Bach Biennale Weimar

Traces of modern music

Founded under the patronage of Nikolaus Harnoncourt († 2016), the festival takes place every two years in July in the Bach city of Weimar and makes Bach accessible to visitors on a very high level.

Renowned international artists and ensembles play baroque instruments, turning the music into a sound-sensory experience in authentic venues. Inspired by the young Bach, the Bach Biennale Weimar combines classical concerts with unconventional formats such as lunchtime- and walking-concerts, baroque festivities or the discussion-concerts called “Dialogue with Bach”. This way, the festival makes Bach into an individual encounter apart from the “Baroque Mainstream”.

Program 2021

More about artists and tickets.

Website

The audience experiences Bach in a modern and charismatic context within the cultural city: Weimar Bach (hi)stories at historical sites such as the residence castle, the Herder and the St. James’ Churches. The Bach Biennale Weimar attracted nation-wide attention when it scheduled events in the former jail cell in the Bastille, in which Bach was under arrest and finally dismissed from his Weimar appointment “in registered disgrace”. Since 2012, children aged 6-14 have enjoyed the KinderBachBiennale (KIBA) with its workshops, join-in concerts and interactive walking tours.