8 Best Performing Arts in Franconia and the German Danube, Germany

Bamberg's own world-class resident symphony orchestra, the Bamberger Symphoniker, plays in the Konzerthalle Bamberg.

In 1994 organizers Rolf Beyersdorf and Christof Pilarzyk had, in their own words, a "crazy idea" that has since become a huge three-day festival with more than 3,000 Sambistas. This weekend bacchanal, with food, drink, and dancing, is held in mid-July.

The city's first-class ensemble, Capella Antiqua Bambergensis, specializes in ancient music featuring lute, harp, hurdy gurdy, and other early instruments. They perform (in medieval costume) at several venues in town.

Opera and operettas are performed here from September through July.

Passau is the cultural center of Lower Bavaria. Its Europäische Wochen festival—featuring everything from opera to pantomime—is a major event on the European music calendar. The festival runs from mid-June to July or early August and is held in venues all over the city.

From May through July classical-music concerts are given in the Rittersaal of the Kaiserburg.

If you don't get Wagner Festival tickets, console yourself with visits to the exquisite 18th-century opera house. In May the Fränkische Festwochen (Franconian Festival Weeks) take the stage with works of Wagner, of course, but also Paganini and Mozart.

Nuremberg holds this annual summer festival from May through July, with more than 200 events. Its international organ festival in June and July is regarded as Europe's finest.