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The Lehár Festival Bad Ischl 2026 invites audiences to step into the golden world of operetta, where elegance, humour, romance, and unforgettable melodies come together in the historic spa town of Bad Ischl. From 11 July to 30 August 2026, this celebrated festival transforms the former summer residence of Emperor Franz Joseph into a vibrant stage for one of Europe’s most beloved traditions of musical theatre.
Bad Ischl holds a special place in operetta history: it was the home and creative refuge of Franz Lehár, one of the greatest masters of the genre. The festival continues this heritage by presenting works that combine sophisticated orchestration, theatrical charm, and the unique spirit of Viennese and Central European operetta. Each summer, audiences discover both famous classics and rarely performed treasures in productions created with passion and artistic precision.
The 2026 season presents three major productions, beginning with Franz von Suppè’s Boccaccio, opening on 11 July 2026. Filled with sparkling melodies, comic situations, and theatrical energy, this operetta celebrates the legendary Italian storyteller Boccaccio through Suppè’s elegant and vibrant musical language.
A highlight of the season is Emmerich Kálmán’s Gräfin Mariza, premiering on 18 July 2026. One of the most popular works of the Silver Age of operetta, it combines romantic intrigue, Hungarian colour, passionate Csárdás rhythms, and melodies that have become timeless favourites. The story of the spirited Countess Mariza unfolds between humour, misunderstandings, and heartfelt emotions, creating the perfect atmosphere for a summer evening in Bad Ischl.
The festival also presents Franz Lehár’s Der Göttergatte, a rare gem of the operetta repertoire, premiering on 14 August 2026. Inspired by Greek mythology, the work reveals Lehár’s characteristic mixture of wit, theatrical imagination, and lyrical beauty. Presented in a semi-staged production, it offers audiences the opportunity to discover a lesser-known side of the composer’s creative world.
The artistic identity of the festival is closely connected with its director and artistic leader Thomas Enzinger, who continues to shape Bad Ischl’s programme with a deep understanding of operetta tradition and contemporary stagecraft. His vision brings together historical authenticity, elegant humour, and productions that remain accessible and emotionally engaging for modern audiences.
Beyond the main productions, the Lehár Festival offers an extensive supporting programme, including concerts, special events, and performances that celebrate the richness of musical theatre. The festival remains a meeting point for opera and operetta lovers who appreciate beautiful voices, orchestral colour, and the magic of live performance.
About the Lehár Festival Bad Ischl
The Lehár Festival Bad Ischl is a theater festival primarily devoted to the performance of operettas in the Upper Austrian spa town of Bad Ischl.
The organization of a summer festival, which would present light music and operetta, was considered from about 1950. The performance of musical entertainment theater has had a tradition in Bad Ischl since the time of Emperor Franz Joseph . Operetta festivals developed from the tradition of summer theater for spa guests.
The Second World War not only meant that there were hardly any artists specializing in operetta, such as those that emerged from the numerous operetta houses in Vienna, which were also closed during the period of the so-called theater deaths, but there were also none in Bad Ischl adequate venue more.
Already at the beginning of the 1950s there were plans to hold a summer festival. Bad Ischl was predestined to become a focal point of the music theater scene - after all, the imperial city could look back on a long tradition of summer theatre. In addition to the Salzburg Festival, which focuses on drama and serious music, future operetta festivals should be held in Bad Ischl.
However, the actual implementation of the operetta festival in the 1950s failed because, according to the initiators, there was a great lack of sufficiently selected artists in Austria at the time. In addition, there was no venue. At the end of the 1950s, however, the International Society for the Care and Promotion of the Operetta “Die Operetta” was founded as a preparatory measure. The association should devote itself to the task of reviving the operetta and setting up a documentation center.
The operetta festival kicked off with the constitutive general meeting of the association “Die Operetta” on April 29, 1961. The honorary patrons of the society were chamber singers Maria Jeritza-Seery and Manfred Mautner-Markhof, and the president was actor Josef Meinrad.
The festive evening was a mixture of lectures on the subject of Bad Ischl and its relation to the operetta. A three-hour celebratory concert entitled “The operetta is alive” was then presented.
Eduard Macku took over the musical and artistic direction as well as the directorship of the first "Operetta Weeks". In addition to Kálmán's "Die Csárdásfürstin", three works by Ischl's honorary citizen Franz Lehár were on the program: "Paganini", "The Land of Smiles" and "The Merry Widow". The then 57-year-old Johannes Heesters was the darling of the audience in his prime role as Count Danilo on stage. The program was supplemented with an operetta ball and a music festival in honor of the composer Johann Strauss. The final concert on August 27, 1961, entitled "Operetta Melodies of Today", presented works by living Austrian operetta composers.
