City Theater Passau | Program 2025 & Tickets

The City Theater Passau is the traditional stage house of the Three Rivers City and home to the musical theater of the Lower Bavaria State Theater. In the classicist Prince-Bishop's Opera House on the Inn promenade, you can expect opera, operetta, musical, drama, and concerts in an intimate setting with 350 seats. The location is central, the distances are short, and the historic hall with a double-story box gallery creates a distinctive atmosphere. Those who want to plan their evening easily can find all dates in the online schedule, book tickets conveniently in the shop, and use the easily accessible parking garages in the immediate vicinity. The box office in the house provides information on opening hours, subscriptions, and discounts; there are special offers for families and school classes. Whether it's a festive operetta premiere, a Mozart opera, a classic play, or a program for children – the City Theater Passau brings the grand stage close and tangible to the old town by the Inn.

Current Schedule and Program 2025/2026

The best overview of dates, casts, and genres can be found in the online schedule of the Lower Bavaria State Theater. Additionally, a printed brochure with a two-month overview and the season booklet (usually published in mid-June) will be released, detailing the productions of the upcoming season. For the 2025/2026 season, several highlights are on the program in Passau: The Johann Strauss operetta A Night in Venice premiered in Passau on 27.09.2025, embedded in the prelude around the open house day (20.09.2025). Throughout the year, further performances will follow, including a show on 31.12.2025 at 19:00 – a festive conclusion to the year in the grand opera house. Also in focus for the musical theater: Mozart's Così fan tutte, which premiered in Passau on 20.12.2025. Those who want to stay informed about ongoing and upcoming performances can use the date and schedule sections: there, performances can be filtered by city, genre, and date to specifically search for Passau dates – practical for inquiries like “today” or “upcoming events”.

For 2026, the State Theater will consistently continue the program lines. The premiere overview in the box office area lists, among other things, Der Brandner Kaspar and the Boandlkramer Congress (drama, kickoff in Passau on 03.01.2026) as well as further drama and musical theater productions. The repertoire will also be supplemented by concerts of the Lower Bavarian Philharmonic, readings, and special formats. The Lower Bavarian Castle Festival with the venue Veste Oberhaus is also part of the annual cycle; in case of uncertain weather, the program will be moved to covered venues like the Passau City Theater. Those who want to plan long-term will find various subscription packages – from premiere subscriptions to choice subscriptions – that set a curatorial framework throughout the entire season.

For short-term planning, it is advisable to check the online schedule on the respective day and set the filters to Passau. This way, you can see at a glance which productions are taking place today in Passau and which dates will follow in the coming days. It is also worth checking the Extras section, where introductions, audience discussions, or seasonal formats are listed. This combination of digital overview, printed information materials, and personal advice at the box office ensures that you remain well-informed and up-to-date for 2025 and 2026.

Tickets and Cards Online: Prices, Booking, Box Office Opening Hours

Tickets for performances at the City Theater Passau can be most conveniently obtained in the online ticket shop of the Lower Bavaria State Theater. There, you can select your seats from the seating plan, see the available price categories, and securely complete the purchase. In addition to immediate purchase, a ticket inquiry via online form is also possible, after which the box office will contact you. For inquiries, you can reach the box office at the City Theater Passau by phone at 0851 929 19 13 or by email; the opening hours are Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 10:00 to 14:00 and Thursdays and Fridays from 14:00 to 18:00. The evening box office opens at the venue one hour before the performance begins; please note that there is no advance sale for other dates there.

For frequent visitors, various subscriptions are available – from premiere subscriptions to weekday subscriptions to choice subscriptions with freely redeemable vouchers. Subscribers secure their favorite seat for the season, benefit from price advantages, and avoid waiting times. Discounts apply, among others, to students, trainees, federal volunteers, holders of the Passau Firefighter Card, persons with social tariffs, and people with severe disabilities (upon proof). A uniform, heavily discounted price is set for school performances; accompanying teachers are free. Gift vouchers, available at the box office for small amounts, are also popular.

The seating plan of the City Theater reflects the special architecture of the Prince-Bishop's Opera House: a parquet is framed by a double-story box gallery, creating an intimate proximity to the stage despite the 350 seats. Which seats are preferred for opera, drama, or concert depends on personal taste; in the online booking process, you can see the overview of price categories and available contingents. Those who prefer to book in person can receive advice on-site during box office hours. For last-minute decisions, it is worth checking the online schedule the day before and on the day of the event – there, also short-term vacancies will be displayed again. This makes both long-term planning and spontaneous cultural evenings uncomplicated.

Today and Upcoming Events at the City Theater Passau

Whether operetta, grand opera, drama, musical, chamber music, symphonic concerts, or family-friendly fairy tale classics – the program at the Passau City Theater changes throughout the week and the season. Those who want to know what is on the schedule today can use the date search and the location filters Passau in the online schedule of the State Theater. For the 2025/2026 season, it is worth taking a look at some fixed points: The operetta A Night in Venice runs in several series and premiered in Passau on 27.09.2025; a special date is 31.12.2025 at 19:00. Just before the holidays, Mozart's Così fan tutte also premiered in Passau on 20.12.2025. Between the years, the world premiere of Der Nimmermüde Albert on 28.12.2025 enriches the offer for families.

At the beginning of 2026, further accents will follow in musical theater and drama, which will be shown stationary in Passau. The premiere and subscription overview of the house mentions, for example, Der Brandner Kaspar and the Boandlkramer Congress as an early drama premiere in Passau (03.01.2026). In addition, classics like Life is a Dream are planned for spring 2026. The concert formats of the Lower Bavarian Philharmonic – with symphonic repertoire and special programs – will also be offered throughout the year. Additionally, readings and special theater formats will take place; for Passau, a reading of love poems is announced on 19.02.2026. All these dates will be continuously updated in the online schedule and provide a secure orientation for currently happening and upcoming events with just a few clicks.

Those who want to combine their theater visit with a walk along the Inn promenade will find numerous gastronomic offers in the vicinity; in the foyer, visitor catering provides refreshments before the performance and during the intermission. The city of Passau announced a change of tenant at the end of September 2025 – since then, Anton Aschenbrenner has been responsible. For information on introductions, rehearsal openings, or an upcoming open house day, it is worth checking the Extras section: In 2025, there was an open house day in Passau on 20.09 with introductions, including to A Night in Venice. Overall, it holds true: with the filters “today” and “upcoming events,” you stay updated for Passau without having to search for long.

Directions and Parking: How to Reach the Theater Stress-Free

Address of the City Theater: Gottfried-Schäffer-Straße 2+4, 94032 Passau. By car, follow the signs towards the city center and further towards Engelhartszell/Donautal; the theater is located just before the Marienbrücke on the Inn promenade. Around the house, there are several parking options: the underground garage Römerplatz, the parking garage Schanzl, the parking garage Innstadt (Jahnstraße), the central garage, and parking spaces under the Schanzl bridge. Passau relies on a dynamic parking guidance system that leads you to available capacities and thus avoids detours. If you prefer to park a bit outside, you can use Park & Ride offers and continue by city bus.

The municipal utilities of Passau operate several central parking garages. These were converted in July 2025 to a digital, ticketless system with license plate recognition – entry and exit occur without a ticket, and billing is conveniently based on parking duration. In the parking garages Römerplatz, Schanzl, and Innstadt, E-charging stations are available. For longer stays, the parking garage Bahnhofstraße is recommended; here, the rate for long-term parkers is 10.00 euros per 24 hours, and the city bus connects directly to the old town. The walking distance from the mentioned garages to the theater is short; depending on the parking garage, you can reach the Inn promenade in just a few minutes.

You can reach the City Theater via city lines 3/4 and K1/K2; the Stadttheater stop is located directly at the stage entrance. For guests with mobility impairments, the city of Passau has designated disabled parking spaces in the parking garages and on the street; the virtual city map also shows barrier-related information. Those arriving during peak times should plan a few minutes of buffer for parking search; however, the guidance system and the app-based billing in the parking garages significantly speed up the process. Tip: If you are attending a performance at the Veste Oberhaus, additional parking spaces are available at the Oberhaus; in case of bad weather, the venue may be moved to the City Theater – current information is provided by the weather hotline or the announcements from the State Theater. For visits to the opera house itself, the mentioned parking garages, bus lines, and the central location make the journey manageable and relaxed.

Children's Program and Families: Cinderella, Dates and Offers

The City Theater Passau is not only a stage for grand opera and drama but also a home for young visitors. In the 2025 season, the fairy tale Cinderella was on the program for young audiences, with its Passau premiere on 30.11.2025. This was preceded by a drawing and crafting competition, where children between four and ten years could create their version of the famous bird helpers from the Grimm fairy tale; the submissions were presented in the foyer. Such accompanying actions show how the State Theater expands the theater visit for families and inspires the next generation for the stage. Shortly after Christmas 2025, the world premiere of Der Nimmermüde Albert – a cheerful music theater participatory spectacle – will follow in Passau, and in the new year, readings and music pedagogical formats will also complement the repertoire.

For families and school classes, early coordination with the box office is recommended. A uniform, low price applies for school performances; accompanying teachers are free. The box office provides information on discounts for children, teenagers, students, and other groups. The filter option in the online schedule is practical: with one click, the sections for young audiences or family offers are displayed, making it easy to find suitable dates – including information on the recommended age group and duration. Those who are spontaneously on the go can check the online schedule on the day of the event to see if there are still remaining tickets; due to the compact size of the hall, many seats are equipped with the best view, which is particularly important for young spectators.

Parents also appreciate the good accessibility: The nearby parking garages and the bus stop directly in front of the stage entrance shorten the distances; in the foyer, visitor catering is open on performance days. Since autumn 2025, Anton Aschenbrenner has been responsible for the counter in the foyer – a detail that pleasantly rounds off the stay before and after the performance and during the intermission. This makes the theater evening for families stress-free to plan: quick parking, short distances, swift pickup of reserved tickets, a cozy intermission – and then the shared conversation about the favorite scene on the way home along the Inn.

History, Hall & Features of the Prince-Bishop's Opera House

The building of the City Theater Passau has a long, formative history. Built in 1645 as the ball game house of the Prince-Bishop, it was transformed into an opera house in 1774 and expanded into a classicist court stage according to plans by Johann Georg Hagenauer in 1783. Two building parts shape the appearance: a three-story mansard roof building – once a ballroom – with a single-story extension and the Redoute as a two-and-a-half-story building with an attic. Inside, a double-story box gallery surrounds the parquet; paintings with garden theater motifs, leaf garlands, and arcade arches, as well as a “cloud ceiling,” give the tiers a cheerful, open character. In the 19th and 20th centuries, the house underwent several renovations; from 1989 to 1991, it was extensively renovated. Today, the hall accommodates 350 seats.

The so-called Redoute historically served as a connection between the theater and the residence; its roof once housed the “hanging gardens.” To this day, the Redoute has two representative event halls that can be used for social occasions. The opera house significantly contributes to the cultural identity of the city as a venue for the Lower Bavaria State Theater: musical theater productions, drama, concerts, and guest performances bring international and regional artists to the stage. The hall combines intimate proximity to the stage with excellent visibility through its proportions and box structure; the classical room acoustics support both singing and speech and symphonic repertoire.

The anchoring in the city is also evident beyond the stage: The Friends of the City Theater Passau e.V. are engaged, as are numerous partners and sponsors; the State Theater maintains mediation formats, introductions, and discussions that promote exchange with the audience. Last but not least, the location on the Inn promenade makes the house an ideal starting or ending point for a walk through the old town – from the Residence Square over the Innbrückgasse up to the Veste Oberhaus. Those who appreciate architecture and history experience living tradition in the City Theater Passau: a classicist opera house that has been reimagined for centuries and once again shows in the 2025/2026 season how lively and diverse a city theater stage can be.

Sources:

• Lower Bavaria State Theater – Box Office Passau: Opening Hours, Seating Plan, Subscriptions
• Lower Bavaria State Theater – Service: Directions, Parking, Bus Lines, Address City Theater Passau
• Passau Tourism – Prince-Bishop's Opera House (City Theater): Architecture, History, Capacity
• Lower Bavaria State Theater – Production: A Night in Venice (Premieres, Dates Passau)
• City Passau – Change of Tenant in the City Theater (30.09.2025, Capacity, Performance Operation)
• Municipal Utilities Passau – Parking in Passau: Parking Garages, E-Charging Stations, Digital Parking System