26 Best Performing Arts in The Rhineland, Germany

On the last weekend in June, more than 100,000 people come out for this music festival in Trier's Old Town, which features several music stages as well as a citywide run, markets, a parade and 120 food and drink stalls. Major venues include the Trier Arena and Trier Europahalle, hosting the likes of André Rieu, James Last, and Deep Purple.

Organ recitals, chamber music, and jazz concerts are regularly presented in the Gothic Antoniterkirche.

Concerts are held at numerous indoor and outdoor venues during September's monthlong Beethoven-Festival.

In the Beethoven-Haus, recitals are sometimes given on a 19th-century grand piano, and concerts take place regularly in the chamber music hall.

The Aachen Symphony, along with touring bands and orchestras from across Europe, give regular concerts in Aachen's Eurogress convention center.

The sparkling-wine cellars of Henkell & Co. offer tours lasting 60, 90 or 120 minutes, including tastings, which can be booked via the website. The tours take in both the impressive Rococo marble hall and the 200,000 liter barrels in the seven-story cellars. They also play host to art exhibitions as well as regular concerts by young classical musicians.

The Hessian State Theater was built in neo-baroque style by two famous Viennese architects for Emperor Wilhelm II, and opened in 1894. Various extensions and reconstructions have been carried out since, and the frescos, stuccowork, and sculptures are truly a sight to behold. Classical and contemporary opera, theater, ballet, and musicals are presented on the theater's four stages.

Throughout the year, performances and events ranging from classical to contemporary are hosted at the Kurhaus, including performances from the Hessian State Orchestra, and the annual Wine Ball and New Year's Eve party. In addition, there are very occasional organ concerts in the Friedrich-von-Thiersch-Saal, which has been home to an organ since the Kurhaus was built in 1907. On organ open days, you can visit the organ room, which is usually closed to the public.

The Marktkirche is a striking, red neo-Gothic church built between 1853 and 1862, and is Wiesbaden's main Protestant church. The Walcker organ has a total of 6,198 pipes, which can be heard during the free organ recitals that are held on Saturday at 11:30 am.

Also known as Mosel in Flammen (Mosel on fire), this annual July celebration along the Zurlauben riverbank (as part of the several days-long festival, the Zurlaubener Heimatfest) involves much wine, sparkling wine, and beer, and an impressive display of fireworks.

Cologne's opera company is known for exciting classical and contemporary productions. The opera house on Offenbachplatz, originally scheduled to reopen in the fall of 2015 after a major multiyear renovation, remains delayed until 2023. Their interim location is the StaatenHaus am Rheinpark in Cologne-Deutz.

This is a major venue for comedy and cabaret.

Cologne's WDR Sinfonieorchester performs regularly in the city's excellent concert hall.

The impressive modern RheinMain CongressCenter was completely rebuilt using a mix of natural stone, wood, glass, and metal, and reopened in 2018. Its events listings include concerts, cultural events, balls, and trade fairs. The Italian restaurant bagutta housed within offers pizza, pasta, antipasti, and sweets, and has a sun terrace out front as well as a glass-fronted upstairs interior, from where you can watch what's going on in the banqueting hall below.

Classical and pop concerts, symposia, film, and international theater are presented at this wood-paneled music hall inside the Museum Kunstpalast.

The Schauspielhaus is home to the 20 or so private theater companies in the city. Until its main space on Offenbachplatz reopens in 2024 after a major renovation, productions take place at an industrial space ( Carlswerk, Schanzenstrasse 6–20) in the Mülheim neighborhood. There are occasional productions with English subtitles.

Chamber-music concerts are given regularly at the Schumannhaus, where composer Robert Schumann spent his final years.

The Philharmonic plays regularly at various concert venues around town.

A 30-minute ride outside Düsseldorf by car, train, or S-bahn (from the Hauptbahnhof) will get you to the industrial city of Wuppertal, whose main claim to fame is its transit system of suspended trains that often run directly over the River Wupper, the Schwebebahn. It's also well known for the Tanztheater Wuppertal, the world-famous dance-theater company of the choreographer Pina Bausch (1940–2009).

Operas are staged regularly at the Theater Bonn, which also hosts musicals and performances by world-renowned dance companies, including ballet.

Built in 1787, this gorgeous neoclassic theater is still in regular use and has resident drama, ballet, and musical theater ensembles ranging from classic to contemporary.

Opera, theater, and ballet performances as well as concerts are staged in this popular modern theater.

This former planetarium on the edge of the Hofgarten hosts more than 450 concerts annually and is the home of the Düsseldorfer Symphoniker, which plays from September to June.

This traditional wine festival takes place in early August in the Olewig district of Trier. As well as local wine, there's live music and various regional culinary specialties to be enjoyed.

Trier's Christmas market features nearly a hundred wooden huts selling Christmas decorations, toys and candles, as well as Glühwein (mulled wine), sausages, and potato cakes. It takes place on the main market square and in front of the impressive backdrop of Trier cathedral.

Concerts, theater, exhibitions, and other events are staged at this sociocultural center and cabaret stage housed in a former cloth factory.