Nibelungen-Festspiele Worms

The Nibelungen Festivals were inaugurated in 2002 with the vision of bringing one of the most significant works of medieval epic back to a wider audience and thereby making the original setting of the Nibelungen saga more widely known: the city of Worms – once an important center for spiritual, cultural, and political activity in Europe. From the beginning, the festivals have been a great success and have become one of the most famous open-air festivals within a few years.

On the steps in front of the impressive Worms Cathedral, where Kriemhild and Brünhild are said to have fought their legendary queens' dispute, the most famous actors from theater, film, and television take the stage every year, showcasing the diversity that the Nibelungen material encompasses. All German-speaking media come to Worms in the summer and report on the impressive productions. The festivals reach a large audience every year, whether live on site or through television broadcasts by ZDF or SWR on home screens, providing the city on the Rhine with significant attention.

The Nibelungen Festivals are among the most renowned open-air theater festivals in Germany. Every year, renowned theater and film actors perform on the impressive outdoor stage in front of the Worms Cathedral. But it's not just the performances against the backdrop of the cathedral that make the festivals a unique cultural event: the high-quality supporting program and the Heylshofpark, which is among the most beautiful theater foyers in Germany, attract numerous visitors every time. The Nibelungen Festivals are among the most renowned open-air theater festivals in Germany. Every year, renowned theater and film actors perform on the impressive outdoor stage in front of the Worms Cathedral. But it's not just the performances against the backdrop of the cathedral that make the festivals a unique cultural event: the high-quality supporting program and the Heylshofpark, which is among the most beautiful theater foyers in Germany, attract numerous visitors each time.

“THE HUN QUEEN” at the Worms Nibelungen Festivals 2026
In collaboration with the London theater company “Les Enfants Terribles”

The legend of the rise and fall of the Nibelungen has fascinated people for centuries. In Worms, the setting of the great medieval tale, festival history has been written since 2002. The successful concept: Every summer, the team led by artistic director Nico Hofmann presents a new play specially written for the festival by renowned authors. This is brought to the stage by top-tier directors with a renowned ensemble in spectacular open-air productions against the majestic backdrop of the Worms Cathedral. In addition, there is a supporting cultural program as well as one of the most beautiful theater foyers in Germany in the atmospherically lit Heylshofpark. There, guests can perfectly conclude the evening with regional wines, culinary highlights, and changing live music. An experience for all the senses.

“THE HUN QUEEN” is the title of the upcoming world premiere of the Nibelungen Festivals in Worms, which will be presented next year from July 17 to August 2 on the large open-air stage in front of the Worms Cathedral. The production is created in cooperation with the London theater company “Les Enfants Terribles.” The play is written by author Oliver Lansley, who will also direct alongside James Seager.

In the play “THE HUN QUEEN”, the Burgundian princess Kriemhild takes center stage, who switches to the Hun camp after Siegfried's death, becoming the most powerful woman on the continent. “THE HUN QUEEN” is a drama, a spectacle with music, and a theatrical roller coaster, during which a character shows how far she is willing to go to restore justice. Even if she has to set the world ablaze to achieve it. Oliver Lansley and James Seager tell the story of Kriemhild as a political intrigue, but also as painful betrayal, as an unusual love, and as a grand tale of revenge. A revenge that not only turns the circumstances in Burgundy and the land of the Huns upside down but also exposes dirty deals and is as imaginative as it is deadly.
The play and production are created in close cooperation with the London theater company “Les Enfants Terribles.” Their works are a mix of great acting theater, music, audience-engaging circus elements, magic, and puppetry. They tour as shows not only through England but from the Edinburgh Fringe Festival throughout Europe to Shanghai.