The Cologne Opera will reopen on September 19 and 20, 2026. Along with the theater and children’s opera, it will return to Offenbachplatz after years of renovation. The reopening will be celebrated with a festival: Saturday from 12 p.m. to 11 p.m., Sunday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; admission is free. Performers on the outdoor stage will include Chilly Gonzales and the Moka Efti Orchestra, and there will also be free discovery tours of all the buildings. The highlight will be the reopening concert on Sunday at 6 p.m. featuring Kasalla and the Gürzenich Orchestra Cologne.
Rendering of the Cologne Opera House at Offenbachplatz
Image source/copyright: HPP-Architekten
Image source/copyright: HPP-Architekten
Opening Celebration
First things first
We've organized the schedule for both days. Our house ipartment Cologne Opera It's within walking distance of Offenbachplatz, so I'll wrap up with some practical tips on where to stay.
On this page
Opera, Theater, and Children's Opera: An Overview of the 2026 Opening Season
The 2026 opening will take place at five locations in downtown Cologne: Offenbachplatz, Dirk-Bach-Platz, the North-South thoroughfare (which will be closed for the weekend), Glockengasse, and Brüdergasse. The outdoor stage at Offenbachplatz will feature a continuous program on both days. In the renovated buildings, guided tours will take visitors through areas that remain closed during regular theater operations.
On Saturday, the Cologne Theater will host the event; on Sunday, the Cologne Opera will..
Key facts:
- Date: September 19 and 20, 2026
- Times: Saturday from 12 p.m. to 11 p.m., Sunday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
- Places: Offenbachplatz, Dirk-Bach-Platz, North-South Route, Glockengasse, Brüdergasse
- Admission: Free, full program
- Tours: Free, some require ticket reservations
- Organizer: Bühnen Köln, supported by the REWE Group
- Program: https://buehnen.koeln/eroeffnungsfest
Saturday, September 19: The opening of the Schauspiel Köln
The Schauspiel Köln is kicking off its reopening by turning Offenbachplatz into an open-air stage. Eleven performances will take place between noon and 11 p.m., ranging from the Cologne School Choir to an internationally renowned pianist.
Saturday's program:
- 12:00: Tuning the Space “Opening Offenbachplatz”
- 12:15: Salon Brass Rodenkirchen
- 13:00: Großer Griechenmarkt Choir
- 13:45: Dance and Music Club of KGS Andreas-Hermes-Straße (Kalk)
- 14:30: Dana Schechter and Paul Wallfisch
- 15:20: Moor Mother
- 16:20: Conny & Liser, featuring Monti on Drums
- 17:25: Dakh Daughters
- 18:35: Anja Huwe / Xmal Deutschland
- 20:00: Moka Efti Orchestra
- 21:35: Chilly Gonzales and Band
Two names for the calendar:
- Moka Efti Orchestra. You probably know this ensemble from *Babylon Berlin*; they're bringing the Golden Twenties to life.
- Chilly Gonzales. To wrap things up at 9:35 p.m., the pianist—who does just about everything a grand piano can offer, from classical to pop to performance art, will take the stage.
On Saturday, the discovery tours of the venues will take place from 12:30 p.m. to 10 p.m., and the “Learn and Stroll” program will run from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Sunday, September 20: Family Day at the Opera
Sunday belongs to the Cologne Opera and Cologne's choirs, schools, and clubs. And to Ralph Caspers.
Sunday's program:
- 11:00: Boys and Girls of the Cologne Cathedral Choir
- 11:45: Cologne Men's Chorus
- 12:30: Will Ralph Pass the Opera Exam?
- 13:30: Carl Stamitz Music School (Porz)
- 14:00: Get-Your-Stage (Chorweiler)
- 14:30Petershof Neighbourhood (Lindenthal)
- 15:00: Will Ralph Pass the Opera Exam?
- 15:45: Peter-Ustinov Secondary School (Nippes)
- 16:15No Limits e.V. (Ehrenfeld)
- 16:45: MTV Cologne Dance
- 17:20: “Sing Along with the Mouse” show
- 18:00: Reopening concert at the Opera House
- 20:45Kasalla
Two names for the calendar:
- Ralph Caspers. “Will Ralph Pass the Opera Exam?” is shown twice, at 12:30 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. Ralph Caspers is the patron of the children's opera, and this interactive format introduces children to the world of opera without requiring anyone to know an aria beforehand.
- Kasalla. In the evening, the Cologne-based band will perform alongside the Gürzenich Orchestra Cologne on the opera stage as part of the “New Start” concert, beginning at 6:00 p.m. Kasalla will take the stage again at 8:45 p.m. Tickets for this performance are available exclusively through a raffle; more details are provided in the next section.
On Sunday, the discovery tours run from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. In addition, there will be “Get Involved and Create” from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m., the Sound Playground from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m., and “Learn and Stroll” from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
The Cologne-based band Kasalla
Image source/copyright: Teresa Rothwangl
Image source/copyright: Teresa Rothwangl
Rendering of the Oper Quartier at Offenbachplatz
Image source/copyright: HPP-Architekten
Image source/copyright: HPP-Architekten
The Reopening Concert at the Opera House
The Bühnen Köln’s reopening concert begins on Sunday, September 20, at 6 p.m. on the stage of the Opera House. In the first half, the opera ensemble will perform a light opera program; in the second half, the Cologne band Kasalla will take the stage together with the Gürzenich Orchestra Cologne .
ickets for the reopening concert will be awarded exclusively through a raffle; they will not be sold. You can enter the raffle at https://buehnen.koeln/verlosungen through August 31, 2026. There are currently three raffles running on the site: the reopening concert, “Hier sitzt Köln!” for performances during the opening season, and tickets for the gala event on September 24, 2026.
Tours to explore the reopened venues
The discovery tours take you to places that are otherwise reserved for artists, technicians, and staff. You’ll see the stage technology in action, take a peek into the orchestra pit, and walk through the backstage areas. And you’ll be among the first to see what the renovation has done to the venues.
Opera
The opera house offers an audio-guided tour with a technical demonstration and backstage tours. Both options are free, but require a ticket. Time slots can be reserved in advance at buehnen.koeln; walk-ins are welcome depending on availability.
Theater
You can explore the theater on your own. For the start times on Saturday at 12:30 p.m. and Sunday at 11 a.m., you'll need a free admission ticket. No ticket is required for the rest of the day.
Children's Opera and the Small Theater
The Children's Opera and the Kleines Haus are open to the public without prior registration. The Cologne Children's Opera was built specifically for children and, according to Bühnen Köln, is the only one of its kind in the world, complete with its own stage, stage technology, and orchestra pit. The Kleines Haus features an open dance floor with a DJ and VJ; admission is subject to availability.
Getting Here and Practical Information
The best way to get there is by KVB: The Appellhofplatz stop is right next to the event grounds. The North-South route will be closed to traffic during the opening weekend, so traveling by car will require taking detours.
You can find the daily program, ticket reservations for the tours, and all prize drawings at https://buehnen.koeln/eroeffnungsfest. The festival is made possible with the kind support of the REWE Group.
Staying Overnight at Offenbachplatz
ipartment Cologne Opera
Direct booking &further information
After a day of events that goes until 11 p.m., you’ll want to keep your commute short. Our ipartment Köln Oper is within walking distance of Offenbachplatz, so you can walk home from the festival grounds instead of waiting for the last train. Here’s what awaits you there:
- Private kitchen
- High-Speed Wi-Fi
- Digital self-check-in
- Fair price
Two days of culture or a full city trip. It's up to you.
