ABOUT THE CONCERT

The SemperOpernball in Dresden is unique in many respects – the combination of elegant ball events throughout the opera house, the performances of the house's artists and the Semperoper Ballet, together with the Saxon State Orchestra, the illustrious guests at the gala tables and the many thousands of visitors to the free open-air ball, who dance waltzes on the Theaterplatz in front of the Semperoper and spread the best carnival spirit, cannot be found in any other city.

This year, the red carpet for the SemperOpernball will be rolled out on Friday, February 6, 2026. For what the Berlinale can do a few days later, Dresden can do too: Under the motto "Lights, Camera, Action!", the ball, in its 101st anniversary year, will whisk its guests away to the glamorous world of cinema with an artistic homage to unforgettable highlights of film history. Under the musical direction of British conductor Jonathan Darlington, world-famous film melodies will be performed by the Staatskapelle Dresden, including classics such as the legendary Love Theme from The Godfather by Nino Rota. A further opportunity to hear the composer will arise in June 2026, when his operatic comedy The Florentine Hat premieres at the Semperoper.    

The host of the evening will remain a secret until November 2025, even though anticipation is already running high! But you can look forward to a top-class international ensemble of artists, including Russian cellist Anastasia Kobekina, Chilean tenor Jonathan Tetelman, the dancers of the Semperoper Ballet, and the Semperoper Dresden Children's Choir, who will contribute to the ball's artistic program. And when midnight strikes, Cinderella is welcome to kick off her ballet shoes, because at the Midnight Ball, the dance floor will transform into a rock 'n' roll dance floor!