OPENING CEREMONY
Take a seat (I hope you see what I did there hehe), lean back and enjoy the show!
Sapperlot 2026 has officially begun!
It’s so exciting to finally meet you - some for the first time and some as old friends. We hope you will enjoy your stay here in Brixen and we welcome you to join us in writing this wonderful chapter of sapperlot history.
All stories have something in common: they must start!
The opening ceremony was kicked off by the AITA/IATA YOUTH members, which were given the opportunity to perform as the opener for the festival as well as the responsibility of writing this very article. We hope you’ll like them : )
A huge “Thank you” to Nathaly and Jonathan for leading us through the evening!
They’ve introduced this year’s sapperlotl, which is a tradition we have been doing for a while now. Every group has been given a white chair, which they will have to personalize and give back to us at the end of the festival. This way you will always be a part of TPZ even when you have returned back home.
The opening is all about getting things started and letting the groups present themselves. So this is a brief introduction and first impressions of each group:
KNALLROT (ITALY) started off with a choreo to the song umbrella, fitting the occasional showers today. (maybe they are foreshadowing a rainy sapperlot???)
FINLAND gave us a very informative summary of their play and showed us their love for walking in lines, almost continuing their line off stage without taking their sapperlotl with them. But thankfully Jonathan was quick to bring them back.
ESTONIA seemed to be unsure which of their many talents they wanted to show us, so they just said “yes” to all of them. Juggling, acrobatics, and lifts one higher, then the other. Flying Cow Theatre we love to welcome you back again!
CROATIA treated us with live music and beautiful choreography, which made me wonder if they may have given us a tiny glimpse into what their performance might be like.
“Welcome to DENMARK!” The Danish group has definitely hinted at their performance with … toothbrushes and toothpaste? What could this play possibly be about? I’m looking forward to it, as long as it’s not the story about how important flossing is … but a shoutout to dental hygiene, I guess.
CYT (UK) answered the age old question: how many clowns does it take to lift a box? Apparently just one. And to really go with the clown theme they surprised us with some balloons and let us play with them.
BELGIUM decided to just break the ice and make us expose ourselves. So stand up, if you have ever made a whole group of people admit they want to play the villain. Hm, interesting. Stand up, if you ever said chocolate is overrated … ahh I guess you’re alone with that one.
HONIGGELB (ITALY) have given you a taste of their performance. So get your rave gear ready and follow the sound of a huge plastic sheets and you’ll meet Honiggelb dancing through the room.
PEPPERMINT (ITALY) weren’t sure if there would be chairs in the ASTRA, so they brought their own. I just wonder … if we will see these chairs during the performance …
ROMANIA used strings for their introduction that connected each person. My theatre analyzing brain saw a visualization of how all of us are now connected through this encounter and hopefully will continue to strengthen these ties. Thank you Romania!
THEATRE TRAIN (UK) gave us a quick rundown of British pop culture with Spice Girls, Queen, Village People and a lot of other icons. Showing us the energetic performances of Theatre Train we know and love.
CZECH REPUBLIC was quick and straight to the point, just like their name: Hop Hop! Thank you for this lovely friendship over the years and your constant presence at our festivals.
A huge “THANK YOU” to Vera Obexer for representing the city council and welcoming our guests here in our beloved town. Without you supporting us, we couldn’t have done it all these years!