Music, theatre, dance and science explore artificial intelligence
The Darmstadt State Theatre will host its first AI festival May 13th to 17th, 2026 , where all four departments of the theatre, together with artists, scientists and artificial intelligence, will explore the connection between art and technology.
Under the title "Come to my festival or I'll hack your toaster – your AI," music theatre, drama, dance, and concerts will explore new artistic perspectives on the use of AI. The festival combines performances with panels, workshops, lecture-performances, and a supporting program.
Drama: Stories between Western and AI
The festival kicks off with the production "The Saloon: Dinos in Dodge City ." Set in a Western saloon, the play brings together fortune hunters, cowgirls, and sheriffs – and suddenly a dinosaur appears. The production explores how humans and AI could collaborate to create new stories.
The premiere is on May 13th at the Kammerspiele, with another performance on May 17th .
Musical theatre: AI connects historical worlds
The musical theatre piece "Anima mea – Where are you, my soul?" the story of a Nordic fishing village in 1620 and of nuns in Italian monasteries. The production combines historical material with AI-powered storytelling.
The premiere is on May 14th on the back stage of the main theater, with another performance following on May 17th .
Dance: Interaction between real and virtual dancers
"Mirror," British choreographer Alexander Whitley explores the collaboration between dance and AI. Using motion matching, new choreographic dialogues emerge between real and virtual dancers.
The premiere is on May 15th in the Kleines Haus, with another performance following on May 17th .
Across disciplines: Man, machine and myth
The performance “Beginnings” by artist Ayla Pierrot Arendt combines music, theater, dance, and video art. The evening explores the relationship between humans, machines, and myth.
The premiere is on May 16th in the main auditorium.
Concert and international collaborations
For the 7th Symphony Concert, composition students from the Munich University of Music and Performing Arts are collaborating with the department of "Artificial Intelligence and Musical Creation." The young composers are developing new works based on Modest Mussorgsky's "Pictures at an Exhibition."
Also on the program is a work by Danielle Lurie. Saxophonist Asya Fateyeva will perform pieces by Erwin Schulhoff and Frank Martin.
The concerts will take place on May 17th and 18th in the main hall.
Virtual reality performance and interactive exhibition
With their VR performance “[EOL]. End of Life” , the performance collective DARUM explores the digital traces of humanity together with the audience. Performances will take place on May 14th, 15th, and 16th at the Kammerspiele.
The project “Motion Creation Design” , a collaboration between the Hessian State Ballet and the Darmstadt University of Applied Sciences, combines dance, media art and interactive exhibition.
The events will take place on May 15th, 16th, and 17th in the foyer of the main building. The project is part of the program of World Design Capital Frankfurt RheinMain 2026.
(DARMSTADT – RED/PM/)
