Golden Autumn - Festival of Early Music

HOME SOUNDS
25–27 September 2026 in Gotha

In 2026, Gotha will embrace the motto "SOUNDS OF HOME" and explore the complex theme of home. Naturally, given the theme in Thuringia, the Bachs – Johann Sebastian and his extended musical family – must be included. But we also want to shine a spotlight on lesser-known Thuringians, such as Wolfgang Carl Briegel, who will celebrate his 400th birthday in 2026.

We also tell the stories of the people who significantly shaped Thuringia's cultural landscape – be it through their travels, which led to cultural imports and exports, or through trends that reached Thuringia from Italy or France, for example, and influenced local tastes – because Thuringian culture during the Baroque period can truly be described as a melting pot. We are also interested in the connection that living composers have to Thuringia today, and how Baroque music from Thuringia may have influenced their careers.

We are also very excited about our ideas competition, which we will be holding for the second time in 2026, and especially about how our competition participants will engage with their home region of Thuringia.

Our distinguished artists for 2026 include the Academy for Ancient Music Berlin and Xenia Löffler, the Thuringia Philharmonic Gotha-Eisenach, the Ensemble Diderot, Bach's Heirs, and the Zafraan Ensemble. In addition, there will be a collaboration with the Thuringian State Costume Association for the first time.

We've complemented our program with engaging lectures and a panel discussion, because the topic of "home" is contentious in many respects. We are all the more pleased that our festival can once again become a place for encounters and exchange.

We are really looking forward to seeing you!

Program overview

Sunday, September 20, 2026
, 6:00 PM : Festival prologue in Weimar with Bach's Heirs and the Thuringian State Costume Association

Friday, September 25, 2026
, 6:00 p.m .: Lecture “Thuringian Dialects” with Agnes Jäger from the Thuringian Dialect Research Center;
7:30 p.m .: Opening concert “The Bachs” with AKAMUS Berlin and Xenia Löffler

Saturday, September 26, 2026
, 9:30 a.m .: Countryside excursion "Legendary Thuringia" with Jens Goldhardt and Franziska Troegner
; 4:00 p.m .: Family concert "A Well-Tempered Marriage" at the Ekhof Theater;
7:00 p.m .: Evening concert "Melting Pot Thuringia" with the Ensemble Diderot;
9:00 p.m .: Night concert of Thuringian music in the Baroque and today, with the Zafraan Ensemble

Sunday, September 27, 2026,
10:00 a.m .: Festive church service “400 Years of Wolfgang Carl Briegel”
1:00 p.m .: Prize-winners' concert of the ideas competition
3:00 p.m .: Panel discussion “What is Home?”
5:00 p.m .: GA Benda's “Romeo and Juliet” at the Ekhof Theater with the Thuringia Philharmonic and Thomas Thieme