Held in the summer, Munich Opera Festival has been enthralling music lovers from all over the world since 1875. Audiences are treated to an eclectic repertoire of operas, including several premières, as well as a number of other musical offerings.

Opera for all
During the month of the opera festival, Munich welcomes around 80,000 music lovers, who come to the city to appreciate the diverse musical programme in a number of venues. Opera enjoys top billing of course, with everything from Verdi and Cavalli, Mozart and Beethoven to Wagner and Strauss. The festival programme is also enriched by a number of ballet performances.

With its famous onion domes, the 15th century Gothic Church of Our Lady is Munich's unmistakable landmark. Not far away, at Marienplatz, the carillon plays three times a day. And just a stone's throw from here is probably the most famous tavern in the world, the Hofbräuhaus beer hall. Other sightseeing highlights include the Olympic centre where the Olympic Games were held in 1972.

Munich's great orchestras, including three major world-class orchestras, guarantee unbridled listening pleasure. A high point of the music calendar is the celebrated opera festival in July. At the Classic Open Air festival at Odeonsplatz, music and an Italian atmosphere combine to form a symphony for all the senses. The Bavarian State Opera is the world's most prolific opera house with 350 performances a year!