Dresden 2022 – the cultural highlights

Art, culture, concerts - we look forward to these events

Canaletto
Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden, Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister / Foto: Estel/Klut

2022 sees Dresden’s cultural scene come back with full effect – even though the pandemic and its restrictions will still be a constant companion for a while longer. We are looking forward to a year packed with exciting exhibitions, concerts and cultural events. Here are a few of them for inspiration.

Gerhard Richter exhibition

Gerhard Richter often painted his daughter Betty. This is a portrait from 1977 based on a photo

Gerhard Richter, one of the most important and globally recognised artists – and son of this city – will be 90 this year. To celebrate his birthday, the Gerhard Richter Archive is putting on a comprehensive show of the painter-celebrity. Three paintings will be shown at the Albertinum, where Gerhard Richter himself curated the exhibition rooms with loans from the Gerhard Richter Kunststiftung and other international museums. Amongst them are his self-portrait from the Museum of Modern Art, New York, as well as family portraits including his daughters Betty and Ella.

Gerhard Richter. Portraits. Glass. Abstractions. An exhibition to mark his 90th birthday, 5.02. – 1.05.2022, Albertinum, Tschirnerplatz 2, 01067 Dresden, www.skd.museum

300 years of Canaletto

Dresden as seen from the right bank of the Elbe river below the Augustusbrücke – this Canaletto painting is world-famous.

Bernardo Bellotto, also known as Canaletto and August III’s court painter, immortalised Dresden, Pirna and Königstein Fortress in large-scale paintings. The highly detailed works depict the magnificent baroque buildings and provide an insight into daily life during that period. You can experience Canaletto’s masterpieces at the Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister – or how about travelling back in time to the “Marktplatz in Pirna”, the original site of the painting? Pirna’s market square has been reconstructed to display the painting’s hustle and bustle.

Zauber des Realen. Bernardo Bellotto am sächsischen Hof, 20.05. – 28.08.2022, Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister, Theaterplatz 1, 01067 Dresden, www.skd.museum

Live Canaletto-painting, 22.04.2022, www.pirna.de

Baroque city festival in Pirna to mark Canaletto’s 300th birthday, 17. – 19.06.2022, www.pirna.de

CANALETTO – A Dresden City Festival, 19. – 21.08.2022, www.dresdner-stadtfest.com

SCHÜTZ22 – “weil ich lebe”

The Dresden Chamber Choir performing choral music by Heinrich Schütz. Photo: Stephan-Floss

He wrote the first German opera, was Dresden’s court conductor for 40 years, experienced the 30-years-war, exile, personal tragedy – and great success. The “weil ich lebe” event honours the truly exceptional artist Heinrich Schütz on the 350th anniversary of his death. We invite you to experience this composer in a completely new way.

BAROCK.MUSIK.FEST. A week of celebrations around the castle chapel at Dresden Royal Palace, 2. – 8.05.2022, www.SCHÜTZ22.de

SCHÜTZ22 – “weil ich lebe”, Schütz Music Festival Dresden, 7. – 16.10.2022, www.schütz22.de

“Vom Leben – Über Leben”, theme-based festival to mark the 350th anniversary of Heinrich Schütz’s death, 4. – 6.11.2022, Dresden, www.SCHÜTZ22.de

Torgau festival weekend, with concerts at Hartenfels Castle and in the town church St. Marien, 14. – 16.10.2022, www.schütz-musikfest.de

Summer of Culture 2022

The Summer of Culture 2022 will once more be bringing plenty of delight to Dresden. You can look forward to a range of great open-air events and festivals to satisfy all tastes. Here is some of what’s on offer:

Filmnächte am Elbufer, 23.06. – 21.08.2022, Dresden, www.filmnaechte-am-elbufer.de

30. Elbhangfest Dresden, a street festival stretching nearly eight kilometres between Elbwiesen and vineyards, 24. – 26.06.2022, www.elbhangfest.de

Palais Sommer, festival for art, culture and education in the park of the Japanese Palais, 15.07. – 21.08.2022, www.palaissommer.de

NIB ART 2022, Dresden’s free-entry art festival, 20.07. – 14.08.2022, www.nibart.de

CANALETTO – Dresden city festival, 19. – 21.08.2022, www.dresdner-stadtfest.com

You can see all the events at a glance at veranstaltungen.dresden.de/