Merry Christmas and all the best for the New Year!

We look back with joy on an eventful and successful anniversary year. In many personal conversations, we were able to experience people’s enthusiasm for our programme. The 35th anniversary was a special occasion, and it seemed as if the reactions were even warmer and more heartfelt than usual. We felt truly carried by the audience, artists, and all our friends, sponsors, and partners. Our gift to the guests, wider seats for the grandstand in the theatre tent, was met with frenetic applause, and the newly made colourful covers were a gift from our board of trustees. What a wonderful idea – we were completely delighted. There were many moving moments throughout the programme. When the young Ukrainian singer Maryna Krut performed with her bandura at 34Ost, there were moments of deep emotion and tears flowed, not only among the numerous Ukrainian guests. And at the same venue, we saw four impressive personalities from the USA who, using a series of photographs by the famous rock photographer Henry Diltz, were the last eyewitnesses to tell the story of the creation and implementation of the world-famous Woodstock Festival. The aura of these people was palpable in the room and left no one in the audience untouched. And last but not least, the grand finale with Leonard Bernstein’s “Mass” in St. John’s Church in November.

None of this would have been possible without our partners, sponsors, supporters and our audience. It is only thanks to them that this wonderful festival was made successful. We would like to thank you all.

We wish you and your families a peaceful and wonderful Christmas season and all the best for the New Year. We look forward to 2026!

Christiane Oxenfort & Andreas Dahmen
on behalf of the entire Düsseldorf Festival team