Concerts and events
The music city of Leipzig has made a name for itself through its classical music festivals has made a name for itself internationally. It also has other festivals to offer that make a visit worthwhile all year round.
Here we list the most popular dates - from casual picnic concert with a top-class orchestra about the famous Pentecost crowds people dressed in black to the musical pub crawl.
Music is playing everywhere
Music is played throughout Leipzig
Classical stages: Gewandhaus, Leipzig Opera, Musical Comedy, Schauspiel Leipzig
Other stages: UT Connewitz, Horn's heirs, naTo, WERK 2, Moritzbastei, stage, New Play
Churches: Thomas Church, Peter's Church, Reformed Church, Church of Our Lady
Open-air locations: Störmthaler See, Leipzig market square, Clara Zetkin Park, Rose Valley
vocal music festival with tradition
The week-long festival for vocal music a cappella takes place annually end of April/beginning of May in Leipzig and offers a stage for international artists. All perform at the highest level and are often among the best in their field.
In different concerts and special events A cappella singing can be experienced in its various styles, facets and traditions – from vocal art of Gregorian chant, Renaissance, Romanticism and modernity to folk, jazz and rock-pop. In addition, the A CAPPELLA AWARD in the competition for the Ensemble Nachwuchs.
World's Largest Festival of the Black Scene
The Wave-Gotik-Treffen, better known as WGT, is the world's largest meeting of the "black scene"Since 1992, it has attracted around 20.000 guests from all over the world to Leipzig every year at Pentecost. four festival days In addition to more than a hundred concerts, there is also a wide range of cultural events. These include club parties, readings, exhibitions, live role-playing games and medieval markets.
Discovered on our Blog the most important information about WGT-Leipzig.
Wave-Gotik-Treffen - What you need to know
The Wave-Gotik-Treffen has been held every year since 1992 at Pentecost in Leipzig and attracted 18.000 visitors
At about 50 locations throughout Leipzig Events take place within the framework of the WGT; these include the festival grounds in the agra and Clubs, museums, churches, cinemas and the Leipzig Opera
The musical diversity ranges from Dark Wave, Gothic, Post Punk, Dark Indie, Classical, Medieval and Folk to Metal and Electro/EBM/Industrial.
Welcome to Leipzig - The Podcast for your Leipzig Trip
A city tour of a special kind - listen now!
Gewandhausorchester in Leipzig's Rosental
With Klassik airleben, the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra every year to end of the Gewandhaus season with his audience. two evenings in a row the world-famous symphony orchestra plays two Grand Concertos under the open sky and invites all Leipzig residents and visitors to Leipzig.
The Rose Valley in einen open-air concert hall and meeting place for families, friends and acquaintances. Thousands of people flock to the large lawn in front of the stage - with folding chairs, blankets and picnic baskets. The atmosphere is unique and captivating. Even non-classical music fans succumb to the charm of the music, summer flair and relaxed mood. With wine and sandwiches, in shorts and flip-flops, the grandiose performance of the world-class orchestra It is not uncommon for friendships to be formed with "folding chair neighbors" and for people to make plans to meet up again next year.
The free admission to the classic air life is above all the strong partner of the Gewandhaus Orchestra - Porsche and numerous other commercial enterprises.
About 60.000 people listened in amazement to the outstanding open-air music of Gewandhaus Orchestra, which marked the end of the 2024 concert season with the two Klassik airleben concerts. While film music is the Leipzig Rose Valley The setting sun visually underlined the cozy concert.
“A Journey Through the History of Film Music” (2024)
“Rhythm in Music: (Late) Romantic Works for Large Orchestra” (2023)
Igor Levit plays Beethoven, Andrei Ionita Tchaikovsky (2022)
Excerpts from great operas by Verdi, Puccini and Rossini (2019)
Music and Summer in Leipzig
For the second time this year, the "Leipzig Market Music" will take place on the Leipzig market square. Leipzig residents and visitors to the city of Leipzig will enjoy Live music in the great ambience of the market square and are spoiled with culinary delights.
The multi-day music festival offers a varied program – concerts by Classical, musical, jazz, rock and pop music delight the audience's ears. The best: The free entry.
Experience Leipzig off the beaten track!
There is also a lot to discover in Leipzig outside of the city center! With the "Leipzig Beyond" tours of the Explore Leipzig app, you can explore the city's trendy districts and experience parts of the city off the beaten track. You just can't decide? No problem - with the help of a slot machine or the "Leipzig Beyond Matching" you are sure to find the right tour for your visit to Leipzig!
The “Southeast” tour, for example, takes you to the South Cemetery and Botanical Garden, which are in no way inferior to the parks in the city center and are absolutely worth a stroll!
apply Download the app and start your tour
Leipzig Chamber Music Festival
The salon culture of Paris and Leipzig was the focus of the Leipzig Chamber Music Festival Con spirito 2024. Under the motto "Salon d'Esprit" were from 14. to 22. September 2024 Antje Weithaas, Tobias Feldmann (violin), Lise Berthaud (viola), Jean-Paul Gasparian (piano), Peter Bruns (violoncello) and others. Music was played in the salons and places of work of Mendelssohn, Bach, Grieg, Wagner and the Schumanns.
Con spirito, organized by the Schumann-Haus Leipzig (Gregor Nowak, organizational director) takes place annually in September in Leipzig's European cultural heritage sites instead: Old Nikolai School, Bach Museum, Gewandhaus, Grieg Meeting Place, Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy University of Music and Theatre Leipzig, Mendelssohn House, Schumann House and St. Thomas Church.
More than 40 years of jazz festival culture
The International Leipzig Jazz Days are one of the oldest and most renowned jazz festivals in Germany. In 2016 they celebrated their 40th anniversary. Every year in autumn the Jazzclub Leipzig over ten days, well over 100 musicians – big names and pioneers of jazz, as well as innovative newcomers. Performances are held in the opera and theater, in the historic congress hall at the zoo, in churches, in numerous trendy clubs and in the oldest cinema in the city, the UT Connewitz.
With self-initiated projects, commissioned compositions and, above all, a thematic framework, the festival reflects the spirit of the times of jazz: “Between Mahler and Miles”, “Sound of Heimat” or “Cinematic Jazz” were the titles in recent years. The close connection to the Polish jazz scene distinguishes the Leipzig Jazz Days from many other festivals. With the traditional "Jazz for Children", this year in WERK 2, the festival also offers a cultural highlight for the whole family.
The Leipzig Jazz Days at a Glance
The Leipzig Jazz Days were founded during the GDR era and have become a renowned festival developed; it is rich in tradition as youngg remained and presented over 100 musicians different origins, including international stars as well as New discoveries
8 match days, 13 venues, 33 concerts
Traditional stages: Leipzig Opera, Musical Comedy, Schauspiel Leipzig, UT Connewitz
Special venues: naTo, WERK 2, Horn's heirs, Passage cinemas, Moritzbastei, Church of Our Lady
Pulsating nightlife in Leipzig
The Honky Tonk® Festival is a permanent fixture in the music city of Leipzig. Every year in March, musicians present their musical diversity on Leipzig stages.
The focus of the festival is Live musicIn addition to well-known artists, there are also plenty of newcomers to experience. From Electro-Art, Jazz and Pop to Punk and hardcore – there is something for everyone at this musical city event!
music festival on the Pouch peninsula
The Sputnik Springbreak is an annual music festival taking place on the Pentecost weekend on the Pouch peninsula near Bitterfeld. Presented by the radio station MDR Sputnik, there is partying and dancing every early summer at the popular Goitzschesee. The music acts range across genres from rock to hip-hop to electro.
Up to 25.000 visitors are expected each year to see the festival season in the region to open.
Indie Rock in the Leipzig Region
The festival has its origins at the Hohenfelden reservoir near Erfurt. But since 2010 it has been taking place at Störmthaler See near Leipzig. It has now become one of the most important indie rock festivals established in the new federal states.
The lake is calling! Dance yourself happy again soon and enjoy the festival summer under the open sky.
