Get to know us

The Ludwigsburg Festival is a festival that has existed for 90 years. For a long time it was a festival solely for classical music and presented classical concerts and opera productions with its own orchestra and famous guests. Since its founding, there have been several artistic directors responsible for the overall artistic direction. Over the years, the classical focus has been broadened so that other genres and formats have also become part of the programme. Since the 2019/20 season, the current artistic director Jochen Sandig has been shaping the Schlossfestspiele and has also officially elevated it to the socio-political level as a »festival of the arts, democracy and sustainability«. As a result, not only classical concerts and modern dance performances are on the schedule, but also interdisciplinary and intercultural events as well as discursive and participatory formats - in other words: exchange is the focus and takes place in talks, lectures and open, artistic workshops.

Our team consists of just under 25 people. We are based in Palais Grävenitz with the ticket office on the ground floor, which you can visit during the week from 10am to 3pm. If you prefer to get to know us digitally, you can drop by our website or on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube.

Our program

So which event would you like to attend? Whether choral music, dance, solo concerts or large orchestral concerts: you can navigate through our programme with the help of our concert compass. If you're more in the mood for unbiased browsing, simply open our calendar and take a look at all the events in chronological order. If we have convinced you, simply select an event from our calendar that interests you and book your ticket conveniently online or in our ticket office. Detailed information on booking and payment can be found under »Your visit«.

Concert compass

Calendar

What is the dress code?

When we think of evening dress in the (classical) cultural sphere, many chic get-ups come to mind. But in the spheres of so-called »classical music«, concerts no longer take place only in the evening, the repertoire has long since ceased to be so explicitly classical, and the audience is a lot more diverse than some opera ball broadcasts convey.

Nevertheless, doubts usually arise for potential new concert-goers when they look at their wardrobe. What should I wear? How do I dress appropriately? Will I even fit into the concert hall/opera house? To answer the last question right away: Yes, and emphatically! Everyone is welcome, everyone fits in. The cultural landscape lives from interested audiences, from feedback, from discourse, from the cultural enjoyment of each individual and from the community that takes place somewhere else than in the dress code.

Without question, operas, dance theatre performances, performances or concerts are a special and not everyday experience. This is often reflected in the clothing choices of many visitors. Similarly, when invited to a birthday party or christening, the decision is more likely to go for the fancy shoes than the rustic hiking boots. Nevertheless, culture only fulfils its purpose if it can reach people and pick them up in their everyday lives. After all, there is a lot of space between hiking boots and tailcoats with top hats - space in which we hope you will find yourself and feel comfortable, and finally be happy to honour us with your visit in the summer.

The day of the event

We have put together some information on our website about your visit to Ludwigsburg: For example, you will find information on how to get to the venues and can also choose from various hotel and restaurant recommendations if you want some inspiration. Once the day of the event has arrived and you have decided on your feel-good wardrobe, we will open the doors of the respective venue from one hour before the start. This allows you to arrive at your leisure, leave your jacket at the cloakroom, read through the free printed evening programme, visit the bar and/or the toilet and take your seat at your leisure. There will be colleagues at each hall entrance who will be available to answer any questions you may have. In the evening programme you can find the exact programme and the names of the participants, find out the duration of the event and see if there will be a break. There will also be more detailed information on what to expect. Before the event starts, please make sure your mobile phone is switched off. After everyone has taken their seats and the hall lights are dimmed, the performance begins.

When comes the applause? In a classical programme, clapping takes place after each completed piece. Some pieces consist of only one title, other pieces are divided into several movements, such as symphonies or string quartets. Here, clapping is not done after each movement, but only at the very end - even if there is a short silence between the individual parts. The evening programme in your hand will help you find your way. And if you are completely unsure, just clap when the others do too. If you are sitting in a dance performance, people usually only clap before the interval and at the very end. When it's over, the artists take several bows, depending on the applause. So if you really liked it, you are welcome to clap loudly, cheer and visually show your enthusiasm with a standing ovation. Once the hall is brightly lit again, the concert is over. There is often additional information material near the cloakroom, which you are welcome to take home with you before collecting your jacket again.

We look forward to your (next) visit!

Reunion brings joy

If you enjoyed it, we look forward to welcoming you next time, the time after that and many more times. To stay always up to date subscribe to our newsletter or follow us on social media. social media. On our Digital Stage, we additionally provide cinematic insights into the programs and behind the scenes. In addition, a little financial tip: With our subscriptions , you can enjoy several events with a discount of up to 20 percent. Whether this season or next, we hope to have whetted your appetite for a visit and perhaps taken away some of the shyness.

Our concert doors are open to everyone, so please feel welcome.