Festival Neue Musik–Der Sommer in Stuttgart
The concept of ‘freedom’ is a common thread running through many of the projects at the ‘Der Sommer in Stuttgart’ festival, which will take place from 24 to 27 July 2026 at the Theaterhaus Stuttgart and the Kunstgebäude.
Maria Kalesnikava speaks about the inner freedom she managed to preserve during her imprisonment. The concert solidARTy follows with a powerful plea for freedom, and we can also glimpse the idea of a future free Iranian society in the images from Amen Feizabadi’s chamber opera *Deep Siesta*. »Free« is the improvisation from which the Trio Pony Says develops new formats in its »Pop-up« series. And last but not least, »The Queer Art of Failure«–featuring Ensemble Aventure and many others–embodies a liberation from normative ideals.
The short festival, which once again brings together the energies of Stuttgart’s new music scene, concludes with a highly poetic three-part afternoon programme, during which the Neue Vocalsolisten, Ensemble Ascolta and violinist Sara Cubarsi present solo and chamber works.
Festival brochure
Tickets for performances at the Theaterhaus
Theaterhaus Stuttgart
Telephone +49 (0) 711 40 20 720
Email tickets@theaterhaus.com
Reservix: theaterhaus.reservix.de/events
Tickets for the event at the Kunstgebäude
On site–included in the ticket for the exhibition ‘Das Kalte Herz’
Friday 24 July, 6.00 pm, Theaterhaus T3
#FREEMARIA
A performative reflection by Maria Kalesnikava
Maria Kalesnikava, performance
Idea/concept: Jochen Sandig
Set design: Sung-Uk Brad Hwang
Sound intervention: Diego Noguera
Lighting design: Jörg Bittner, Lou Oelrich
A production by Sasha Waltz & Guests.
Made at Radialsystem, Berlin
© Pasha Kritchko
Friday 24 July, 8.00 pm, Theaterhaus T3
solidARTy
Works by
Katsia Kaya, Kaija Saariaho, Michael Jarrell
Katsia Kaya (Belarus/Germany), voice, electronics, objects; Jana Ščarbakowa (Belarus/Czech Republic), flute
Anna Fiveiska (Ukraine/Germany), marimba
The concert, curated by Maria Kalesnikava, takes place as part of solidARTy, an international platform for solidarity with artists affected by repression, exile and professional bans.
© Johan Planefeldt
Sat 25 July, 6.00 pm, Theaterhaus T3
ARTIST TALK
A conversation with Amen Feizabadi about the background to his chamber audio opera DEEP SIESTA.
© Maryam Takhtkeshian
Sat 25 July, 7.00 pm, Theaterhaus T3
DEEP SIESTA
A chamber audio opera in three acts with a prologue (2024–26)
Concept, composition, direction, video production: Amen Feizabadi
Libretto: Dilek Mayatürk
Dramaturgy: Konstantin Parnian
Video production and photography: Maryam Takhtkeshian
Camera: Hamed Otadi, Ghazal Bakhtazad
Sound: Soheil Mirzadeh
Boys’ choir of the Veda Music Institute in Tehran (video)
Neue Vocalsolisten
Zafraan Ensemble
Conducted by Yalda Zamani
Two artificial beings–Ök and Mani–are born out of digital chaos. Curious and full of wonder, they discover the world of humans: its beauty, its ‘EmoSones’, its contradictions …
© Maryam Takhtkeshian
Sat 25 July
21:00, Theaterhaus/MDJ P1
POP-UP
Pony Says
Felix Nagl, keyboard/Lucas Gérin, electronic drums/Thilo Ruck, electric guitar/Mattia Parisse, sound artist
Together with international artists specialising in improvisation and experimental music, Pony Says develops compact performance formats and free improvisations for spontaneous pop-up concerts in Stuttgart’s off-spaces.
In his artistic practice, the Italian sound artist Mattia Parisse explores electroacoustic music, new forms of digital sound generation, and the design and construction of his own instruments. On this evening, he will juxtapose these with the ‘traditional’ instrumentation of Pony Says. The result is an open-ended format blending improvisation, electronics and new music.
© privat
Sun 26 July
12:00, Kunstgebäude Stuttgart
THE QUEER ART OF FAILURE
Works by
Malin Bång, Natacha Diels, Laure M. Hiendl (world premiere), Eloain Lovis Hübner (world premiere)
Ensemble Aventure
Second-year Year of the Directing, Acting and Dramaturgy and Motion Design FABW programmes at the Academy of Performing Arts Baden-Württemberg
As part of the exhibition »Das kalte Herz« at the Kunstmuseum Stuttgart.
A collaboration between the Academy of Performing Arts Baden-Württemberg, the Kunstmuseum Stuttgart, Ensemble Aventure Freiburg and Musik der Jahrhunderte, in cooperation with the Animation Institute of the Film Academy BW.
© Elza Loginova
Sun 26 July
16:00–19:00 Theaterhaus, T3 and P1
CHAMBER PLAYS
16:00, T3
THERE WOULD BE TENDERNESS
Works by
Dariya Maminova, Bnaya Halperin-Kaddari, Sven-Ingo Koch (world premiere)
Sara Cubarsi, violin
Neue Vocalsolisten
17:15, P1
REFLECTIONS OF ETERNITY
Works by
Rolf Riehm, Michael Pelzel, Elena Rykova
Ensemble Ascolta
Erik Borgir, cello/Julian Belli, percussion
18:15, T3
OF LAMENT AND GRATITUDE
Works by
Anton Schukaŭ WP, Liza Lim, Gregory Kharaneka WP, Vahid Hosseini (world premiere)
Neue Vocalsolisten
Sara Cubarsi, violin
© Irène Zandel