Lucerne Festival has announced that Riccardo Chailly will extend his contract as Music Director through 2028. The festival announced that the agreement reached between Chailly and Lucerne Festival, which had previously covered performances through the summer of 2026, now also includes international tour projects and future collaborations with the Lucerne Festival Contemporary Orchestra. Chailly will also continue to lead concerts {…}
(Credit: Marco Borggreve) Jörg Widmann has been announced as the Artistic Director of the Lucerne Festival Academy in 2026. Widmann will succeed Wolfgang Rihm, who passed away last year. In a statement, Widmann stated, “To have the opportunity to carry forward the tradition of championing contemporary music at Lucerne Festival – established by Pierre Boulez and Wolfgang Rihm – is {…}
The Lucerne Festival has announced its 2025 summer season. Here is a look at the vocal performances. The Lucerne Festival Orchestra and Riccardo Chailly perform Mahler with Elīna Garanča. Performance Date: August 15, 2025 The Ukrainian Freedom Orchestra and Keri-Lynn Wilson perform Strauss and Beethoven. Rachel Willis-Sørensen is the guest soloist. Performance Date: August 18, 2025 Rossini’s “Il Barbiere di {…}
(Photo: Lucerne Festival, Patrick Hürlimann) Jan Vogler was appointed as artistic director of The Dresdner Musikfestspiele in 2009, since when, according to the company’s website, it “has expanded its global reach and has broken new ground offering a wide range of programmatic concepts.” Its current project endeavors to open a “new chapter in Wagner interpretation history with its ‘The Wagner {…}
The Lucerne Festival has announced its 2024 season. Here are the vocal performances. Kent Nagano conducts Wagner’s “Die Walküre” with a cast that includes Simon Bailey, Maximilian Schmitt, Sarah Wegener, Åsa Jäger, and Dimitry Ivashchenko. Performance Date: August 21, 2024 The Klangforum Wien, Cantando Admont, and Beat Furrer perform Beat Furrer’s “Begehren.” Performance Date: Sept. 1, 2024 The Jupiter Ensemble, Thomas {…}
The Lucerne Festival has released a statement after Climate Activists from Renovate Switzerland interrupted a performance on Sept. 8. The statement by Lucerne Festival Director Michael Haefliger said, “We regret that yesterday’s concert was interrupted by ‘Renovate Switzerland’ climate activists. In general, we support standing up for environmental issues. However, we have no sympathy at all for the way the two {…}
Riccardo Chailly has canceled his upcoming performances at the Lucerne Festival. The company said that Chailly was taken ill and had to undergo a sudden operation. As a result, Paavo Järvi and Andrés Orozco-Estrada will take over. Järvi will conduct the Festival’s Opening Concert on August 11 as well as the concert on August 12, and Orozco-Estrada will lead the {…}
The Lucerne Festival has announced a new Executive and Artistic Director. The festival said that Sebastian Nordmann will take the position on Jan. 1, 2026, succeeding Michael Haefliger, who, as previously announced, will conclude his directorship of the Festival at the end of 2025 ; he held the position for 26 years. Nordmann has been Director of the Konzerthaus and Konzerthaus {…}
The Lucerne Festival‘s Executive and Artistic Director has decided to step down after 26 years. The company said Michael Haefliger decided not to extend his contract and will end his term in 2025. As a result, the Board of Trustees has appointed a committee to conduct an international search for his successor. Haefliger started leading the Lucerne Festival in 1999 {…}
The Lucerne Festival, Verbier Festival, together with the OSR orchestra of Geneva have released a statement regarding Russian artists and have condemned the war in Ukraine. The organizations said, “As three of Switzerland’s leading music institutions, we strongly condemn the Russian invasion of Ukraine. As these disturbing events have unfolded, we have taken firm and impactful measures, including the cancellation {…}
Two prominent festivals have cut ties with Valery Gergiev and the Mariinsky Theatre Orchestra. On Monday morning the Riga Jurmala Festival in Latvia and the Lucerne Festival in Switzerland decided to cancel upcoming events with the leading conductor. In a statement by Executive and Artistic Director Michael Haefliger of the Lucerne Festival said, “Lucerne Festival has decided to cancel the {…}