The festival opens this Wednesday (24.06.2015) with a children's show: A theater adaptation of the Brothers Grimm's fairy tale "Rapunzel." Another highlight of this year's festival will be the premiere of a production of William Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet" on June 27. Joining the festival for the first time will be the Heidelberg Theater Dance Company, with a modern dance and acrobatics performance in July. A remake of the musical "My Fair Lady" is also on the program.

The castle yard will also serve as a concert arena. Music by Weber, Brahms and Tchaikovsky will accompany a light and fireworks display called "Sternenregen and Funkenflug," which means "star shower and flying sparks".

The Heidelberger Schloßspiele theater festival in its present form has taken place since 1974.

Heidelberg Castle itself is one of Germany's most important tourist attractions. Last year, the ruin attracted over a million visitors. Once the residence of the Electorate of the Palatinate and one of Europe's most magnificent castles, it was destroyed in the 17th century.

ot/ej/sc (Staatliche Schlösser und Gärten Baden-Württemberg, Heidelberg Marketing)