Theater Orchester Biel Solothurn TOBS

What Theater Orchester Biel Solothurn TOBS does

Theater Orchester Biel Solothurn (TOBS!) is a Swiss multi-disciplinary performing arts institution operating across Biel/Bienne and Solothurn in the Canton of Bern. It runs five integrated artistic departments — Schauspiel (drama), Oper (opera), Konzert (concerts, anchored by the in-house Sinfonieorchester Biel Solothurn), Tanz (dance), and TOBS! Jung (youth programming) — and presents approximately 300 performances annually across six venues: Stadttheater Biel, Kongresshaus Biel, Nebia Biel, Manufacture TOBS!, Stadttheater Solothurn, and Konzertsaal Solothurn, plus national touring. The institution serves the bilingual German/French population of the Biel-Solothurn region and broader Switzerland through general cultural audiences, families, youth, schools, and accessibility-focused segments (notably a live audio description service for visually impaired audiences in partnership with the Audio Description Network).

TOBS! monetizes through a mix of individual ticket sales (online via tickets.tobs.ch and at two physical box offices in Biel and Solothurn), season subscriptions (Abos) offering 10–12 performances at 20–25% discounts versus single tickets (priced from CHF 180 to CHF 320+), the cross-institutional Kultur-GA and Jugend-GA passes, venue rentals, and guided tours. Its core technology stack is a conventional web platform with integrated ticketing, email newsletter distribution via mailXpert GmbH, Google Analytics/Tag Manager for marketing analytics, and standard social media presence across Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn, and TikTok. The organization is led by Intendant Dieter Kaegi, supported by a Stiftungsrat (foundation board) and a network of patron associations (Freunde des Stadttheaters Solothurn, AMIS Stadttheater Biel, VIP Club 360, and others), consistent with a publicly subsidized Swiss regional cultural institution.

Name

Theater Orchester Biel Solothurn TOBS

Legal name

Theater Orchester Biel Solothurn TOBS!

Website

https://tobs.ch

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Swiss multi-disciplinary performing arts institution presenting approximately 300 drama, opera, concert, dance, and youth productions annually across six venues in Biel/Bienne and Solothurn, serving the bilingual Canton of Bern region through subscriptions, individual ticket sales, and national touring.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Performing Arts

NAICS

Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (71111), Other Performing Arts Companies (711190), Musical Groups and Artists (71113)

akta.pro primary industry

Performing Arts Centers & Presenters (Programming/Booking) (MPAGABAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Classical & Contemporary Theatre (Plays/Drama) (MPAGABAH), Opera & Operetta (MPAGABAF), Theater, Musicals & Performing Arts (THAJAFAB)

Keywords

• Performing arts productions
• Symphony orchestra concerts
• Opera and theater
• Live cultural events
• Regional performing arts

Headquarters

HQ city

Biel/Bienne

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices9 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Individual performance tickets sold through online platform and box offices. Prices vary by production and seating category.
2. Season Subscriptions (Abos): Prepaid seasonal packages offering 10-12 performances with seat reservations and 20-25% discount compared to individual tickets. Includes Concert Abos (Biel and Solothurn), Schauspiel/Oper Abos (Biel and Solothurn), and special youth subscriptions.
3. Cultural GA (Kultur-GA): Combined cultural subscription product offering access to multiple cultural venues in the region.
4. Venue Rental: Theaters available for private rental events.
5. Guided Tours: Theater and venue tours offered as additional service.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Theater Orchester Biel Solothurn TOBS is a publicly funded multi-sparte performing arts institution that produces and stages opera, theater (Schauspiel), concert/orchestra, and dance productions. It operates performance venues in the twin cities of Biel/Bienne and Solothurn in northwestern Switzerland and serves audiences in the cantons of Bern and Solothurn.

Product overview

Theater Orchester Biel Solothurn (TOBS!) is a multi-sparte performing arts institution operating in Biel and Solothurn, Switzerland. The organization offers a unified portfolio of five core performance disciplines: Schauspiel (drama/theater), Oper (opera), Konzert (concerts with the Sinfonieorchester Biel Solothurn), Tanz (dance), and TOBS! Jung (youth programs). Approximately 300 performances are presented annually across six venues (Stadttheater Biel, Kongresshaus Biel, Nebia Biel, Stadttheater Solothurn, Konzertsaal Solothurn, and Manufacture TOBS!). The product portfolio includes subscription packages (Abo) for concerts, drama, and opera with discounts up to 25%, plus specialized offerings such as the Jugend-GA and Kultur-GA tickets, Bébékonzerte, Familienkonzerte, summer concerts, and guest performances. TOBS! also provides accessibility features including live audio description for opera productions and tactile introductions for visually impaired audiences.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Sinfonieorchester Biel Solothurn: The symphony orchestra of TOBS, performing concerts in Biel and Solothurn venues.
• Junges Theater Solothurn
• Junges Theater Biel

Products and services

• Opera productions Fully staged opera productions performed by TOBS singers, the TOBS orchestra, and technical staff, presented at TOBS venues in Biel and Solothurn. Targeted at opera audiences in the Biel-Solothurn region and beyond.
• Theater (Schauspiel) productions Dramatic theater productions staged by the TOBS ensemble, including contemporary and classical plays in German and French, presented at TOBS venues.
• Symphony orchestra concerts Concerts performed by the TOBS symphony orchestra covering symphonic, chamber, and concert programs, including orchestral opera and dance accompaniment.
• Dance productions Dance productions staged by TOBS, including contemporary and classical dance programming presented alongside orchestra or as standalone dance evenings.
• Season subscriptions (Abonnement) Season subscription packages that bundle multiple productions across opera, theater, concert, and dance for subscribers at discounted pricing.
• Education and outreach programs Pedagogical, youth, and community engagement programs tied to TOBS productions, including school and introductory formats.

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

AI capability2 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Menuhin Festival GstaadminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 August 2026Prestigious music festival, featuring TOBS! Academy Concert & Barbecue at Manufacture TOBS! venue.
• Liebhabertheatergesellschaft SOminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAmateur theater society in Solothurn, listed as a cooperation partner for performances and cultural events.
• Liebhaberbühne BielminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAmateur theater group in Biel, collaboration on theater productions and cultural programming.
• Bieler KammerorchesterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerChamber orchestra in Biel, cooperation partner for classical music performances.
• Kunstmuseum SolothurnminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerArt museum in Solothurn, cultural cooperation partner for interdisciplinary events.
• Solothurner LiteraturtageminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLiterature festival in Solothurn, annual cooperation for literary performances and events.
• First FridayminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMonthly cultural event series in Biel, partnership for joint programming.
• Kulturnacht SolothurnminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNight of Culture event in Solothurn, cooperation for multi-venue cultural programming.
• Lakelive Festival BielminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLake live music festival in Biel, partnership for summer outdoor concerts including symphonic soundtracks performances.
• Solothurner BarocktageminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBaroque music festival in Solothurn, cooperation for early music performances.
• Haute école des arts de Berne (HKB)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBern University of the Arts, collaboration with TOBS! Jung for 'Community Opera' productions and Master of Arts Opera program, combining professional training with community engagement.
• Audio Description NetworkcoreTechnology or IntegrationNetwork providing audio description scripts for opera productions, enabling live audio description services for blind and visually impaired audiences.
• Bielersee-Schifffahrtsgesellschaft (Lake Biel Navigation)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership offering Abo subscribers discounted day tickets (CHF 35 instead of CHF 78) and 10% off boat rentals, providing combined cultural and leisure packages.
• Schweizerischer Bühnenverband (SBV)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSwiss Theater Association (Swiss Stages), TOBS! is a member of this industry organization for performing arts in Switzerland.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Stadttheater Bern: Municipal theater and orchestra in nearby Bern (Konzert Theater Bern), operating Schauspiel, Oper, and Konzert across multiple venues — directly comparable in scope, multi-discipline model, and Swiss-German regional theater positioning.
• Luzerner Theater: Swiss regional theater offering opera, drama, musical, and ballet in Lucerne. Closely comparable multi-sparten regional theater model with similar subscription-based go-to-market.
• Theater Basel: Three-sparten theater (drama, opera, ballet) in Basel. Comparable multi-discipline performing arts institution in the Swiss-German market with similar subscription and ticketing approach.
• Theater St. Gallen: Regional theater in St. Gallen combining opera, drama, and ballet. Comparable Swiss-German regional theater with similar audience subscription model.
• Grand Théâtre de Genève: Geneva opera and ballet house; comparable opera presentation function with regional rather than national positioning, serving French-speaking Switzerland.
• Sinfonieorchester Basel: Swiss regional symphony orchestra. Directly comparable to TOBS!'s Sinfonieorchester Biel Solothurn in offering subscription-based concert seasons with comparable classical programming.

Broad incumbents

• Tonhalle Orchester Zürich: Major Swiss symphony orchestra at the Tonhalle Zürich. Comparable as a Swiss symphony orchestra with subscription-based concert seasons, but at substantially larger scale.
• Opernhaus Zürich: Switzerland's largest opera house, combining opera and ballet with the Philharmonia Zürich. Overlaps with TOBS! on opera production but at significantly larger scale and with international profile.

Emerging players

• Orchestre de Chambre de Lausanne: Swiss chamber orchestra. Overlaps with TOBS! on classical concert programming but operates with a smaller ensemble and chamber music focus rather than full symphonic programming.

Others

• Schweizerischer Bühnenverband (SBV): Industry association of Swiss performing arts institutions of which TOBS! is a member. Relevant ecosystem counterpart representing the collective interests of comparable Swiss theaters.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@TheaterOrchesterBielSolothurn
• Facebookfacebook.com/tobs.ch
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/theater-orchester-biel-solothurn
• Instagraminstagram.com/tobs.ch
• TikToktiktok.com/@tobsjungjeune

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Theater Orchester Biel Solothurn TOBS