The Bernese duo Lo & Leduc wrote Swiss musical history with their song «079», which remained at Number 1 on the single charts for 21 weeks, earned them six platinum discs and is regarded as the most successful Swiss hit of all times: proof that Lorenz Häberli and Luc Oggier possess the rare gift of transforming mundane observations of everyday life in Switzerland into clever, incisive pop songs in the local dialect. Their breakthrough came in 2014 with «Zucker fürs Volk», which spent 99 entire weeks on the charts. At the 2015 Swiss Music Awards they won the «Best Group», «Best Live Act» and «Best Talent» categories. Their latest album, «Krise als Chanson», proves that their instinct for social trends remains as sharp as ever. It has been praised by critics as a barometer of contemporary concerns – whilst always retaining that characteristic touch of humour that is so typical of them.
KAMRAD plays Baloise Session
The son of Polish parents, German songwriter Kamrad consistently writes his lyrics in English, creating a sound reminiscent of light-hearted British pop music. His songs prove that affairs of the heart know no language barriers. In 2018, this universal approach gave him the opportunity to appear with Sunrise Avenue as the supporting act. He has appeared as coach on the jury of The Voice of Germany talent show, using music as a means of forging a close connection with the audience.
Mark Forster plays Baloise Session
With hits like «Au revoir», «Chöre», «Übermorgen» and «Wir sind gross», Mark Forster is one of the defining figures on the German pop scene. His success stems from the ability to turn everyday observations into catchy pop songs that stir up spontaneous emotions and some food for thought about everyday life. As a qualified business economist and experienced producer, the man from Kaiserslautern also knows exactly how to distribute his music across a wide variety of channels – whether as composer of the ZDF song for football’s European Cup, as a musical accompanist for Kurt Krömer, or as a coach on the Voice of Germany talent show. The Baloise Session offers a chance to experience Forster’s live performances. They are characterised by their close connection with the audience. On stage, he creates rousing sing-along moments and a warm, welcoming atmosphere that imbues his high-energy performances.
Yulianna Avdeeva, Petr Popelka & Wiener Symphoniker
Two key works of the Romantic era are performed at the Vienna Konzerthaus: Johannes Brahms’ Piano Concerto No. 1 and Franz Schubert’s ‘Great’ Symphony in C major. On stage are the Vienna Symphony Orchestra with their principal conductor, Petr Popelka. Both works combine grand forms, inner dignity and musical expressiveness. Johannes Brahms, who made Vienna his home, also engaged deeply with the musical legacy of Franz Schubert. Brahms spent the last 25 years of his life in Vienna, living on Karlsgasse, not far from the Vienna Konzerthaus. It is here that Yulianna Avdeeva, winner of the 2010 International Chopin Competition, now shines in Brahms’s First Piano Concerto in D minor.
Grafenegg: Midsummer Night’s Gala 2026
The Midsummer Night’s Gala at Grafenegg is one of Austria’s most beautiful musical traditions. Opening the season, the Tonkünstler-Orchester Niederösterreich and chief conductor Fabien Gabel present a magnificent, varied programme. Two opera stars make their Grafenegg debuts: US soprano Angel Blue, whose voice fills the world’s great stages, and Ukrainian-born lyric tenor Bogdan Volkov, nominated for the 2025 Austrian Music Theater Prize. Salzburg cellist Julia Hagen adds virtuoso brilliance and a refined ear for timbre. Orchestral splendour, arias, duets and concertante works—delivered with humour and enthusiasm—provide a fitting prelude to the anniversary summer at the Wolkenturm.
Les Pêcheurs de perles
In his new production of Bizet’s early opera Les Pêcheurs de perles, Ersan Mondtag brings the pearl fishers’ working world to the forefront, transposing it into a contemporary setting governed by the logic of fashion. The distinguished cast featured several opera stars. Juan Diego Flórez brought elegance and musicality to the role of Nadir, with OperaWire praising his ‘brilliant and secure high notes’ and ‘excellent phrasing’. As Zurga, Ludovic Tézier displayed both the beauty of his voice and his innate nobility, while the remarkable bass Ivo Stanchev completed the cast as Nourabad, the high priest of Brahma. Daniele Rustioni led the Orchestra of the Wiener Staatsoper in a thoughtful and finely detailed interpretation of the score. He brought out the music’s sensuality through a transparent, mellow sound that acknowledged its Orientalist colouring without overemphasising it.
Martha Argerich, Silvain Cambreling & Symphoniker Hamburg
She is a legendary pianist, a ‘lioness at the piano’, renowned for her spirited playing: Martha Argerich is the protagonist of the ‘Martha Argerich Festival’, named after her, which will took place for the eighth time in 2026. Alongside conductor Sylvain Cambreling and the Symphoniker Hamburg, Argerich presents a programme focused on dialogue. The first part highlights one of the most beloved piano concertos of all time, the Piano Concerto No. 1 in C Major by Beethoven. In the second, the orchestra showcases the full range of its sound with the Concerto for Orchestra by Bartók, a work where each instrumental section has the chance to show its virtuosity.
Arena di Verona Festival 2026: La Traviata
An original and visually striking interpretation transports the audience to early 20th-century Paris, a hub of artistic and intellectual ferment where Violetta Valéry emerges as an intelligent, refined, and beautiful protagonist, thrust into the spotlight of gossip and public opinion. The production is directed by Paul Curran, who previously collaborated with Baz Luhrmann during the early stages of production on the musical film Moulin Rouge! A meta-theatrical and meta-cinematic reference: just as the musical drew heavily on Verdi’s story with influences from Puccini’s La Bohème, the new opera production of the 2026 Festival cannot help but evoke the timeless love sung in the film through various musical genres. The set design is by Juan Guillermo Nova, the costumes by Stefano Ciammitti creator of the visionary outfits for the Olympic ceremonies at the Arena—and the lighting by Fabio Barettin.
Verdi Requiem from Barcelona
Verdi’s monumental Messa da Requiem, the most spectacularly operatic of sacred music works, shakes the walls of Barcelona’s stunning Palau de la Música Catalana with a world-class cast led by a quartet of star soloists: soprano Elenora Buratto, mezzo-soprano Elina Garanca, tenor Benjamin Bernheim, and bass Riccardo Zanellato. The considerable talents of the Orfeó Català, directed by Xavier Puig, round out the vocal ranks, while the forces of the legendary Staatskapelle Dresden unite under the baton of maestro Daniele Gatti. Though punctuated by moments of tranquility, Verdi’s Requiem maintains an extraordinary intensity over its entire duration, brought to a thrilling peak in the terrifying “Dies irae” theme that recurs to hair-raising effect throughout the work.
The Acropolis Open-Air with Lukas Sternath
Written during the tumult of the Napoleonic Wars, Beethoven’s fifth and final piano concerto is both epic and moving. Young Austrian pianist Lukas Sternath plays as soloist with the Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen, conducted by Constantinos Carydis. The programme continues with a selection from Skalkottas’ 36 Greek Dances, composed between 1931 and 1936, to go back to Austrian classicism, with Mozart’s Symphony No. 35 and the elegant and graceful ballet from the opera Idomeneo. The concert took place in Athens, with a view of the ancient Acropolis.