About
The Immling Festival 2026 celebrates its 30th anniversary with an inspiring season that transforms the idyllic Gut Immling estate in Bavaria into a destination for opera and classical music. Set amid the rolling hills of the Chiemgau region, the festival combines artistic excellence with a relaxed countryside atmosphere, offering audiences the rare opportunity to enjoy world-class performances in an intimate and welcoming setting.
The anniversary programme presents four fully staged opera productions, each representing a different chapter of operatic history. Puccini's Tosca explores the conflict between love and political oppression, while Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor brings one of bel canto's greatest tragic heroines to the stage. Mozart's timeless The Magic Flute returns as a tribute to the work that launched the Immling Festival three decades ago, and Verdi's Un Ballo in Maschera completes the operatic programme with its compelling blend of passion, intrigue, and unforgettable melodies.
Opera is complemented by an extensive series of orchestral and vocal concerts. Highlights include Verdi's Messa da Requiem, bringing together the Immling Festival Orchestra and Chorus with Georgian musical partners in an international collaboration, and the 30th Anniversary Gala, featuring Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 alongside Richard Strauss's Don Juan and Also sprach Zarathustra. The season concludes with the traditional Finale Grande, a festive evening of celebrated opera and musical highlights.
The festival is led by founder and Artistic Director Ludwig Baumann, whose vision has shaped Immling into one of Bavaria's distinctive summer music festivals. Musical Director Cornelia von Kerssenbrock conducts the principal opera productions and major concert events, leading the Immling Festival Orchestra and Immling Festival Chorus throughout the anniversary season. Internationally acclaimed pianist Kit Armstrong joins the programme for a special recital, presenting works by Chopin, Mussorgsky, and his own compositions.
Beyond the main productions, visitors can enjoy themed concerts, operetta evenings, chamber performances, dance, family events, and the festival's musical academy, creating a programme that appeals to both dedicated opera enthusiasts and newcomers alike.
The Immling Festival 2026 offers a memorable blend of outstanding music, scenic surroundings, and genuine hospitality. With four major operas, distinguished concerts, and the unique atmosphere of the Bavarian countryside, the anniversary season promises an experience where exceptional artistry feels both personal and accessible.
About the Immling Festival
The Immling Festival in Halfing im Chiemgau is a festival for classical music. It has been held annually from June to August since 1997. Operas, concerts, musicals and children's operas are performed.
The Immling Festival came about in 1997. The performance of the Mozart opera The Magic Flute , produced by opera singer Ludwig Baumann , today director of the Immling Festival, with various local choirs was to take place on a lake stage in Halfing. Because of heavy rain showers and thunderstorms, the performance was spontaneously relocated to the Reithalle in Immling, where the opera was performed five times.
In 1998 the "Chiemgau Music Festival at Gut Immling" was held for the first time, which took place from July 24th to August 2nd. The program included the operas Der Freischütz directed by Ludwig Baumann, Der Barbier von Sevilla directed by Toni Müller and other events such as a folk music day, an operetta concert, a family day and a hit evening with Trini Lopez.
