Christmas in Venice: Vespro di Natale

The Festspielhaus Baden-Baden is more than just its foyer, entrance area and stage: it is a setting for dreams to come true!

“These acoustics!” 

even world-renowned stars enthusiastically affirm that they can finally risk the most tender of pianissimos here. Very few ingredients are required to transform unequalled acoustics into a unique evening – passion, perfect service, great emotions and small but well-placed gestures transform Germany’s largest opera house into a second home for artists, visitors, guests…

What began as a fiasco ...

... became a legend. This saying combines hopes, visions, tears, and dreams. Dreams of artists who became friends, and friends who grew into loyal supporters of an idea: that it is possible to run an opera house of this size purely with private funding. And so the legend continues. The best years are still to come.

The Festspielhaus Baden-Baden is Germany’s largest opera and concert house, with a 2,500 seat capacity.

The new construction was architecturally integrated with the former Baden-Baden railway station - today encompassing the box office, Festspielhaus restaurant “Aida” and Children’s Music World “Toccarion” by the Sigmund Kiener Foundation - and was opened on 18 April 1998. Wilhelm Holzbauer of Vienna was the architect of the new construction. Following initial public start-up funding, the Festspielhaus successfully converted to become the first privately financed European opera and concert company. This had been the original objective.

Since March 2000, the privately managed Festspielhaus Baden-Baden Cultural Foundation has been responsible for operating the non-profit limited company (GmbH), whilst Andreas Mölich-Zebhauser has held the role of General Manager and Artistic Director since July 1998. It is the only German opera house to have operated successfully without external subsidies since the year 2000. The town and country will reacquire the property from a private investor.

A coterie of approximately 2000 private sponsors - including “Friends of the Festspielhaus”, a 1,500 member registered society – annually support the Festspielhaus programme to the tune of around eight million Euros. About two-thirds of the approximately 20 million Euro budget is financed by ticket sales, gastronomy sales and royalties, with the remaining one-third coming from private donations and sponsorships.

The average annual audience attendance capacity encompassing all the concert, opera and ballet performances is approximately 85% (2013). The Festspielhaus Baden-Baden also operates its own travel agency and organises cultural journeys to Baden-Baden. In a study carried out by the University of St. Gallen in 2008, the conclusion was drawn that the Festspielhaus Baden-Baden generated additional annual income of around 45 million Euros, greatly benefitting the town and surrounding region of Baden-Baden.

Arrival

By car, simply take the autobahn exit signposted “Baden-Baden” on the Basel-Frankfurt A5 Autobahn and follow the Festspielhaus signs. The regional airport “Baden Airpark” is only 15km from the Festspielhaus.

Parking

There are two underground car parks in close proximity to the opera house – one at the Festspielhaus, the other at the Kaufhaus Galerie Wagener. The Wagener car park is situated off Lange Strasse in the centre of Baden-Baden, approximately 7 minutes from the Festspielhaus by foot. Due to limited capacity, there can be delays when entering or leaving the car parks.

Cloakroom

We ask our guests to leave their coats and jackets in the cloakroom, as they may not be taken into the concert hall. Cloakrooms are located on the ground, second and third floors.

Opening hours

In order to make your arrival as relaxing as possible, the foyer and bars open 90 minutes prior to the commencement of the performance. Food and beverages are also on offer during intermission and following the performances.