The sheer joy of being and of representing that have characterised the Saxon regions from the elector Moritz to King Friedrich August III turned their residence into a cultutal centre that was recognized all over Europe.

The city’s brilliance brings artists from all over the world to the river Elbe. Given the architectural beauty of this „music in bricks and stones“, its location and its artistic riches, the city is soon known by another name: Florence on the Elbe.

In 2011 Musikfestspiele Potsdam Sanssouci present an eclectic panorama of the magnificent metropolis and take a closer look at its many political and cultural ties such as those with Venice and of course with its glorious neighbour Brandenburg-Prussia. The city’s rich musical history – it dates back 400 years and is one of the most diverse among German speaking cities – is brought back to life with illustrious protagonists such as Heinrich Schütz, Johann Georg Pisendel, Carl Maria von Weber and Richard Wagner. And a typically Saxon characteristic is also celebrated: the sheer joy of being.