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For the 22nd time, the Nibelungen Festival invites you this summer to an open-air event in an impressive setting in front of the illuminated Imperial Cathedral in Worms!
From July 12 to 28, 2024, "Der Diplomat" will focus on Dietrich von Bern, a very special character from the Nibelungen cosmos. In this production, the story is told not only about Siegfried, Hagen, the Burgundians, and the Hun king Etzel but also raises the highly relevant question of how to prevent a war that nobody really wants and yet seems inevitable.
Furthermore, the beautifully illuminated Heylshof Park, Germany's most beautiful theater foyer, with stylish restaurants, live music, and a high-quality culinary offer, invites you to linger during the festival days.
For further information about this year's staging of the Nibelungen Festival and tickets for individual festival dates in 2024, you can find them directly on the official website of the Nibelungen Festival.
Worms and the Nibelungen are inseparably connected, as significant parts of the saga take place in the city and its surroundings. Landmarks inspired by this connection, such as the Hagen monument and the Siegfried well, shape the cityscape. The multimedia Nibelungen Museum illuminates the medieval heroes, and high-caliber actors bring them to life during the Nibelungen Festival in the shadow of the Worms Cathedral.
In their current form, the Nibelungen-Festspiele Worms were first performed in the year 2002. With this, the city continues the rich tradition of the Nibelungensage, which is historically and culturally rooted in the region. Over the last two decades, the annual festivities have evolved into a significant cultural event that attracts visitors from all over Germany. In 2023, 21,000 attendees experienced the open-air event live on 16 performance evenings.
Over the years, numerous renowned actors have participated in the Nibelungen-Festspiele. The cast list includes personalities from theater, film, and television, featuring names such as Mario Adorf, Ben Becker, Andrea Sawatzki, and many others. Since 2018, the "Mario Adorf Prize," endowed with 10,000 euros, has also been awarded during the festivities for exceptional artistic achievements related to the Nibelungen-Festspiele.
The Nibelungen-Festspiele is based on the "Nibelungensage," an epic narrative preserved in the Nibelungenlied, a Middle High German heroic epic. The saga tells of love, power, betrayal, and downfall and has a long tradition in German culture. The festivities address these themes, interpreting them artistically and presenting the story of the Nibelungen in a contemporary context. Through direction, acting, and artistic performances, the Nibelungensage is brought to life and made tangible for the audience.
Worms and the Nibelungen are inseparably linked, as significant parts of the saga unfold in the city and its surroundings. Once, Kriemhild and Brünhild fought their legendary queens' dispute in front of the historic Imperial Cathedral in Worms; now, it forms the breathtaking backdrop for the renowned Nibelungen-Festspiele.
The play for the Nibelungen-Festspiele 2024 is written by the author duo Feridun Zaimoglu and Günter Senkel. They previously celebrated a great success in Worms with "Siegfrieds Erben." In 2024, they focus on a very special character from the Nibelungen cosmos: Dietrich von Bern. In "DER DIPLOMAT," the story revolves not only around the intrigues involving Siegfried, Hagen, the Burgundians, and King Etzel but also explores the question of how to prevent a war that nobody wants but still seems inevitable. Once again, the Swiss director Roger Vontobel takes the helm, whose spectacular Worms production of Ferdinand Schmalz's "hildensaga" in 2022 captivated the audience with enthusiasm.
In addition to the impressive open-air stage, the atmospherically illuminated Heylshofpark, the country's most beautiful theater foyer, contributes to the special ambiance of the festivities. Here, you can enhance your Nibelungen experience with an exquisite dinner in the park, a glass of wine in the Rheinhessen Lounge, or an exciting backstage tour. The diverse program of the Nibelungen city of Worms, including concerts, readings, and discussions, complements the cultural event.
If you wish to refresh your knowledge of the heroic epic, we recommend visiting the Wormser Nibelungenmuseum. Inside the old city walls, the Nibelungenlied, its origin, and significance are conveyed through multimedia means. Afterwards, you can take a delightful stroll to the Hagendenkmal, which commemorates the sinking of the Nibelungen treasure in the Rhine.
