75 years ago, the Basic Law was signed in Bonn, laying the foundations for democratic coexistence. A social agreement that was not questioned for a long time. This year, more than ever, the festival wants to raise collective awareness of this basis for our coexistence and create community. Under the motto “Together”, the 2024 Beethovenfest Bonn is dedicated to the participation of all people in a classical music festival that is musically and socially inclusive.

The Ensemble CONTINUUM will kick off the Beethovenfest on Thursday (September 5) with a contemplative prologue in Bonn Minster. On Friday (September 6), philosophy star Markus Gabriel will share his thoughts on the festival motto “Together” in the opening lecture (livestream at beethovenfest.de), before the festive opening concert at the Bonn Opera follows in the evening with Ensemble Resonanz, Luisa Neubauer's “Speech in E flat major”, Giorgi Gigashvili and the Kammerakademie Potsdam with Beethoven's Fifth Symphony. For the first time, an open air concert will take place on Münsterplatz alongside the opening concert: The headliner is the marching band MEUTE, who will play a concert set of the finest techno on acoustic instruments in front of thousands of visitors from 8.30 pm. The Münsterplatz Open Air starts with the Kammerakademie Potsdam at 7.15 pm and is made possible by the DHL Group - with free admission.

Clear the stage for Beethoven on Saturday (September 7): Over 1,000 music students will present live music on several stages in Bonn's city center. In addition to ongoing activities for the whole family, the Federal Youth Orchestra and the World Youth Choir, together with Erika Colon, will invite everyone to Münsterplatz at 12 noon to learn the “Ode to Joy” in sign language. 

The vernissage of the photo exhibition Visible “An die Freude” will take place afterwards at 1 pm in the chamber music hall of the Beethoven-Haus. Photographer Mariko Tagashira shows the Japanese sign language choir White Hands Chorus Nippon interpreting the “Ode to Joy”. Tactile images invite visitors to feel the photos. 

In the evening, Tan Dun then conducts the orchestra with the choir in the opera and juxtaposes Beethoven's Ninth with his commissioned composition “Nine. Ode to Compassion” (livestream on DW Classical Music). 

Sunday (September 8) begins with a piano matinee by Bach specialist Piotr Anderszewski in the university auditorium. Resident artist Isabelle Faust follows with a chamber music program featuring Beethoven and Brahms in the Kleine Beethovenhalle, before René Jacobs closes the opening weekend with Beethoven's “Missa solemnis” and the B'Rock Orchestra with the Zürcher Sing-Akademie.