In the old town with its medieval squares and winding alleys, charming half-timbered houses stand alongside representative buildings from the time of the Reichskammergericht, shaping the cityscape. Johann Wolfgang Goethe stayed in Wetzlar in the summer of 1772. His experiences inspired the poet to his first major literary success, the epistolary novel "The Sorrows of Young Werther". Also fascinating is the unfinished gothic cathedral, which reflects a piece of the city's history through its combination of Romanesque and Gothic style elements.

Duration: 1.5 hours

Play’n Chess is a musical reading from the beginnings to the heyday of Chess Records, framed by milestones of music history that this world-famous record label published.



The musical reading is dedicated to the history, music, and stars of the Chicago record label, which is regarded as one of the most important labels for the release of blues and rock 'n' roll recordings.



Play’n Chess tells the story of the two brothers Leonard and Phil Chess. And how the two brought the blues into the recording studio, onto vinyl, into radio, and finally out into the world as "Chicago Blues."



It is about music giants like Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, Bo Diddley, Chuck Berry, and Etta James. And about legendary blues and rock 'n' roll recordings, whose new sound was pioneering for the music as we know it today and inspired bands like The Rolling Stones and The Beatles in their work.



Admission: 10:00 AM

Experience a wonderful evening in sunset atmosphere, great music, delicious food, and your favorite sundowner at the Water Castle. Take a seat with friends and fellow music enthusiasts and enjoy the 2023 Hessian Jazz Award winner, Corinna Danzer, together with the Tuesday Night Jazz Band. Alongside Corinna Danzer, Andreas Müller (p), Jonas Lohse (b), and Martin Kowollik (dr) are part of the Tuesday Night Band and are guests in Rosbach that evening.

Image © Katrin Schander

Admission: 6:00 PM

Admittance: 5:00 PM

Johann Wolfgang Goethe in Wetzlar hautnah erleben – Interessierte können sich bei einer Mischung aus Theater und Stadtführung in die Zeit von 1772 zurückversetzen lassen.
Die Teilnehmer werden zu den Plätzen in der Altstadt geführt, die mit Goethe in Verbindung gebracht werden. Dabei wird Wissenswertes zum Aufenthalt des Dichters in der Stadt erläutert. Im Anschluss begrüßt der junge Goethe die Gäste und berichtet auf einem kurzen Spaziergang durch die Altstadt von seinen Erfahrungen aus dem Sommer 1772, seiner Begegnung mit Charlotte Buff und seinen Erlebnissen in der Stadt des Reichskammergerichtes.

Dauer: 1,5 Stunden

Nach drei Street-Art-Festivals in den Jahren 2017 bis 2019 hat die Gießener City eine respektable Open Air Kunstgalerie. Das RIVER TALES-Projekt startete 2012 an den Lahnbrücken, initiiert und organisiert vom Gießener Kollektiv 3Steps. Internationale Künstler haben seitdem ihre individuellen Mural Paintings hinterlassen. Viele liegen etwas versteckt, da die zur Verfügung stehenden Wände in Nebenstraßen und Höfen liegen. Dieser Spaziergang integriert auch einige ältere Wandbilder und erzählt von der Bedeutung alter Straßennamen.

Rücknahme & Rückerstattung nicht möglich.

Die Veranstaltung ist ausverkauft

In the old town with its medieval squares and winding alleys, charming half-timbered houses stand alongside representative buildings from the time of the Reichskammergericht, shaping the cityscape. Johann Wolfgang Goethe stayed in Wetzlar in the summer of 1772. His experiences inspired the poet to his first major literary success, the epistolary novel "The Sorrows of Young Werther". Also fascinating is the unfinished gothic cathedral, which reflects a piece of the city's history through its combination of Romanesque and Gothic style elements.

Duration: 1.5 hours

In the old town with its medieval squares and winding alleys, charming half-timbered houses stand alongside representative buildings from the time of the Reichskammergericht, shaping the cityscape. Johann Wolfgang Goethe stayed in Wetzlar in the summer of 1772. His experiences inspired the poet to his first major literary success, the epistolary novel "The Sorrows of Young Werther". Also fascinating is the unfinished gothic cathedral, which reflects a piece of the city's history through its combination of Romanesque and Gothic style elements.

Duration: 1.5 hours

In the old town with its medieval squares and winding alleys, charming half-timbered houses stand alongside representative buildings from the time of the Reichskammergericht, shaping the cityscape. Johann Wolfgang Goethe stayed in Wetzlar in the summer of 1772. His experiences inspired the poet to his first major literary success, the epistolary novel "The Sorrows of Young Werther". Also fascinating is the unfinished gothic cathedral, which reflects a piece of the city's history through its combination of Romanesque and Gothic style elements.

Duration: 1.5 hours

In the old town with its medieval squares and winding alleys, charming half-timbered houses stand alongside representative buildings from the time of the Reichskammergericht, shaping the cityscape. Johann Wolfgang Goethe stayed in Wetzlar in the summer of 1772. His experiences inspired the poet to his first major literary success, the epistolary novel "The Sorrows of Young Werther". Also fascinating is the unfinished gothic cathedral, which reflects a piece of the city's history through its combination of Romanesque and Gothic style elements.

Duration: 1.5 hours

Welthits auf Hessisch – Do you know how I feel?

If Elvis Presley, Roxette, or The Police had sung in Hessian, music history would have turned out differently. Whether better or worse... well, who knows for sure? In any case, they would have been better understood. Fortunately, there is Tilman Birr and Elis C. Bihn, alias “Welthits auf Hessisch.” They have faithfully translated world-famous hits from the last 130 years - from English, French, or Italian - into Hessian, the language of love and poetry, and of course, into the Hessian way of life. Only these two can do that. “Welthits auf Hessisch” – the Harry Rowohlt of mood bands. Now they are singing the famous songs “Am Lebe bleibe” (Bee Gees), “Bös” (Michael Jackson), or “Kerzsche innem Wind” (Elton John). Do you know how I feel?

Copyright: Marvin Ruppert

Entry: 19:00

The former collegiate church - the Wetzlar Cathedral - is one of the most interesting church buildings in Germany. Its striking appearance has evolved over the centuries due to numerous expansions. Behind the Gothic west facade, one can find the remnants of the late Romanesque church. Another special feature is that the cathedral has been used jointly by the Catholic and Protestant communities since the Reformation.

Duration: 1 hour

In the old town with its medieval squares and winding alleys, charming half-timbered houses stand alongside representative buildings from the time of the Reichskammergericht, shaping the cityscape. Johann Wolfgang Goethe stayed in Wetzlar in the summer of 1772. His experiences inspired the poet to his first major literary success, the epistolary novel "The Sorrows of Young Werther". Also fascinating is the unfinished gothic cathedral, which reflects a piece of the city's history through its combination of Romanesque and Gothic style elements.

Duration: 1.5 hours

Dear friends of good music taste,

the Celtic Rock Open Air will take place on July 18, 2024, in the next round.
We have top-class bands on board again.

Leaves' Eyes – The band from Ludwigsburg plays symphonic folk and Viking metal, with lead singer Elina Siirala and growl vocals by Alexander Krull in the spotlight.

From Thuringia come Gernotshagen, and they play top-notch blackened pagan metal.

Isn´t – finest melodic death metal from the Hungarian/German band fronted by Marta, who is now based in Limburg.

More bands will be announced shortly. Keep an eye on our page and social media for more information.

Your CROA team

Doors open: 3:00 PM

Philharmonia Frankfurt
„A Midsummer Night's Dream“

Founded in 2019, the orchestra Philharmonia Frankfurt is probably one of the youngest musical ensembles in Germany, but it surely is one of the most surprising, interesting, and ambitious formations currently.

In Rosbach, the orchestra performs with the program: „A Midsummer Night's Dream“
Famous orchestral works by Mozart, Mendelssohn, Grieg, Tchaikovsky, Saint-Saëns, Brahms, Jenkins, Saint Preux, Piazzolla, Bernstein

The Philharmonia Frankfurt is one of those musical discoveries whose exceptional character you immediately perceive and, above all, hear. The palpable dedication, great passion, and inspiring intensity of the orchestra captivate the listeners from the very first notes. Thus, the orchestra, founded by graduates of the renowned Frankfurt University of Music and Performing Arts, is among the most exciting professional ensembles in Germany today: an international and highly skilled ensemble with a broad repertoire that knows how to thrill its audience.

The renowned Frankfurt conductor Juri Gilbo has been appointed as the principal conductor of the orchestra, who also holds the artistic direction of the ensemble.

Born in 1968 in St. Petersburg, the musician with German-Russian-Ukrainian roots is shaped by the musical traditions of both Eastern and Western Europe and has long been considered one of the most exciting talents of his generation of conductors. Juri Gilbo received music lessons at the age of four, focusing on violin and viola. He studied at the prestigious Saint Petersburg State Conservatory as well as at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Frankfurt am Main, where he attended the viola class of Tabea Zimmermann. At the same time, he completed his conducting training with Luigi Sagrestano.

He frequently performs in the most important European concert halls and, in addition to his intensive international concert activities, he realizes high-quality studio productions. His CD featuring works by Carl Maria von Weber, released by SONY MUSIC, was awarded the coveted “Editor’s Choice” prize by the renowned British magazine “Gramophone.”

Copyright: Wonge Bergmann

Doors open: 19:00

In the old town with its medieval squares and winding alleys, charming half-timbered houses stand alongside representative buildings from the time of the Reichskammergericht, shaping the cityscape. Johann Wolfgang Goethe stayed in Wetzlar in the summer of 1772. His experiences inspired the poet to his first major literary success, the epistolary novel "The Sorrows of Young Werther". Also fascinating is the unfinished gothic cathedral, which reflects a piece of the city's history through its combination of Romanesque and Gothic style elements.

Duration: 1.5 hours

In the old town with its medieval squares and winding alleys, charming half-timbered houses stand alongside representative buildings from the time of the Reichskammergericht, shaping the cityscape. Johann Wolfgang Goethe stayed in Wetzlar in the summer of 1772. His experiences inspired the poet to his first major literary success, the epistolary novel "The Sorrows of Young Werther". Also fascinating is the unfinished gothic cathedral, which reflects a piece of the city's history through its combination of Romanesque and Gothic style elements.

Duration: 1.5 hours

Johann Christian Kestner as the groom and Friedrich Wilhelm Gotter as the poetical jurist have very different views on Johann Wolfgang Goethe and the love-confusing events of the summer of 1772, when Goethe fell in love with Kestner's fiancée, Charlotte Buff. Charlotte remained faithful to Mr. Kestner and Goethe fled from Wetzlar. Two months later, the repercussions are still being felt: Despite all the admiration for the poet Goethe, the two men see themselves as Goethe's competitors in matters of love and poetry as well. But now, an exciting event shakes the imperial city: a young person may have harmed themselves, and both men may have been complicit in it...

Duration: 1 hour

“Deutsche Dinge” – A stroll through 75 years of German history with musical and culinary accompaniment

What Prilblume, Tamagotchi, and Toast Hawaii reveal about our lives
A three-quarter century after the founding of the Federal Republic, this book, released in October, looks back at Germany's history – and tells it through the lens of 75 everyday objects. This history has been unfolded by the author Andreas Matlé from Frankfurt.

Sometimes they are classics like the Birkenstock sandal, in the East the so-called foot-gymnastics pantolettes, or forgotten items like the once-popular brocade covers for rotary phones or the transistor radio Sternchen. With his pointed observations, bestselling author Andreas Matlé paints a cultural historical panorama of East and West Germany. Moreover, as he explores the history of Toast Hawaii, Prilblume, Tamagotchi, the yellow sack, Viagra, and the Weber grill, he gets to the heart of a pan-German way of life.
Musical accompaniment

Diana Perez (vocals) and Olaf Thurau (guitar) will musically accompany the reading with songs related to the text. From “Capri Fishermen” to “When will it be Summer again?” to “New Men are Needed in the Country.”

Culinary offerings for the evening include “Toast Hawaii”… what else!

Doors open: 6:30 PM