The Dresden Music Festival has announced its 2021 slate, which will take place between May 14 and June 12.

For the purposes of this article, our focus will be on operatic and vocal performances.

It all kicks off with a concert performance of Strauss’ “Capriccio” starring Daniel Behle, Nikolay Borchev, Christa Mayer, Christoph Pohl, and Krassimira Stoyanova. Christian Thielmann conducts the Staatskapelle Dresden.

Performance Date: May 16, 2021

Soprano Regula Mühlemann joins forces with the Kammerorchester Basel under Benedetti Michelangeli to take on music by Fauré, Mozart, and Ravel.

Performance Date: May 19, 2021 

Dresden’s Kreuzchor will perform an open-air concert alongside conductor Wolfgang Behrend.

Performance Date: May 23, 2021

Ute Lemper will perform music by Astor Piazzolla.

Performance Date: May 24, 2021

Aaoi Häkkinen will lead a performance of Schumann’s “Genoveva” starring Carolyn Sampson, Vesselina Kasarova, Andrew Staples, Johannes Weisser, Cornelius Uhle, and Yorick Felix Speer. The Helsinki Baroque Orchestra performances alongside the Arnold Schoenberg Choir.

Performance Date: May 27, 2021

The Dresden University Choir and Students of the Dresden Academy of Music Carl Maria von Weber will join forces to create “Ludwig in the Forest.” The work will be composed by Cathy Milliken with Robert Lehmeier acting as librettist and director.

Performance Date: May 28, 2021 

The Ladies of the Sächsischen Kammerchores will join forces with the Dresdner Kapellsolisten under Fabian Enders for a performance of Wagner’s Symphony in E Minor and Rudolf Mauersberger’s Symphony in E Minor.

Performance Date: May 30, 2021 

Soprano Erin Morley will join forces with Chrisitan Thielemann and the Staatskapelle Dresden for a performance of music by Richard Strauss.

Performance Date: May 31, 2021

The Yale Schola Cantorum and Julliard415 will join forces in a performance of music by Copland, Kernis, and Haydn. David Hill conducts.

Performance Date: June 1, 2021

The Dresdner Kammerchor will join forces with Hans-Christoph Rademann for music by Bach, Brahms, Gabrieli, and Palestrina, among others.

Performance Date: June 3, 2021

Omer Meir Wellber leads a performance of “L’Elisir D’Amore” starring Tuuli Takala, Pavol Breslik, Chrisitanne Hossfeld, Andrei Bondarenko, and Erwin Schrott.

Performance Date: June 5, 2021

Mezzo-soprano Angelika Kirchschalger and pianist Julius Drake present a recital of music by Beethoven, Bizet, Böhm, Brahms, and Heggie with a satirical slant provided by comedian Alfred Dorfer.

Performance Date: June 6, 2021

Soprano Johanne Winkel and baritone Adam Plachetka star in a concert featuring music by Janacek, Mozart, and Zemlinsky. Alexander Liebreich conducts the Radio Symphony Orchestra Prague.

Performance Date: June 8, 2021