"If so, what then?" is the guiding principle of the new program
Bad experiences are more memorable than good ones, says artistic director Karsten Wiegand. Especially in theater, the focus is often on tragedies, crises, conflict, or war. But what happens when the initial reaction is approval? Under the motto "If so, then what?", the 2026/27 season aims to showcase the power of positivity. Inspiration is drawn from the current Paris exhibition "Renoir and Love," which demonstrates how the Impressionist painter Auguste Renoir focused on positive relationships in many of his works.
The new season opens with an open-air concert on Georg-Büchner-Platz on August 28. The music theater season begins on August 29 with "Cavalleria rusticana/Pagliacci," two short operas by Pietro Mascagni and Ruggero Leoncavallo. The first drama premiere in the Small House takes place on October 2 with Shakespeare's "Much Ado About Nothing," directed by the legendary Leander Haußmann.
The Hessian State Ballet opens its season on September 12 with "Night Dreams" by Spanish star choreographer Marcos Morau. The Darmstadt State Orchestra will present works by Pierre Boulez and Franz Schubert at the first symphony concert on September 20 and 21. Broadway flair will arrive on stage in October with the musical "A Chorus Line." Advance ticket sales begin on June 23.
For the photo campaign of the new season, the Darmstadt State Theatre is collaborating for the first time with students Lilian Backes, Leander Elfers, and Youness Marzouki from Darmstadt University of Applied Sciences. The result is a series of authentic photographs that capture the audience's anticipation.
By Martina Noltemeier
Featured image: Lara Rossmann
