Leipzig Entertainment

Leipzig offers a whole host of contrasting entertainment options, ensuring that there is something for every taste. Options range from lively student bars to cultural evenings at the highly regarded Opera House. There are many quaint streets offering dining and entertainment opportunities, all of which are completely unique to Leipzig.

Nightlife

In contrast to the city’s cultural highlights, there are also many lively nightclubs and bars. This is largely due to the student population, which dominate part of the city.  Many of the venues carry on late into the night and as they are geared towards students, you will find that they are all very reasonably priced.

If the student scene is a bit too lively for you, you will find plenty of quieter bars and restaurants dotted throughout the town which will cater for all tastes and budgets. There are also many outdoor venues. Leipzig Market Square has a stunning location for open-air events such as summer concerts. The square is lined with bars, all of which offer a unique atmosphere and plenty of entertainment.

Theatre and music

Leipzig has an international reputation as a city of music. This reputation is inextricably linked with all of the musical geniuses who once lived and worked in Leipzig. Johann Sebastian Bach, St Thomas' Choir and Richard Wagner are all from this city, while Mendelssohn, Robert Schumann and Mozart all contributed to the city's eclectic musical genres.

The Krystallpalast variety theatre can be found in the city centre and aims to bring together music, theatre and dance. There are also a number of smaller theatres and cabarets to be found across the city.

Gewandhaus concert hall is host to over 600 events every year including concerts by the Gewandhaus Choir and Children's Choir, and by many chamber music ensembles. The Leipzig Opera House has a tradition dating back to 1693. It plays host to one of Europe's top ballet companies, an opera chorus, a children's chorus and a ballet school. The St Thomas' Choir originally sang at services at St Thomas' Church. The choir was made famous when Bach became their choirmaster and since then, standards have remained very high and tickets for concerts here are almost always sold out.

Festivals

There are a number of annual events and festivals that are held in Leipzig. Highlights include:

• Bach Music Festival sees young musicians, international artists and the St Thomas’ Choir perform Bach's works to audiences from all over the world (April).
• Leipzig open-air Beer Festival attracts more than 150,000 beer-lovers every year, offering them the chance to try traditional local brews and imported beers from every single continent. One hundred breweries and stalls serve the ales in front of the Monument to the Battle of the Nations. The festival also offers live music on two open-air stages (July).
• The Leipzig Jazz Days festival brings together artists from many genres of music. This festival symbolises the diversity of jazz and sees concerts taking place at a number of venues across the city (October).
• International Leipzig Festival for Documentary and Animated Film, this festival celebrates the art of film making and is dedicated to short, animated films and documentaries, which are often overshadowed by Hollywood blockbusters. Awards are received and previews are aired (October).