Felsenbühne Rathen is an open-air theatre tucked into the sandstone landscape below the Bastei. The setting is the main draw: forest, cliffs, and stage scenery all fold into one another in a way a normal theatre cannot manage.
Summer performances often lean into spectacle, from Karl May adventures to opera with horses, fireworks, and plenty of melodrama. Check the programme before going, since the trip makes most sense when you can combine a performance with the Bastei walks.