Festival in Rostock with music by Johann Sebastian Bach
Bach Days Rostock 2026
From October 9 to 11, 2026, the Bachverein Rostock e.V. invites you for the seventh time to a top-class festival weekend that brings the music of Johann Sebastian Bach to life in all its diversity and history. Renowned top ensembles and soloists will present a program in the Nikolaikirche Rostock, the Barocksaal Rostock and the Universitätskirche Rostock that includes Baroque masterpieces as well as surprising musical encounters between eras and styles.
Festive opening with the Brandenburg Concerts
The opening concert with the Freiburg Baroque Orchestra will kick off the festival on Friday, October 9 at 7.30 pm in the Nikolai Church in Rostock. The "Brandenburg Concertos " will feature the six famous concertos by Johann Sebastian Bach - works that are among the most sparkling and versatile compositions of the Baroque era. With luminous string passages, warm woodwind colors and glittering trumpet moments, the ensemble, together with trumpeter Moritz Goerg, unfolds the full sonic splendor of these masterpieces. The violinists Éva Borhi, Hannah Visser, Péter Barczi, Gottfried von der Goltz and Judith von der Goltz as well as harpsichordist Sebastian Wienand guarantee an energetic yet poetic musical experience in the unmistakable style of this leading Baroque ensemble.
Bach and the history of his influence
On Saturday, October 10, at 3 pm, the internationally acclaimed pianist Matthias Kirschnereit, who is no stranger to Rostock, will present his solo program "BACH und die Folgen" in the Barocksaal Rostock . The concert traces the lasting impact of Bach's music on later generations. In addition to works by Johann Sebastian Bach, compositions by Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach, Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy, Ludwig van Beethoven, Robert Schumann and Frédéric Chopin will be performed. With a finely nuanced sound culture, Kirschnereit shows how differently composers have taken up and developed Bach's musical legacy - from the sensitive style of C. P. E. Bach to the poetic piano art of the 19th century.
BACH meets tango
On Saturday, October 10, at 7.30 pm, the Baroque Hall will be transformed into a place of surprising musical encounters. Under the title "BACH meets Tango - Piazzolla's fiery legacy", violinist Johanna Staemmler and pianist and harpsichordist Martin Klett will combine the baroque soundscape of Bach with the expressive passion of Astor Piazzolla's Tango Nuevo. Tango arrangements of Baroque works, original compositions by Piazzolla and surprising musical dialogues show how closely the structural clarity of Bach can be combined with the rhythmic intensity of modern tango - a fascinating journey from Leipzig to Buenos Aires.
Organ matinee with the Leipzig St. Thomas organist
Sunday, October 11, begins at 11 a.m. with a festive organ matinee in the University Church of Rostock. The guest is the Leipzig organist Johannes Lang, who works at Johann Sebastian Bach's most important place of activity in Leipzig. Lang presents selected organ works by Bach with virtuoso playing, fine sound design and great stylistic clarity - from powerful preludes and fugues to lyrical chorale arrangements. The sound splendor of the Schuke organ unfolds in all its facets.
Festival finale: baroque meets pop
The Bach Festival will conclude on Sunday, October 11, at 5 p.m. with an extraordinary concert in the Nikolai Church in Rostock. The lautten compagney BERLIN under the direction of Wolfgang Katschner will present the program "Dancing Queen - ABBA & Jean-Philippe Rameau" together with saxophonist Asya Fateyeva . In arrangements by Bo Wiget, the baroque dance music of Jean-Philippe Rameau meets the hits of the Swedish pop group ABBA - including, of course, the legendary song Dancing Queen. On baroque-era instruments, the two worlds of sound merge into a rousing musical dialog between past and present. The multi-award-winning saxophonist Asya Fateyeva moves with virtuosity between the stylistic worlds and makes baroque timbres shine just as brightly as modern rhythms. The result is a surprising and entertaining concert that transcends boundaries and connects generations. The lautten compagney and Asya Fateyeva won the "OPUS Klassik" award in 2025 for this program.
A festival between tradition and discovery
The 2026 Rostock Bach Festival combines historical performance practice with creative perspectives on Bach's musical legacy. The festival shows how lively and inspiring this music still is today - from baroque virtuosity and romantic piano art to unexpected encounters with tango and pop.
The program was published on 21.3.2026. At the same time, tickets went on sale with a limited early bird discount and limited-edition festival tickets. For the first time, the Bachverein is offering a so-called "pay what you can" ticket for selected seats, where you can choose the ticket price yourself.start of form
The Bachverein would like to thank the supporters and sponsors of the Bachtage Rostock 2026. The continuation of the long-standing support of WIRO, Lotto Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, ROSTOCK PORT, OSPA and the Jakota Design Group and the NDR Kulturförderung make the Bachtage possible in the first place.
