International May Festival 2026
With 270 artists from 28 countries, the festival celebrates its 130th anniversary from May 1 to 31 at the Hessisches Staatstheater Wiesbaden. Advance ticket sales have started!
The International May Festival has always been a place where the great works of history and the latest interpretations of our time come together. With 270 artists from 28 countries, the festival will celebrate its 130th anniversary from May 1 to 31, 2026—including a stylish "Déjeuner en blanc" at a long table in the theater colonnades on May 17.
Topic: This place is an archive
The festival's motto is "the archive" – as a place of preservation, remembrance, and reflection. An archive that creates identity and is constantly changing at the same time. Throughout its long history, the International May Festival has always been an occasion for the people of Wiesbaden to bring together international guests, tradition, and the present. Here, the great works of history and the latest interpretations by important artists of our time are brought together. As a result, the festival itself functions as a living chronicle of theater, which is continued in many encounters.
May Festival for all on May 1 and 2
The free "May Festival for All" on May 1 offers live opera in the open air on the Warmer Damm: big stars free of charge for everyone who wants to enjoy the full five hours of Wagner or just listen to the intoxicating music for a short while. Those new to the world of opera can learn about Wagner's masterpiece from "walking archives" – experts on opera topics – about Wagner's masterpiece.
May Festival for All Children and Families will take place on May 2 with a family festival full of theatrical surprises, ending in the evening with a magical musical procession of seven giant giraffes through downtown Wiesbaden.
About the history of the May Festival
The International May Festival at the Hessian State Theater in Wiesbaden looks back on 130 years of history. It was founded in 1896 on the initiative of Emperor Wilhelm II and was intended to further enhance Wiesbaden's cultural status as a sophisticated spa town. From the very beginning, top-class international ensembles were invited to perform – opera performances in particular, featuring artists from Bayreuth, among others, shaped the program.
After interruptions during the two world wars, the festival was revived in 1950 as the "International May Festival." Since then, the festival has developed into one of the most renowned cultural festivals in Germany. Every year in May, the Wiesbaden State Theater brings outstanding opera, theater, dance, and concert productions from all over the world to its stages, combining tradition with contemporary accents.