When does the performance take place?

The world premiere is scheduled for 2026-05-08 at 19:30 in the ETA Hoffmann Theater Bamberg.

Where is Vernissage staged?

It will be performed at the ETA Hoffmann Theater, E.T.A.-Hoffmann-Platz 1, 96047 Bamberg.

How much is a ticket?

A ticket is available from 14.50 euros. Higher prices may apply depending on the seating category.

Is the theater barrier-free?

Yes, access is barrier-free. Wheelchair spaces are available, and visits should be coordinated with the theater box office in advance.

Is there an intermission or specific duration?

Information regarding the exact duration and possible intermissions was not clearly available in the verified sources.

Who is particularly interested in the play?

For visitors who appreciate literary contemporary theater, clever family conflicts, and a finely observed world premiere.

Robert Seethaler's Vernissage Unfolds Quiet Tension and Great Stage Poetry in Bamberg

Name: Vernissage (World Premiere) by Robert Seethaler
Start: 2026-05-08T21:30:00+02:00
End: 2026-05-09T00:30:00+02:00
Location: ETA Hoffmann Theater

An Evening about Art, Family, and the Moment of Disappearance

With Vernissage, Robert Seethaler brings his first play to the stage of the ETA Hoffmann Theater Bamberg: a quiet, alert, and painfully present world premiere about the generational change in a gallery, the end of familiar securities, and the question of what art can still achieve in the moment of its disappearance.

An Ensemble Piece with Literary Elegance

Seethaler, whose novels The Tobacco Seller and A Whole Life have long had stage careers, chooses for his debut as a playwright the Kayserling gallery as a focal point of an era change. Before the eyes of the legendary father Peter Kayserling, a gallery-related new beginning commences, intertwining family history, cultural criticism, and politely disguised despair. The dramaturgy relies on nuances, fine friction, and those quiet tipping points at which a scene suddenly tells a story. ([rowohlt-theaterverlag.de](https://www.rowohlt-theaterverlag.de/theaterstueck/vernissage-8086))

Direction, Stage Design, and Musical Breath

The direction by Jana Vetten, the set design by Genia Leis, and the music by Cornelius Borgolte promise a stage experience that focuses not on effect but on atmosphere. The play, as the publisher writes, moves with profound wit and echoes of Chekhov's tragicomedies through conflicts between generations, genders, and economic pressure. From this arises theatrical art: from precise acting, from a production that allows the space to breathe, and from a stage design that visibly reveals the fragile world of art. ([rowohlt-theaterverlag.de](https://www.rowohlt-theaterverlag.de/theaterstueck/vernissage-8086))

Bamberg as a Suitable Venue

The ETA Hoffmann Theater is located in the heart of Bamberg, at E.T.A.-Hoffmann-Platz 1, and has over 400 seats in the main hall. Access is barrier-free; wheelchair spaces are designated in the orchestra, and visits should be registered at the box office. The theater atmosphere is also enhanced by its location in a UNESCO World Heritage site, where city history and present have always been closely intertwined. ([bamberg.info](https://www.bamberg.info/poi/eta_hoffmann_theater-4728/))

What the Audience Can Expect

Vernissage is an evening for all who love theater as a place of intellectual tension: a piece about art, market, family, and vanity, but also about dignity in farewell. The premiere atmosphere will likely resonate between melancholy, irony, and fine audience reactions. Those seeking intelligent contemporary drama with a literary touch will experience a world premiere that resonates long after. ([rowohlt-theaterverlag.de](https://www.rowohlt-theaterverlag.de/theaterstueck/vernissage-8086))

A visit is particularly worthwhile right now: Because Seethaler not only tells here but observes, dissects, and gently illuminates. Those who are there live will see a new play that forms great images from the quiet. ([rowohlt-theaterverlag.de](https://www.rowohlt-theaterverlag.de/theaterstueck/vernissage-8086))