Faust – a German Folktale in the Arcade Courtyard: Great Silent Film Art in Regensburg

A Summer Evening between Magic, Shadows, and Live Music

On August 12, 2026, a rare stage experience unfolds in the arcade courtyard of the Thon-Dittmer-Palais: F.W. Murnau's silent film classic Faust – a German Folktale meets the live piano accompaniment of Vsevolod Pozdejev. Under the open sky, film imagery, music, and theatrical atmosphere merge into an evening that rekindles the expressionist myth of seduction, guilt, and redemption.

The Classic as Flickering Light Drama

Murnau's film from 1926 is one of the defining works of German silent film cinema. The story of Faust, Mephisto, and Gretchen unfolds as a dark play of light and shadow, as a visual temptation in highly stylized images. The Murnau Foundation describes the film as a play of light and shadow full of joy in the fantastic; the narrative itself is based on motifs from folktales as well as on Christopher Marlowe and Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. It is precisely from this that the performance derives its strength: from the tension between literary myth and cinematic artistry. ([murnau-stiftung.de](https://www.murnau-stiftung.de/filmtheater/kinoprogramm/faust-eine-deutsche-volkssage?utm_source=openai))

The Regensburg Silent Film Week as a Cultural Resonance Space

This event is part of the 44th Regensburg Silent Film Week, thus embedded in a festival that has stood for lovingly curated silent film art for years. The evening in the arcade courtyard of the Thon-Dittmer-Palais combines historical architecture with a vibrant open-air cinema experience. The festival was awarded the German Silent Film Prize in 2022 for special merits in silent film culture - a strong sign of the cultural authority of this series. ([stummfilmwoche.de](https://www.stummfilmwoche.de/index.php?page=323&utm_source=openai))

Venue with Atmosphere and Historical Gravitas

The arcade courtyard of the Thon-Dittmer-Palais at Haidplatz is one of the most impressive cultural locations in Regensburg. The site combines Renaissance arcades, classical facades, and the special openness of a summer evening outdoors. According to the City of Regensburg, concerts and theater performances are regularly held here; the courtyard is also considered to be barrier-free accessible via the inner courtyard. Parking options are available, among others, at Haidplatz and in the surrounding parking garages. ([tourismus.regensburg.de](https://tourismus.regensburg.de/erleben-entdecken/unesco-welterbe-sehenswuerdigkeiten/haidplatz?utm_source=openai))

What the Audience Can Expect

The performance lasts 108 minutes, according to festival information. It presents Murnau's Faust as an expressionist myth in concentrated form: with strong contrasts, compelling imagery, and music that breathes life into silent film art. Those who love cinema, theater, and historical visuals will experience an evening of rare intensity here - sensual, intelligent, and full of suspense until the last chord. ([stummfilmwoche.de](https://www.stummfilmwoche.de/index.php?page=323&utm_source=openai))

Conclusion: This evening promises not just a mere nostalgia program, but a lively cultural event with cinematic grandeur and musical presence. Those who want to experience Regensburg's summer air, expressionist visual power, and live silent film art in a unique setting should not miss this date. ([stummfilmwoche.de](https://www.stummfilmwoche.de/index.php?page=323&utm_source=openai))

Official Channels of Silent Film Week:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stummfilmwoche/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Regensburger-Stummfilmwoche-201187270743919/
• YouTube: No official profile found
• Website: https://www.stummfilmwoche.de/

Sources:

• SILENT FILM WEEK 44. SILENT FILM WEEK 2026 - Program
• SILENT FILM WEEK Tickets - Prices and Presale
• Friedrich-Wilhelm-Murnau-Foundation - Faust - a German Folktale
• Murnau Foundation - Cinema Program Faust - a German Folktale
• Theater Regensburg - Barrier-Free Access
• Regensburg Tourism - Haidplatz
• City of Regensburg - The Regensburger Haidplatz