Nibelungen Festival in Worms: Spectacular premiere with a magnificent message!

Nibelungen Festival in Worms: Spectacular premiere with a magnificent message!

The Nibelungen Festival in Worms is in full swing and this year offers a spectacular premiere with “See aus Asche – The Song of the Nibelungen” by Roland Schimmelpfennig. On this historic evening, July 13, 2025, numerous visitors experienced the premiere on the open-air stage in front of Worms Cathedral, which has been a tradition since the first festival edition in 2002. President of the Bundestag Julia Klöckner, who comes from Bad Kreuznach, did not miss the premiere and gave the event additional weight.

The stage set, consisting of 600 tons of gravel, a small pond and 180 white plastic chairs, reflects the modern ecological approaches of set designer Andrea Wagner. Director Mina Salehpour's production impresses not only with its visual design, but also with its high-quality text editing by Schimmelpfennig, who skilfully incorporates motifs from Wagner's “Ring”.

Emotions and challenges

How emotionally engaging is the performance? The initial emotional involvement of the audience was initially subdued. However, the high pace in the first part made it possible to introduce the audience to the story. From the second half onwards it became enthralling, as serious topics such as the rape of Brunhild took center stage. Kriemhild becomes an avenger after Hagen murders Siegfried. The characters reflect their identity and roles in society, which is underlined by allegorical symbols such as the linden leaf or Brunhild's belt. Interestingly, Maria Anderski's costumes, some of which are described as strange, vary and make a creative statement on stage.

The main opponents, Hagen and Siegfried, are symbolically contrasted by dark and light suits, giving the conflict additional depth. Schimmelpfennig's text, which does not require any expansions, offers plenty of room for interpretation.

Democratic dialogue and social questions

Another highlight of the festival is the first democracy talk, which will take place as part of the supporting program on Sunday, July 13th, at 5 p.m. in the Worms Cultural Center. Prime Minister Alexander Schweitzer, actress Jasmin Tabatabai and journalist Rüdiger Suchsland have their say here. In times of social tension, topics such as democratic participation, freedom of expression and dealing with social diversity should be discussed. The Nibelungen Festival sees itself not only as a cultural platform, but also as a space for exchange and dialogue.

The Heylshofpark is the ideal place to promote encounters and discussions. Admission to the event is free, but advance registration is required at info@nibelungenfestspiele.de.

With its ability to focus on major questions of the time, the Nibelungen Festival in Worms is once again drawing attention to itself this year. The mixture of traditional storytelling and contemporary themes ensures that the audience is immersed in the world of the Nibelungen saga and also receives thought-provoking impulses. This gives hope that the festival will continue to be popular.

For further information, those interested can view the comprehensive details on the website South German newspaper, Nibelungen Festival and des SWR read up.