Rheingau Musik Festival

By Rheingau Musik Festival

Stiftung Rheingau Musik Festival

It’s the wine and its magnificent scenery in the heart of Germany that have made the Rheingau so famous the whole world over. Here, where the Riesling vines thrive, music has found its most captivating summer residence, and with it the world-famous stars and young talents from classical music, jazz, world music and cabaret. Within just 30 years, the Rheingau and its festival have coalesced in a unique symbiosis of culture and natural beauty, music, enjoyment and zest for living. It’s due not least to its homeland that the Rheingau Music Festival has become one of Europe’s premier cultural institutions.

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Igor Levit at Johannisberg castle (2017) by Robbie LawrenceRheingau Musik Festival

Beginnings of the Festival

Since 1987, the Rheingau Music Festival has been attracting delighted audiences to the region between Frankfurt, Wiesbaden and Lorch.

Logo 1988, Rheingau Musik Festival, 1988, From the collection of: Rheingau Musik Festival
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Founder of the Festival

Michael Herrmann was born in Wiesbaden in 1944. Convinced of the unique opportunities and stunning venues offered by his home region, he launched the Rheingau Music Festival in 1987.

Programme 1988 (1988) by Rheingau Musik FestivalRheingau Musik Festival

Its first season kicked off in 1988, with 19 events at a total of five different venues. The huge success that the festival achieved right from the start meant rapid expansion.

Mstislaw Rostropowitsch in Eberbach Monastery, Rheingau Musik Festival, 1988, From the collection of: Rheingau Musik Festival
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The original 19 concerts became 50, then 100 or more. Nowadays, every summer the Rheingau Music Festival’s programme features almost 150 concerts at more than 40 different venues.

Martha Argerich at Kurhaus Wiesbaden, Rheingau Musik Festival, 1989, From the collection of: Rheingau Musik Festival
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The broad spectrum of the concert programme focuses primarily on classical music, but also extends to jazz and cabaret. The artistic excellence of all concerts is the salient feature they all share.

Berliner Philharmoniker with Yannick Néset-Séguin (June 2016) by Rheingau Musik FestivalRheingau Musik Festival

The Festival and its locations

The geography of the Rheingau forms the basis for a unique landscape, which over the course of time has been developed, shaped and turned into a valuable cultural landscape. Classical music is the main focus area of the Rheingau Musik Festival besides jazz, world music and music cabaret.

Rheingau VIV (September 2013) by Rheingau Musik FestivalRheingau Musik Festival

Location of the Festival

The Rheingau - the crown jewel among the German wine-tourism regions and the entrance gate to the UNESCO World Heritage site of the Upper Middle Rhine Valley.

View from the mansion to the tower (2016) by Rheingau Musik FestivalRheingau Musik Festival

Vollrads palace

Vollrads palace is one of the main open air venues of the Rheingau Musik Festival.

View on Vollrads palace from above (July 2016) by Rheingau Musik FestivalRheingau Musik Festival

View over Vollrads palace

In summer, when the Rheingau and the Rhine-Main
region unveil their splendour in all its true magnificence, music magically materialises between the Rhine and the vines.

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The Baroque palace of Vollrads constitutes what is perhaps the Rheingau’s most aesthetically pleasing estate and is a a stage predestined for summertime concerts in the open air.

Mansion of Vollrads palace, Rheingau Musik Festival, July 2015, From the collection of: Rheingau Musik Festival
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SEVEN at Vollrads palace, Rheingau Musik Festival, August 2016, From the collection of: Rheingau Musik Festival
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The traditional castle party brings popular musicians to Vollrads.

SEVEN at Vollrads palace, Rheingau Musik Festival, August 2016, From the collection of: Rheingau Musik Festival
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The crowd enjoys wonderful summer evenings.

Exterior view Eberbach Monastery (June 2016) by Rheingau Musik FestivalRheingau Musik Festival

Eberbach Monastery

Eberbach Monastery was the first ever venue of the Rheingau Musik Festival.

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Eberbach Monastery's windows Basilica, Rheingau Musik Festival, June 2016, From the collection of: Rheingau Musik Festival
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Ever since it began, the most imposing backdrop, not only for major choral works, but also for instrumental and vocal masterpieces from the Baroque era, has been the Basilica of Eberbach Monastery.

South-American Night 2016 (July 2016) by Rheingau Musik FestivalRheingau Musik Festival

A monastery’s cloisters are a covered walk surrounding an interior garden. It is this special “paradisical” ambience, too, that year after year enchants concert-goers with its sublime atmosphere.

Missa solemnis 2016 (June 2016) by Rheingau Musik FestivalRheingau Musik Festival

Founded in 1136, the spacious buildings, with their Romanesque and Early Gothic interiors, rank among the most remarkable surviving monuments of mediaeval monastery architecture in Europe.

Music stand in the Basilica (June 2015) by Rheingau Musik FestivalRheingau Musik Festival

View from the stage.

Felix Klieser 2016 in the cloister, Rheingau Musik Festival, June 2016, From the collection of: Rheingau Musik Festival
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Eberbach open air concerts are unique

Mozart's music in the cloister, Rheingau Musik Festival, July 2015, From the collection of: Rheingau Musik Festival
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Chamber music ensemble on the unique open air stage.

Fireworks at the summer party at Johannisberg castle (July 2017) by Rheingau Musik FestivalRheingau Musik Festival

Johannisberg castle

The oldest riesling winery and the festival location for chamber music and large open air concerts.

Summer party 2017 from above (July 2017) by Rheingau Musik FestivalRheingau Musik Festival

The history of viticulture on the climatically favoured Johannisberg hill is studded with superlatives: the first grape harvest here that’s mentioned in the records dates from 817.

Johannisberg castle from below (July 2015) by Rheingau Musik FestivalRheingau Musik Festival

Every year, the Prince-von-Metternich Hall at Johannisberg Palace resounds to the strains of exquisite chamber music.

Front of Johannisberg castle, Rheingau Musik Festival, July 2015, From the collection of: Rheingau Musik Festival
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The palace’s elevated location on the summit of the vineyard-girdled hill high above the Rhine valley had long ago inspired Heine and Goethe to paeans of praise.

Fürst von Metternich Hall, Rheingau Musik Festival, September 2015, From the collection of: Rheingau Musik Festival
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With its capacity of approximately 600 seats, each member of the audience is nonetheless guaranteed the close proximity that chamber’s music’s intimate nature demands.

Summer party 2017 at Johannisberg castle (July 2017) by Rheingau Musik FestivalRheingau Musik Festival

Cuveehof concert, Rheingau Musik Festival, July 2015, From the collection of: Rheingau Musik Festival
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The Cuveehof of Schloss Johannisberg is transformed into an open air venue for over 2.000 guests.

Yannick Nézet-Séguin and his friends in 2016, Rheingau Musik Festival, July 2016, From the collection of: Rheingau Musik Festival
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Trio at Schloss Johannisberg.

Childrens' Concert at Johannisberg castle, Rheingau Musik Festival, August 2015, From the collection of: Rheingau Musik Festival
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Concerts for children are a very important facette of the festival.

Exterior view of the Kurhaus Wiesbaden (August 2016) by Rheingau Musik FestivalRheingau Musik Festival

Kurhaus Wiesbaden

This is another venue of the festival with one of the most beautiful concert halls.

Friedrich von Thiersch Hall (September 2015) by Rheingau Musik FestivalRheingau Musik Festival

Unique! Nothing could be more apposite than this superlative when it comes to describing the Friedrich-von-Thiersch Hall in Wiesbaden’s Assembly Rooms.

Auditorium Kurhaus Wiesbaden, Rheingau Musik Festival, July 2015, From the collection of: Rheingau Musik Festival
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In our opinion, this is one of the most beautiful concert halls.

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Friedrich von Thiersch Hall (August 2013) by Rheingau Musik FestivalRheingau Musik Festival

In 2004, Lang Lang played on this stage.

MIKIs Takeover! Ensemble feat. Max Mutzke in 2016, Rheingau Musik Festival, August 2016, From the collection of: Rheingau Musik Festival
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But not only orchestras perform in Wiesbaden.

Berliner Philharmoniker with Yannick Néset-Séguin (June 2016) by Rheingau Musik FestivalRheingau Musik Festival

Standing ovations after a fulminant concert evening.

Gershiwn Piano Quartet, Rheingau Musik Festival, July 2016, From the collection of: Rheingau Musik Festival
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Hélène Grimaud and the Austrailian Youth Orchestra in 2016, Rheingau Musik Festival, July 2016, From the collection of: Rheingau Musik Festival
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Top stars of the classical music world perform at the Rheingau Musik Festival

Old Locomotive Hall (August 2015) by Rheingau Musik FestivalRheingau Musik Festival

Further festival formats

The Rheingau Musik Festival uses over 40 venues for the 160 concerts yearly like wineries, churches and even vineyard locations.

Steinberger Table (July 2016) by Rheingau Musik FestivalRheingau Musik Festival

One of our highlights: The Steinberger Tafelrunde is a 1km long table in the middle of vineyards. It offers music, wine and food for 1300 guests.

St. Hildegard, Rheingau Musik Festival, August 2016, From the collection of: Rheingau Musik Festival
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The abbey of Eibingen is world famous due to Hildegard von Bingen.

St. Hildegard, Rheingau Musik Festival, July 2015, From the collection of: Rheingau Musik Festival
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The Thomaner Choir Leipzig at the Lutherkirche in Wiesbaden (July 2015) by Rheingau Musik FestivalRheingau Musik Festival

Local churches are used for spiritual music.

Winery Robert Weil, Kiedrich (July 2014) by Rheingau Musik FestivalRheingau Musik Festival

World famous wineries are transformed into concert stages.

LandesJugendSinfonieOrchster Hessen in 2016, Rheingau Musik Festival, August 2016, From the collection of: Rheingau Musik Festival
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Special formats are presented.

Cuban-European Youth Academy orchestra rehearsal, Rheingau Musik Festival, August 2015, From the collection of: Rheingau Musik Festival
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The Cuban European Youth Academy was co-founded by the Rheingau Musik Festival.

Family event 2016 at Vollrads palace, Rheingau Musik Festival, August 2016, From the collection of: Rheingau Musik Festival
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Credits: Story

Rheingau Musik Festival

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