13th Saxon Theater Meeting Highlights International Collaboration in Görlitz and Zittau
The 13th Saxon Theater Meeting, scheduled from April 21 to 26, 2026, will take place across six stages in Görlitz and Zittau. Organized by the Gerhart-Hauptmann-Theater, the festival features 21 productions, including plays, dance, and musicals from eleven Saxon theaters as well as ensembles from Poland and the Czech Republic. This year’s program emphasizes cross-border cultural exchange within the border triangle, integrating the trinational J-O-S festival. Key highlights include the dance piece “Romeo/Juliet Paradise,” a co-production with Rwandan artists, and Janosch’s “On the luck of having known Hrdlak,” created with the Lubuski Teatr. While most performances require tickets, independent artists will offer free shows. Notably, Lukas Rietzschel’s “Der Girschkarten” is fully booked, reflecting strong local interest. Beyond artistic presentations, the event addresses structural challenges in the cultural sector. On April 25, festival director Daniel Morgenroth will engage Saxon Prime Minister Michael Kretschmer in a public discussion titled “More than money,” debating the future financial sustainability of state-funded culture. The biennial event aims to showcase regional diversity while fostering international dialogue through accessible programming, including German surtitles for foreign-language productions.
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13th Saxon Theater Meeting Highlights International Collaboration in Görlitz and Zittau
The 13th Saxon Theater Meeting, scheduled from April 21 to 26, 2026, will take place across six stages in Görlitz and Zittau. Organized by the Gerhart-Hauptmann-Theater, the festival features 21 productions, including plays, dance, and musicals from eleven Saxon theaters as well as ensembles from Poland and the Czech Republic. This year’s program emphasizes cross-border cultural exchange within the border triangle, integrating the trinational J-O-S festival. Key highlights include the dance piece “Romeo/Juliet Paradise,” a co-production with Rwandan artists, and Janosch’s “On the luck of having known Hrdlak,” created with the Lubuski Teatr. While most performances require tickets, independent artists will offer free shows. Notably, Lukas Rietzschel’s “Der Girschkarten” is fully booked, reflecting strong local interest. Beyond artistic presentations, the event addresses structural challenges in the cultural sector. On April 25, festival director Daniel Morgenroth will engage Saxon Prime Minister Michael Kretschmer in a public discussion titled “More than money,” debating the future financial sustainability of state-funded culture. The biennial event aims to showcase regional diversity while fostering international dialogue through accessible programming, including German surtitles for foreign-language productions.
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