Following the opera festival in June and July, the Munich National Theater went on a well-deserved break, leaving a gap in Munich’s cultural calendar. This weekend, the long-awaited new season finally kicks off, and you can already look forward to a calendar packed with theater, dance, and music. To mark the occasion, the Bavarian State Opera, in collaboration with HypoVereinsbank, is hosting the UniCredit Opening Festival and offering you a free program of events to watch and participate in.
Activities for all ages
The UniCredit Opening Festival will take place on Saturday, September 19, at the National Theater and on Max-Josephs-Platz. The festivities kick off at 11 a.m. with a sing-along concert by the Bavarian State Choir, which will gather on the steps in front of the main entrance. After that, it’s “Open House,” and the theater will open its doors to you. You can take a peek behind the scenes on various guided tours or listen in on fascinating panel discussions.
Meanwhile,kids will love the tattoo booth, where staff from the makeup department will apply small designs to their skin. You’ll want to capture these right away in the Royal Box, which will be transformed into a photo booth for the day . Meanwhile, in the Ionian Hall, the ballet barre is available for you to practice and try out at your leisure. And there’s even more music from Old Wine In New Bottles at 11:45 a.m.
Kicking off with “La Cenerentola”
But the start of the new season isn’t just about the UniCredit Opening Festival—it also, of course, features a new production. Kicking things off on Saturday evening is the opera “La Cenerentola” by composer Gioachino Rossini. It’s loosely based on the fairy tale “Cinderella,” but does without any magic or fantastical elements. The performance begins at 6 p.m. and will be presented in Italian with German surtitles. Unlike the UniCredit Opening Festival, the opera isn’t free, but you can get discounted tickets. After the performance ends, the festivities continue with the Jazz and Broadway Night, which you can attend for free.
📅 Date: Saturday, September 19, starting at 11 a.m.
💶 Pricing information: Admission to the UniCredit Opening Festival is free; opera tickets start at €5
