The Bayreuth Baroque Opera Festival returns to the UNESCO World Heritage Margravial Opera House Bayreuth from 4 to 13 September 2026.
The festival centres on a new staged production of Händel’s Floridante, directed by and starring Max Emanuel Cencic in the title role, with musical direction and harpsichord by Markellos Chryssicos. Our own Bruno de Sá sings Timante alongside Sonja Runje as Elmira, Eva Zalenga as Rossane, Gerrit Illenberg as Oronte, and Yannis Francois as Coralbo. The production features set design by Helmut Stürmer, costumes by Corina Gramosteanu, lighting by Christoph Pöschko, and assistance from Constantina Psoma and Dimitra Antonaki. Sold out performances take place on 4, 6, 8, 10, 12 and 13 September at the Margravial Opera House, Bayreuth.
The concert programme is equally compelling. On 5 September, countertenor Maximiliano Danta presents Chaos and Order at the Schlosskirche Bayreuth with I Porporini under Gerd Amelung, followed that evening by Christophe Dumaux in Handel’s Nature with Les Accents and Thibault Noally at the Margravial Opera House. On 9 September, Emöke Baráth and Andreas Scholl come together in Caesar meets Rodelinda with the Wrocław Baroque Orchestra under Markellos Chryssicos at the Friedrichsforum. On 11 September our own Dennis Orellana joins Federico Fiorio and Maayan Licht in The Sopranos, conducted by Jarosław Thiel from the cello with the Wrocław Baroque Orchestra. The festival closes its concert series on 12 September with tenor Petr Nekoranec in Viaggio in Europa at the Schlosskirche, directed by Kateřina Ochmanová.
The Wrocław Baroque Orchestra serves as Orchestra in Residence throughout the festival, with their residency supported by the Foundation for German-Polish Cooperation. The festival is complemented by brunch events with dramaturgical introductions to Floridante, and two gala dinners at Schloss Birken on 5 and 11 September.
