Hannibal live performance
You have never experienced theater like this before
The natural backdrop of Rettenbach Glacier at almost 3,000 meters as a stage, with up to 500 performers in front of and behind the scenes. Hannibal - The Glacier Spectacle brings the Carthaginian general's historic crossing of the Alps to the wild mountain world of Sölden. A unique performance featuring dancers and thundering avalanches, snow groomers, airplanes and helicopters, extreme athletes and skiers. In short: the greatest show in the Alps!
Glacier Stage
The wild glacier world of Rettenbach Glacier (2,675 - 3,250 m) with its surrounding mountain peaks and ice fields serves as a 6 cubic kilometer open-air stage for this outstanding performance. A gigantic snow pyramid is the focal point of the "stage set", while snow-covered slopes rise up on the left and right as backdrops, helicopters, airplanes and paragliders buzz through the air and extreme athletes zip around on skis, motocross bikes or snowmobiles.
Actors, actresses & performing crew
More than 300 female and male performers, dancers and crew members on stage plus another 200 people behind the scenes. The Glacier Spectacle is a complexly choreographed, site-specific performance that demands a great deal from everyone involved!
Directed by Hubert Lepka and Lawine Torrèn artistic network, the historical material is transformed into a modern parable about the pursuit of power and intrigue - not least thanks to the Flying Bulls and their historic fleet of aircraft. The renowned actor Harald Krassnitzer acts as narrator while the music composed by Peter Valentin combines the narrative magic of Joey Wimplinger's text to create a vivid and compelling performance.
Female & male skiers wanted
Showcase your skiing skills on the big stage: in cooperation with Austria's ORF Broadcasting Company we are looking for ambitious skiers who want to be part of the unique live performance of Hannibal - The Glacier Spectacle. Do you have what it takes to master the steep World Cup slope with swift parallel turns? Then register by using the form!
Info & schedule:
- Meet here: Fri, 10 April 2026, at 10:00 on Rettenbach Glacier - at the base station of Schwarze Schneid I gondola lift (near the Red Bull tent)
- Included for registered participants: Sölden one-day skipass, lunch, training guided by local ski instructors
- After the casting, 12 skiers will be selected to participate in the show. They will be invited to join the premiere party after the performance and will receive an exclusive Hannibal / ORF T-shirt.
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Registration deadline: Saturday, 4 April 2026, midnight
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Further information via email after registration
The story
Hannibal who? Never heard of one of the greatest military commanders of antiquity? Then here is a quick refresher: in 218 BC, Hannibal - accompanied by an army of 60,000 Africans, Celts, Spaniards, thousands of horses and 37 elephants - crossed the main Alpine ridge in just ten days and took the Romans by surprise in Italy. Despite his decisive superiority, Hannibal refrained from conquering Rome. A decision with severe consequences: this hesitation led to the downfall of the North African metropolis of Carthage.
25 years of Hannibal in Sölden
The glacier spectacle celebrated its premiere at Rettenbach Glacier on 18 April 2001. Originally planned as a one-off event, the performance became a regular fixture in Sölden's event calendar due to the great success of the premiere and now takes place every two years. The next performance will be held on 10 April 2026 at 19:30.
Just in time for the 25th anniversary, Ernst Lorenzi - the initiator of the glacier spectacle - is publishing a visually stunning book about the cult event and its history. The book will be available for € 45 from the end of February 2026 via: lorenzi@soelden.at or Lawine Torrèn (Note: the book is only available in German language)
