Four festival premieres, three world premieres and an almost six-week programme of opera and ballet performances, recitals, concerts and the free “Opera for All“ open-air event will once again delight thousands of local and international opera fans in 2026.
The Münchner Opernfestspiele (Munich Opera Festival) has been organised since 1875. The Bayerische Staatsoper (Bavarian State Opera) itself looks back on over 350 years of history and is one of the most renowned opera houses in the world.
The festival stages are the Nationaltheater (theatre), the Prinzregententheater (theatre) and the Cuvilliés-Theater (theatre). As part of the annual festival workshop, modern music theatre is also performed at unusual venues.
The Munich Opera Festival will take place from June,18 to July 31, 2026.
After the big anniversary in 2025, which celebrated 150 years of the Munich Opera Festival, the full range of music theatre, ballet and concerts will once again be presented in 2026: from baroque - with Georg Friedrich Händel's “Alcina“ as the festival premiere in the Prinzregententheater, to opera classics from the 19th century and contemporary music theatre. With Brett Dean's “Of One Blood“, a work commissioned by the Bavarian State Opera, the world premiere production of the 2025/26 season returns to the National Theatre.
Opera director Tobias Kratzer and the General Music Director of the Bavarian State Opera, Vladimir Jurowski, continue their collaboration on the new Munich Ring des Nibelungen with the premiere of Richard Wagner's “Die Walküre“ following the acclaimed Rheingold production. The ballet premiere “Constellations“ presents classical and contemporary ballets. Song recitals and chamber concerts also offer the opportunity to experience music in a more intimate setting.
“Opera for all“ has been an integral part of the Opera Festival for over 20 years. On July 4, 2026, enthusiastic opera fans will once again gather on Max-Joseph-Platz in front of the Nationaltheater, equipped with picnic baskets and blankets, to watch the free live broadcast of Wagner's opera “Die Walküre“, which will be broadcast live from the Nationaltheater to the square from 5 pm.
Tickets for the paid programme of the Munich Opera Festival 2026 with music theatre, ballet and concerts are available here. The processing of ticket orders for the 2026 Opera Festival begins on 1 February 2026. If demand exceeds the available tickets, the decision will be made by drawing lots.
All information about the Opera Festival can be found at www.staatsoper.de.
