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A Midsummer Night's Dream in Bad Hersfeld: A celebration of love and music!
The Bad Hersfeld Festival starts with “Midsummer Night’s Dreams” under Joern Hinkel. The premiere was on June 20, 2025. Visit the production in a historical ambience!
A Midsummer Night's Dream in Bad Hersfeld: A celebration of love and music!
The festival season in Bad Hersfeld celebrated its start on June 20, 2025 with a colorful midnight blue curtain. The new version of Shakespeare's “Midsummer Night's Dream” under the direction of Joern Hinkel took the first step into the magical world of love, jealousy and longing. The premiere, which began at 9 p.m. in the breathtaking abbey ruins, was a real crowd puller and gave the audience an unforgettable experience.
Director Hinkel has opted for a playful production that combines the classic elements of the story with a fresh, modern touch. In "Midsummer Night's Dreams" not only did the emerging wedding frenzy of love blossom between Theseus, the Duke of Athens, and his bride Hippolyta, but characters from other Shakespeare stories, such as "Romeo and Juliet", were also incorporated into the play. This creative mix clearly brought joy to the audience.
A feast for the senses
The production is impressive: music specially composed for this performance, directed by Jörg Gollasch, accompanies the action. Radiant steampunk costumes, made by Kerstin Micheel, mix Victorian elegance with modern accessories, creating a harmonious overall picture. The large orchestra, which provided musical accompaniment to a play for the first time, thrilled the audience with its sound.
“We used a big trick with slapstick elements,” explains Hinkel. But that didn't take away the audience's joy: After the final curtain, there was a standing ovation for the remarkable actors, including well-known actors such as Christian Nickel, Bettina Hauenschild, Erol Sander and Anouschka Renzi.
Upcoming highlights
“Midsummer Night’s Dreams” are just the beginning! In the coming season, visitors can look forward to more exciting pieces. These include Schiller's "The Robbers", which are presented with musical accompaniment by the rock band Toten Hosen, as well as the Broadway musical "A Chorus Line" and the moving play "Wie im Himmel". For younger viewers, Astrid Lindgren's “Ronja the Robber's Daughter” is presented as a family-friendly piece.
The Bad Hersfeld Festival still offers many opportunities to experience the extraordinary productions. Tickets are available online and there are already several sold-out performances, while others are still offering remaining tickets. These festivals, which are characterized by their cultural diversity, are a highlight in the summer and bring life to the historic walls of the monastery ruins. More information can be found directly on the Bad Hersfelder Festspiele website.
With an exciting program and fresh approaches, the festival is very popular and is a sign of the lively cultural scene in Hesse. Definitely worth a visit!
In addition to the festival in Bad Hersfeld, the PLUG&PLAY theater festival in Mainz pushes young directors and innovative theater productions. From May 29th to June 1st, 2025 there will be a program that presents promising talents from the independent scene, as can be read on nachtkritik.de.