Mount Klassik

- the largest classical music concert in Baden-Württemberg with

Badische Staatskapelle

Main Stage | Sunday | 10:00 a.m. (tickets required)

Founded in 1662 as the court orchestra of the Baden princely court, which was then still based in Durlach, the Badische Staatskapelle has developed into an ensemble of great national and international renown. Famous court conductors such as Franz Danzi, Hermann Levi, Otto Dessoff, and Felix Mottl led numerous world premieres and first performances, including works by Hector Berlioz, Johannes Brahms, and Béla Bartók. Richard Wagner and Richard Strauss appeared as guest conductors at the helm of the court orchestra on multiple occasions. In the 1860s, Hermann Levi introduced the first regular subscription concerts of the then-court orchestra, which continue to this day as the Badische Staatskapelle’s symphony concerts. Music directors such as Joseph Keilberth, Christof Prick, Günther Neuhold, and Kazushi Ono guided the orchestra into the modern era despite wars and financial hardships, without neglecting the pillars of the repertoire.

Even today, the Badische Staatskapelle continues to showcase a full spectrum of repertoire, ranging from the preservation of classical works to the presentation of forward-thinking contemporary composers, with Wolfgang Rihm serving as a prime example. As General Music Director from 2008 to 2020, Justin Brown focused on performing the works of Wagner, Berlioz, Verdi, and Strauss, and curated diverse concert programs for which he and his team received the “Best Concert Program 2012/13” award from the German Music Publishers Association. Since 2020, Georg Fritzsch has served as General Music Director of the Badische Staatskapelle, with a focus on the works of Richard Strauss and Richard Wagner. In 2021, the Staatskapelle joined the association Orchester des Wandels Deutschland. The history of the Staatskapelle was also published as a chronicle in book form in 2023. In November 2024, the Badische Staatskapelle joined forces with other institutions in Karlsruhe to promote young musical talent. In a festive concert, they established a new ensemble: the Junge Kapelle Karlsruhe. The inaugural concert marked the beginning of a partnership between the youth orchestras of the Helmholtz-Gymnasium and the Badisches KONServatorium and the Badische Staatskapelle.

The Badische Staatskapelle is one of Germany’s most historic orchestras, currently bringing together over 90 musicians from some 20 countries. The book “Die Badische Staatskapelle - Eine Chronik” provides a broad overview of the orchestra’s history, describing major highlights while also addressing difficult periods. Additionally, in 2025, the Badische Staatskapelle released its fourth CD in the Edition Badische Staatskapelle series: symphonic works by Richard Strauss.

In 2025, the Badische Staatstheater was awarded the OPUS KLASSIK in the category “Innovation Prize for Sustainability” for FLOW – Days of Sustainability. The OPUS KLASSIK is Germany’s most prestigious award for classical music and honors outstanding musical achievements.