When I look back on my first season as artistic director, one thing above all fills me with gratitude. Gratitude for a theater full of passion, for an audience full of enthusiasm, and for a team that has accompanied me on this new journey with great courage and openness. Together, we have ushered in the beginning of a new era—an era in which tradition and renewal, lightness and depth, entertainment and attitude can come together.

This new journey began in fall 2025 with the Austrian premiere of the musical WICKED. It was a project that, like no other, stood for the combination of emotional power, musical excellence, and timeless relevance.

It was a great honor that Stephen Schwartz, the composer of this global musical and three-time Oscar winner, came to Baden in person to see our production.

His praise for the creative and artistically independent production was not only an accolade, but also a sign that the Baden stage is a venue that is recognized beyond the region – as a place where musical theater of the highest standard is created.

With the highly acclaimed production of Franz Lehár's DIE LUSTIGE WITWE, we have proven that we take the genre seriously and that operetta is alive and well in Baden!

But the successful start to my era is not an end point for me, but rather a new beginning. My goal remains to give the Baden stage profile and perspective—as a lively operetta and musical city, as a place of encounter and inspiration. I see Baden as a modern operetta metropolis that does not simply administer its rich musical heritage, but keeps it alive with fresh ideas, new works, and bold approaches.

The motto for the coming season is “The Power of Humanity.” This motto is no coincidence. It reflects our times, our challenges, and our longings. In a world increasingly characterized by noise and division, we want to return to the essentials—to empathy, compassion, responsibility. Musical theater is an ideal sounding board for this: it can touch, move, and connect where words alone are sometimes no longer enough.

So in the new season, we are dedicating ourselves to stories that celebrate the power of compassion—in very different ways:

With the premiere of the operetta EIN KLEINES CAFÉ IRGENDWO (A Little Café Somewhere) with music by Hermann Leopoldi, one of the most important composers of Viennese entertainment theater, we are building a bridge from the past to the present. This work is a commitment to the cultural identity of this city and its operetta tradition.

Another artistic highlight is the production of DISNEY'S THE LITTLE MERMAID. The fact that we have been granted the license for this major, internationally acclaimed musical is a minor sensation—and a sign of confidence in our artistic work. This work combines fairy-tale poetry with a deeply human message about courage, curiosity, and self-determination – themes that resonate wonderfully with our motto.

With Lehár's THE LAND OF SMILES, we are taking on one of the most beautiful and emotional works in operetta literature – a piece that celebrates the encounter of cultures in its music and story, while at the same time revealing the fragility of human emotions. Our musical theater division also remains lively, bold, and diverse: with EVERYONE'S TALKING ABOUT JAMIE, a modern success story about self-acceptance and individuality, and with the dark humor of THE ADDAMS FAMILY, which teaches us about being different with loving eccentricity, we show that musical theater today has many faces.

All these works share a common theme: they place people at the center. They tell of the power of the heart, of the courage to change, of the right to independence, and of faith in goodness. “The power of humanity” is not an empty slogan, but a promise—to our audience, to our artists, to this theater.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who makes the Baden stage what it is: the ensemble, choir, orchestra, technical departments, artistic and administrative team – and you, our audience. Your enthusiasm, loyalty, and openness are the foundation of our work!

Together, we want to continue building a stage that not only performs, but speaks – to the heart, mind, and soul. A stage that positions Baden as a cultural center between Vienna and the world. A stage that brings people together – across generations, genres, and tastes.

I look forward to the 2026/27 season – to moving evenings, to great emotions, to new discoveries, and to the power that arises when art and humanity meet.

With warm thanks and anticipation,

Yours sincerely,

Andreas Gergen
Artistic Director of Bühne Baden