's world-famous opera "Don Giovanni" will follow on January 30, 2026. In April 2026, audiences can look forward to another highlight with Richard Wagner's romantic opera "The Flying Dutchman" in an impressive production by Juana Inés Cano Restrepo. For younger visitors and families, Chemnitz Opera will also present "Die große Wörterfabrik" in April, a magical chamber opera by Martin Zels, which will be performed at the Chemnitz Municipal Music School. The season will conclude in May 2026 with a semi-staged production of the popular operetta "Der Vogelhändler" by Carl Zeller. Numerous revivals are also on the program, including classics such as"La Traviata","The Tales of Hoffmann" and the hit musical "Cabaret".
Ballet
In the new season, Ballett Chemnitz will once again surprise audiences with a multifaceted program that will delight both friends of classical ballet and lovers of contemporary dance. The new ballet season kicks off on October 25, 2025 with the premiere of "Der blaue Vogel oder Die Suche nach dem Glück" at Chemnitz Opera House. The starting point for Sabrina Sadowska's production is an imaginary birthday party. In the midst of illustrious guests - including Oscar Wilde, Stéphane Mallarmé and Claude Debussy - Maurice Maeterlinck presents his life partner, singer and actress Georgette Leblanc, with his famous work "The Blue Bird". In Georgette's dreams, a fantastic journey of the siblings Mytyl and Tyltyl into a magical world of art unfolds, in search of happiness and the meaning of life. Another highlight follows on March 20, 2026: With "Caravaggio or The Silence of Our Hearts", Ballett Chemnitz presents an impressive work by renowned French choreographer Bruno Bouché, artistic director of the Ballet du Rhin. In atmospheric images, Bouché traces the fascinating personality of the baroque painter Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio and creates a dance portrait between light and darkness, passion and silence. The successful contemporary dance series will also continue: Irish choreographer Zoë Ashe-Browne will present a new work at "Showcase IX" in the ballet hall of the opera house in spring 2026. With "Made in Chemnitz 2026" in June, Ballett Chemnitz is once again setting an example for innovative creativity from the city.
Robert Schumann Philharmonic Orchestra
The Robert Schumann Philharmonic Orchestra is starting the 2025/2026 season with fresh impetus and a varied program. From August 2025, Benjamin Reiners will be at the helm as the new General Music Director and Chief Conductor, setting new accents with passion and curiosity. The Philharmonie kicks off the new season with the 1st symphony concert entitled "Symphonic Opening Party" with a festive opening in the Stadthalle and heralds the start of the symphony concert season, which offers a varied mix of classical and modern works with titles such as "Lebensweisen", "See the Unseen", "Nacht vor Weihnachten" and "Sehnsuchtsorte". In the 3rd symphony concert, Jonas Urban's world premiere "Tales of Industry" brings the industrial history of Chemnitz to life, before Gustav Mahler's "Resurrection Symphony" sets a powerful accent in the second half of the season.
The Philharmonie will also be presenting a varied program of special concerts in the coming season: the new "Im Klang" concert format offers audiences in the Carlowitz Hall a completely new sound experience. In addition, inclusive offerings such as "Raum für Resonanz" enable people with dementia and their relatives to enjoy special concert experiences. With innovative formats such as"Synth Happens", in which electronic dance music meets large orchestral sounds, the Philharmonie is expanding its repertoire and opening up new horizons - especially for a young audience. For the whole family, not only the popular family concerts with mascot ROB, but also other concerts such as the picnic concert or the baby concerts "Kling, klang - Musik von Anfang an" offerfirst encounters with classical music. New concert experiences require special venues - so this season, the Philharmonie is once again taking its "Klasse Klassik" concert series to the most diverse performance venues in the city. In addition to continuations of the popular "Take the brass train" and "Slam Symphony" formats, baroque masterpieces meet hip-hop rhythms in "Vivaldi Beats" at the AJZ youth center.
In the new season, the Robert Schumann Philharmonic Orchestra is placing a special focus on appealing to people of all ages and getting them excited about music.
Drama
With a total of twelve premieres - six of them on the main stage, five in the East Wing and a summer open-air production on the Küchwaldbühne - Schauspiel Chemnitz offers a varied program in the coming season. From classical material to contemporary works and exciting world premieres, there is something for all age groups. Herman Melville's literary classic "Moby Dick" will kick off the season on the main stage on September 27, 2025. The novel, published in 1851 and inspired by the Old Testament, Shakespeare's plays and the upheavals of its time, has long since become a modern myth - a powerful parable about hubris and the state of civilization. Tennessee Williams' world-famous classic "The Cat on a Hot Tin Roof" follows on November 1, 2025, closely followed by this year's Christmas tale "Christmas Carol", Charles Dickens' famous Christmas story in a new production. Arne Christophersen will bring a special comedy to the stage on January 31, 2026 with "Unterm Leuchtfeuer". In March, Carsten Knödler devotes himself to one of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe's most famous stories: "Reineke Fuchs". In an adaptation by Malte Kreutzfeldt, it becomes a profound, comically evil satire on human society. In May, the spy comedy "Little Crimes Among Lovers" by Franck Duarte celebrates its premiere in the Spinnbau, before the famous children's adventure "The Jungle Book" takes over the open-air stage in the Küchwald from June 2026.
Audiences can also look forward to an exciting program in the East Wing: the season starts on 29 October 2025 with George Orwell's world-famous animal fable "Animal Farm", presented by the new drama studio. Also on the program are Suzie Miller's haunting one-person play "Prima Facie", the farce "A Naked Ear on the Rabbit's Leg of Love" by Rebekka Kricheldorf, the intense play "Blind" and "The War with the Newts", a biting satire by Soeren Voima. With this wide range of classics, contemporary texts and new interpretations, Schauspiel Chemnitz is once again demonstrating its diversity and artistic strength in the new season.
Puppet theater
On August 23, 2025, the Figurentheater Chemnitz will open the new season with the world premiere of "Und über uns der große Wagen". In cooperation with the flagship project "#3000Garagen" of the European Capital of Culture Chemnitz 2025, the ensemble will enter the special living space of the "garage". There are around 30,000 garages in Chemnitz, most of which were built collectively during the GDR era or earlier. Even today, they bear witness to the personal memories and lives of many Chemnitz residents. Based on research and interviews with garage owners from Chemnitz, garage stories and garage knowledge are combined with garage dreams in a Garage Summer Night at Kulturhaus Arthur and, later in the season, in the puppet theater at Spinnbau. For younger theatergoers, the puppet theater then brings "The Ugly Duckling" to the stage as a mobile production - Hans Christian Andersen's touching story about self-discovery, courage and acceptance. Even today, the fairy tale invites us to question social norms and stand up for one another. This will be followed in November by "Wir werden nachkommen (AT)", a particularly impressive project directed by Christoph Werner. The production is dedicated to the Kindertransport system, which was used to save tens of thousands of children from persecution and deportation by the Nazi regime between 1938 and 1939. Another highlight awaits young audiences from February 21, 2026: "Hey, hey, hey, cab!", a wild, imaginative adventure journey inspired by the children's book of the same name, which author Saša Stanišić wrote together with his son. The season concludes with "Wazn Teez?" from April 18, 2026. Julia Brettschneider and the ensemble playfully explore the world of language: how thoughts come to resonate, mingle and unfold new meanings - an invitation to immerse yourself in an imaginative, sometimes enigmatic world without having to understand everything.
Music theater
On September 20, 2025, Chemnitz Opera will open its new season with a special premiere: with the world premiere of the opera "Rummelplatz " - a production as part of the Capital of Culture Year 2025 - the opera house will bring an impressive adaptation of the novel of the same name by Werner Bräunig to the stage. Composed by Ludger Vollmer and with a libretto by Jenny Erpenbeck, the new music theater work promises to be a gripping cultural highlight. Chemnitz Opera will continue to focus on great classics of the repertoire for the rest of the season: Ruggero Leoncavallo's masterpiece "The Bajazzo" will return to the stage on November 15, 2025. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's world-famous opera "Don Giovanni" will follow on January 30, 2026. In April 2026, audiences can look forward to another highlight with Richard Wagner's romantic opera "The Flying Dutchman" in an impressive production by Juana Inés Cano Restrepo. For younger visitors and families, Chemnitz Opera will also present "Die große Wörterfabrik" in April, a magical chamber opera by Martin Zels, which will be performed at the Chemnitz Municipal Music School. The season will conclude in May 2026 with a semi-staged production of the popular operetta "Der Vogelhändler" by Carl Zeller. Numerous revivals are also on the program, including classics such as"La Traviata","The Tales of Hoffmann" and the hit musical "Cabaret".
Ballet
In the new season, Ballett Chemnitz will once again surprise audiences with a multifaceted program that will delight both friends of classical ballet and lovers of contemporary dance. The new ballet season kicks off on October 25, 2025 with the premiere of "Der blaue Vogel oder Die Suche nach dem Glück" at Chemnitz Opera House. The starting point for Sabrina Sadowska's production is an imaginary birthday party. In the midst of illustrious guests - including Oscar Wilde, Stéphane Mallarmé and Claude Debussy - Maurice Maeterlinck presents his life partner, singer and actress Georgette Leblanc, with his famous work "The Blue Bird". In Georgette's dreams, a fantastic journey of the siblings Mytyl and Tyltyl into a magical world of art unfolds, in search of happiness and the meaning of life. Another highlight follows on March 20, 2026: With "Caravaggio or The Silence of Our Hearts", Ballett Chemnitz presents an impressive work by renowned French choreographer Bruno Bouché, artistic director of the Ballet du Rhin. In atmospheric images, Bouché traces the fascinating personality of the baroque painter Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio and creates a dance portrait between light and darkness, passion and silence. The successful contemporary dance series will also continue: Irish choreographer Zoë Ashe-Browne will present a new work at "Showcase IX" in the ballet hall of the opera house in spring 2026. With "Made in Chemnitz 2026" in June, Ballett Chemnitz is once again setting an example for innovative creativity from the city.
Robert Schumann Philharmonic Orchestra
The Robert Schumann Philharmonic Orchestra is starting the 2025/2026 season with fresh impetus and a varied program. From August 2025, Benjamin Reiners will be at the helm as the new General Music Director and Chief Conductor, setting new accents with passion and curiosity. The Philharmonie kicks off the new season with the 1st symphony concert entitled "Symphonic Opening Party" with a festive opening in the Stadthalle and heralds the start of the symphony concert season, which offers a varied mix of classical and modern works with titles such as "Lebensweisen", "See the Unseen", "Nacht vor Weihnachten" and "Sehnsuchtsorte". In the 3rd symphony concert, Jonas Urban's world premiere "Tales of Industry" brings the industrial history of Chemnitz to life, before Gustav Mahler's "Resurrection Symphony" sets a powerful accent in the second half of the season.
The Philharmonie will also be presenting a varied program of special concerts in the coming season: the new "Im Klang" concert format offers audiences in the Carlowitz Hall a completely new sound experience. In addition, inclusive offerings such as "Raum für Resonanz" enable people with dementia and their relatives to enjoy special concert experiences. With innovative formats such as"Synth Happens", in which electronic dance music meets large orchestral sounds, the Philharmonie is expanding its repertoire and opening up new horizons - especially for a young audience. For the whole family, not only the popular family concerts with mascot ROB, but also other concerts such as the picnic concert or the baby concerts "Kling, klang - Musik von Anfang an" offerfirst encounters with classical music. New concert experiences require special venues - so this season, the Philharmonie is once again taking its "Klasse Klassik" concert series to the most diverse performance venues in the city. In addition to continuations of the popular "Take the brass train" and "Slam Symphony" formats, baroque masterpieces meet hip-hop rhythms in "Vivaldi Beats" at the AJZ youth center.
In the new season, the Robert Schumann Philharmonic Orchestra is placing a special focus on appealing to people of all ages and getting them excited about music.
Drama
With a total of twelve premieres - six of them on the main stage, five in the East Wing and a summer open-air production on the Küchwaldbühne - Schauspiel Chemnitz offers a varied program in the coming season. From classical material to contemporary works and exciting world premieres, there is something for all age groups. Herman Melville's literary classic "Moby Dick" will kick off the season on the main stage on September 27, 2025. The novel, published in 1851 and inspired by the Old Testament, Shakespeare's plays and the upheavals of its time, has long since become a modern myth - a powerful parable about hubris and the state of civilization. Tennessee Williams' world-famous classic "The Cat on a Hot Tin Roof" follows on November 1, 2025, closely followed by this year's Christmas tale "Christmas Carol", Charles Dickens' famous Christmas story in a new production. Arne Christophersen will bring a special comedy to the stage on January 31, 2026 with "Unterm Leuchtfeuer". In March, Carsten Knödler devotes himself to one of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe's most famous stories: "Reineke Fuchs". In an adaptation by Malte Kreutzfeldt, it becomes a profound, comically evil satire on human society. In May, the spy comedy "Little Crimes Among Lovers" by Franck Duarte celebrates its premiere in the Spinnbau, before the famous children's adventure "The Jungle Book" takes over the open-air stage in the Küchwald from June 2026.
Audiences can also look forward to an exciting program in the East Wing: the season starts on 29 October 2025 with George Orwell's world-famous animal fable "Animal Farm", presented by the new drama studio. Also on the program are Suzie Miller's haunting one-person play "Prima Facie", the farce "A Naked Ear on the Rabbit's Leg of Love" by Rebekka Kricheldorf, the intense play "Blind" and "The War with the Newts", a biting satire by Soeren Voima. With this wide range of classics, contemporary texts and new interpretations, Schauspiel Chemnitz is once again demonstrating its diversity and artistic strength in the new season.
Puppet theater
On August 23, 2025, the Figurentheater Chemnitz will open the new season with the world premiere of "Und über uns der große Wagen". In cooperation with the flagship project "#3000Garagen" of the European Capital of Culture Chemnitz 2025, the ensemble will enter the special living space of the "garage". There are around 30,000 garages in Chemnitz, most of which were built collectively during the GDR era or earlier. Even today, they bear witness to the personal memories and lives of many Chemnitz residents. Based on research and interviews with garage owners from Chemnitz, garage stories and garage knowledge are combined with garage dreams in a Garage Summer Night at Kulturhaus Arthur and, later in the season, in the puppet theater at Spinnbau. For younger theatergoers, the puppet theater then brings "The Ugly Duckling" to the stage as a mobile production - Hans Christian Andersen's touching story about self-discovery, courage and acceptance. Even today, the fairy tale invites us to question social norms and stand up for one another. This will be followed in November by "Wir werden nachkommen (AT)", a particularly impressive project directed by Christoph Werner. The production is dedicated to the Kindertransport system, which was used to save tens of thousands of children from persecution and deportation by the Nazi regime between 1938 and 1939. Another highlight awaits young audiences from February 21, 2026: "Hey, hey, hey, cab!", a wild, imaginative adventure journey inspired by the children's book of the same name, which author Saša Stanišić wrote together with his son. The season concludes with "Wazn Teez?" from April 18, 2026. Julia Brettschneider and the ensemble playfully explore the world of language: how thoughts come to resonate, mingle and unfold new meanings - an invitation to immerse yourself in an imaginative, sometimes enigmatic world without having to understand everything.