Over the course of it's 40 years history the Dresden Music Festival has established itself as distinctive cultural institution in Dresden and attracts an audience far beyond Germany’s borders between May and June to this city on the River Elbe. During three festival weeks renowned orchestras, top-class soloists and ensembles come to Dresden to perform at the most beautiful venues in its historic center and surroundings and fill the city with music.
  World stars such as Marilyn Horne, René Kollo, Barbara Hendricks, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau came to Dresden, following its reputation as a center for music, or to perform with the "Kapelle". Legendary guest performances of famous orchestras include Herbert von Karajan and the Berlin Philharmonic, Claudio Abbado and the orchestra of the Scala in Milan, Zubin Mehta and the New York Philharmonic Orchestra.
  During the more than 30 seasons not only grand operas, ballets and fireworks, following the tradition of the Saxon court, were offered but also orchestra, chamber and solo concerts, early music and contemporary music, world music, jazz and dance – a variety that characterizes the program of the Dresden Music Festival until today. Every year, the Festival presents a new theme continuing a tradition that exists since its inception and thus annually puts the focus on a new musical world that the audience can discover.