A concert evening with participation: the Staatstheater Cottbus invites you to a "request concert" in which the audience, orchestra and solo violin jointly design the program - between Romantic classics, sonorous overtures and three great symphonies to choose from.

The "Wunschkonzert" at the Staatstheater Cottbus combines musical diversity with direct audience participation. Two program items are fixed - and form the heart of the evening. Max Bruch's Concerto for Violin and Orchestra No. 1 in G minor op. 26 is one of the most popular violin concertos of all time: passionate, rich in melody and full of dramatic arcs. This work opens the evening with emotional force and gives the solo violin an impressive stage.

The grand finale is also clearly set: The second half of the evening is dedicated to a symphony - but it is up to the audience to decide which one will be played. There are three weighty works from different sound worlds to choose from: Beethoven's "Eroica", a monument to symphonic history; Dvořák's 7th Symphony, with its earthy drama and emotional depth; or Mozart's Symphony No. 40 in G minor, whose urgency and subtle lines still fascinate today. The audience can also have a say in the evening's overture.
Three options are available and mark different temperaments: Smetana's exuberantly lively opening to "The Bartered Bride", Mendelssohn's dreamy, poetic "A Midsummer Night's Dream" overture or Wagner's stormy journey into the world of "The Flying Dutchman".

The result is an evening in which fixed cornerstones and the audience's choice together form an overall picture. A concert that not only presents music, but also understands listening as a shared experience - open, lively and characterized by genuine participation.
February 13 and 15, 2026