Calw Monastery Summer in Hirsau

Big names, top-notch productions, and a unique venue: For many years, the walls of the imposing St. Peter and Paul monastery ruins have served as the backdrop for the “Calwer Klostersommer in Hirsau” summer festival. Artists and audiences alike are equally enthusiastic about the atmosphere. Among others, the following concerts will take place this year: Jethro Tull, SWR1 Pop & Poetry in Concert, and “Kloster in Flammen.” For more information on the program, visit [www.klostersommer.de](http://www.klostersommer.de) The imposing ruins of St. Peter and Paul Monastery, with their ancient sandstone walls, provide the historic backdrop for this high-caliber cultural event—offering a fantastic atmosphere that is second to none. **The Venue** It is one of the most unusual open-air stages in all of Germany. The 1,000-year-old Benedictine monastery in Calw-Hirsau, Baden-Württemberg, with its imposing sandstone walls, has provided the atmospheric backdrop for international stars and up-and-coming artists for the past ten years. More than 15,000 spectators flock annually to the two-week “Calwer Klostersommer” cultural festival in this small Swabian town, which became world-famous thanks to its illustrious son, Hermann Hesse. Udo Lindenberg has already performed on the open-air stage in the medieval cloister, as have the Buena Vista Social Club, BAP, Jethro Tull, Ritchie Blackmore, and Max Raabe with his Palast Orchester—to name just a very small selection. **The Festival** In 1959, to mark the 900th anniversary of Hirsau—then still an independent municipality—a stage was set up in the cloister for the first time. The Hirsau Monastery Plays were born. Major theater and classical music productions formed the focus of the soon-to-be-renowned open-air performances. In 2008, the Klosterspiele finally became the “Calwer Klostersommer in Hirsau.” With new organizers and a new concept—big names and first-class productions in an incomparable, historic atmosphere—they succeeded right away in turning things around and reestablishing a summer event series at the monastery that shines far beyond regional borders. The program ranges from classical music to pop and comedy. For more information, visit [www.klostersommer.de](http://www.klostersommer.de).