City of Music: Leipzig

The fascinating power of music can be felt everywhere in Leipzig and the region – on streets and squares, in churches, concert halls, castles, palaces, monasteries, on impressive open-air stages and at the many authentic venues where famous musicians have performed. Over the past centuries, many musicians have lived and worked here. over 500 composers, including this one greats of music history: Johann Sebastian Bach, Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy and Clara and Robert Schumann as well as Richard Wagner, Edvard Grieg, Albert Lortzing, Gustav Mahler and Hanns Eisler. original preserved places of work world famous Composers you can find on the Leipzig Music Trail . experience

The rich musical heritage also includes the Gewandhausorchester, the world-famous THOMANERCHOR LEIPZIG (St. Thomas Choir of Leipzig) and the Oper Leipzig, which has always felt committed to maintaining Wagner's legacy and is one of the oldest civic music theater stages in Europe. 

But Leipzig not only has a great music history, tradition is also lived here. The city attracts classical music fans with top-class festivals and an impressive musical schedule.

LISTEN TO BACH, EXPERIENCE BACH, JOIN IN WITH BACH

From 11 to 21 June 2026, Leipzig will once again be transformed into the world capital of Bach. Under the motto "In Dialogue" The Bach Festival celebrates the art of exchange – as it is alive in Bach's music: voices that talk to each other, contradict each other, separate, and yet always come together again at the right time.

A special highlight are the world’s first "Bach Charts"For the first time, the global Bach community itself has helped shape a core part of the program, choosing the most popular Bach cantatas in a large online vote. The top 50 will be presented in twelve concerts – ranked from number 50 to number 1 – performed by a Champions League of Bach interpreters, featuring stars such as Philippe Herreweghe, John Eliot Gardiner, and Ton Koopman. Visitors will only find out which cantatas will actually be performed at each concert.

A second focus is the anniversary "300 Years of Piano Practice": Sir András Schiff (piano) and Mahan Esfahani (harpsichord) dedicate themselves to these key works in major cycles – two completely different sound worlds that breathe the same Bach. International virtuosos will complement Bach's famous "Dialogues con cembalo obligato" and the poetic solo cello suites. Furthermore, Bach's works can be experienced once again from different perspectives, reflected in the works of his role models, critics, and admirers. The crowning finale will be the "Mass in B Minor" with the THOMANERCHOR LEIPZIG (St. Thomas Choir of Leipzig) in St. Thomas Church.

Dialogue concerts, discussion formats and the series of the festival director "Mouth meets…" with personalities such as Harald Schmidt also open up spaces for exchange between art, science and the public.
Bach's music shows that true dialogue also involves friction and is nevertheless a source of inspiration, insight, and shared joy – Leipzig makes it possible to experience it.

TRAVEL OFFERS AND TICKETS

For the Bach Festival 2026 we now have three exclusive travel offers for the opening weekend from 11-14 June 2026, for the final weekend from 19-22 June 2026 as well as the TOP 50 Bach Cantatas from 11-18 June 2026 (all including overnight stay, concert tickets and supporting program) can be booked. 

The ticket packages "TOP 50 Bach Cantatas" with twelve concerts and "Schiff plays Bach" are already available, as are tickets for all other events of the Bach Festival Leipzig 2026, under the Festival motto "In Dialogue" from 25 November 2025 directly bookable at the Bach Archive.