General Information

The International Bach Festival Schaffhausen is one of Switzerland‘s leading classical music festivals. Its 31st edition will take place from May 13 – 17, 2026.

Along with the world-famous Rhine Falls, the Bach Festival is one of Schaffhausen's touristic and cultural treasures. Founded in 1946, the festival offers unforgettable experiences to music lovers from all over the world. Each festival programme features uniquely devised concerts, enabling manifold connections between different composers, eras and musical styles. With world premieres and groundbreaking projects, the festival continuously sets new standards.

The 31st edition of the International Bach Festival offers insight into musical prism of Johann Sebastian Bach's legacy, revealing diverse musical worlds – from the historically informed performance of Bach’s great works to new projects with a contemporary twist. The highlights of this year's festival include Bach’s St. Matthew and St. John Passions, as well as his Goldberg Variations. As is tradition at every Bach Festival, the week concludes with the Mass in B Minor.

Alongside extraordinary concert projects, world premieres are an integral part of the Schaffhausen Bach Festival profile. In 2026, the Gershwin Piano Quartet will present a new version of Bach’s Concerto for Four Keyboards, while the Lautten Compagney Berlin, together with world-renowned tenor Rolando Villazón, will invite audiences to a European "Baroque Song Contest" at the City Theatre – a grand showcase of the greatest songs in European music history.

To accompany the concerts, the festival offers many additional events such as guided tours devoted to the Baroque era, special exhibitions at Schaffhausen's museums and river cruises on the Rhine. Alongside the cultural attractions, lovers of fine dining and Swiss wines will find some of Switzerland's best producers and hosts nearby.