Weimar in Faust fever: art festival starts big anniversary program!

Weimar in Faust fever: art festival starts big anniversary program!

Everything in Weimar is currently surrounded by a certain magic. The city is celebrating the Classic Foundation's “Faust Theme Year” with a major exhibition that deals intensively with Goethe's classics. Right at the beginning of the Weimar Art Festival, the largest festival for contemporary arts in East Germany, the masquerade play “FaustX” by the South African artist Brett Bailey was performed. This production is based on the second part of Goethe's “Faust” and offers a fresh look at topics such as financial speculation and current social challenges, especially the difficult situation in Gaza. The exhibition in the Schillerhaus already attracts many curious visitors who do not want to miss the deeper insight into Goethe research, supported by comics and film collages.

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe came to Weimar 250 years ago, in November 1775, and left a deep mark here with his work. His first “Faust” part saw the light of day in 1808, followed by the second part, which was published posthumously. This anniversary has inspired the organizers to give the Weimar Art Festival 2025 an extensive Goethe-themed theme, with both parts of “Faust” taking center stage for the first time since 1999. The premiere of “FaustX” took place on August 20th, 2025 and will be performed in German and English with surtitles until August 23rd. The performance is part of an international co-production and many viewers are expecting the return of the dramatic production “Faustus in Africa!” by William Kentridge on September 7th.

Art and culture in dialogue

But the art festival has even more to offer. The premiere of the documentary opera “All the Way Down”, which deals with social issues, will probably be a highlight. There will also be a production, “The Country I Loved,” based on the book by Yelena Kostyutschenko, which is dedicated to the complex post-Soviet experience. More modern formats are also represented: A production of “Faust II – Game Over” for young people aged 15 and over will be presented in Weimar from September 4th to 6th.

The art festival directors have also put together a colorful mix of dance by Gregory Maqoma, contemporary circus from Taiwan and concerts with Martin Kohlstedt. A special concert will take place on August 21st in the Herder Church, at which contemporary witnesses such as Naftali Fürst will have their say and Nobel Peace Prize winner Irina Scherbakova will give a memorial speech. The event is accompanied by musical works by Beethoven and Brahms, including Brahms' “A German Requiem” by the Capella Cracoviensis.

A festival full of highlights

Advance sales for the events are already in full swing and the full program overview will be available from the beginning of June. Anyone who is interested in the multifaceted examination of Goethe's “Faust” or simply wants to gain an impression of the creative energy of the art festival has the opportunity until September 7th. The festival promises not only a feast for the senses, but also a profound examination of the contradictions of today and the big questions that concern us all.

For further information, those interested can visit the website Kunstfest Weimar or contact us by phone on 03643 755334.