The ballet “Nureyev,” choreographed by Yuri Possokhov and composed by Ilya Demutsky, premiered in December 2017 at the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow. This production, staged by Kirill Serebrennikov, combines ballet, opera, and drama to honor Rudolf Nureyev, a pivotal figure in 20th-century dance known for his artistic genius and defiance of social and political constraints. The narrative is set against the backdrop of a lavish auction of Nureyev’s possessions and explores significant moments in his life, including his career in the Soviet Union, his dramatic defection to the West, and his influence on Western ballet. The story also addresses Nureyev’s relationships and his open expression of homosexuality. Possokhov’s choreography features a rich blend of classical and contemporary styles, requiring exceptional skill from the dancers. Despite its acclaim, the ballet was recently removed from the Bolshoi’s repertoire due to Russia’s tightened LGBTQ laws. The Staatsballett Berlin’s staging offers a unique opportunity to celebrate the legacy of an artist who epitomized freedom and self-expression in the arts. “Absolutely sensational” (Die Zeit)
Salzburg Festival 2026: Lea Desandre & Ensemble Jupiter perform Vivaldi
Mezzo-soprano Lea Desandre and Ensemble Jupiter under the direction of lutenist Thomas Dunford present an all-Vivaldi programme of ravishing contrasts — fiery operatic arias, tender sacred pages, and brilliant concertos. Desandre brings her luminous agility to some of Vivaldi’s most dramatic vocal writing, from the vengeful fury of ‘Armatae face’ to the hushed intimacy of ‘Cum dederit’, while cellists Nicolas Altstaedt and Bruno Philippe add their own voices in concertos that sing with equal eloquence. Dunford’s lute shimmers at the centre of the ensemble, threading together a portrait of Vivaldi at his most vivid and inventive. PROGRAM: Vivaldi: ‘Vedrò con mio diletto’ from the opera Il Giustino RV 717; ‘Armatae face et anguibus’ from the oratorio Juditha triumphans devicta Holofernes barbarie RV 644; Cello Concerto in A minor RV 419; ‘Cum dederit’ from Nisi Dominus for alto, viola d’amore and strings RV 608 and more
Salzburg Festival 2026: Hadelich, Thielemann and the Wiener Philharmoniker (Brahms Cycle)
Augustin Hadelich, renowned as one of the foremost violinists of his generation, takes the stage of the Salzburg Festival with conductor Christian Thielemann, as part of the Wiener Philharmoniker’s Brahms Cycle. The concert begins with Brahms’s Violin Concerto in D major, a masterpiece that combines lyrical warmth with a symphonic scale, requiring a delicate balance of poetic intimacy and heroic command. These are qualities that Hadelich possesses in rare abundance, allowing him to interpret the piece with exceptional depth and sensitivity. Brahms’s monumental First Symphony in C minor represents Brahms’s hard-won triumph over the daunting legacy of Beethoven, skillfully transitioning from a mood of brooding darkness to a radiant, hymn-like finale that is celebrated for its unforgettable expressive depth and emotional resonance. PROGRAM: Brahms: Violin Concerto in D major; Brahms: Symphony No. 1 in C minor
Salzburg Festival 2026: Lang Lang, Sokhiev and the Wiener Philharmoniker
ang Lang, one of the most celebrated pianists of our time, joins forces with the Wiener Philharmoniker under the baton of Tugan Sokhiev for an evening of extraordinary orchestral colour and virtuosity. The programme opens with Ravel’s effervescent Piano Concerto in G major — a work whose jazz-inflected brilliance and lyrical slow movement offer the ideal canvas for Lang Lang’s dazzling technique and poetic sensitivity. After the interval, Sokhiev leads the Wiener Philharmoniker through two masterpieces of orchestral imagination: Debussy’s shimmering triptych La Mer, with its luminous evocations of the sea in all its moods, followed by Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet suite — assembled by Sokhiev himself — whose dramatic sweep and heartbreaking tenderness bring Shakespeare’s tragedy vividly to life in sound. PROGRAM: Ravel: Piano Concerto in G majo; Debussy: La Mer; Prokofiev: Suite from Romeo and Juliet
Salzburg Festival 2026: Carmen
In her production, the director and choreographer Gabriela Carrizo sets out to explore the identity and motives of Carmen, a quasi-mythical woman. As in her creations for her Peeping Tom dance theatre company, notable for their intense physicality, multilayered meanings and poetic power, she zooms in on the psyche and unconscious of the characters. The Utopia Orchestra and Chorus are conducted by Teodor Currentzis, who has led five previous opera productions in Salzburg. Asmik Grigorian, Jonathan Tetelman, Kristina Mkhitaryan and Davide Luciano take on the main roles.
Hayato Sumino at Rheingau Musik Festival
He is currently revolutioning the classical music world with his brilliant playing and progressive, cross-genre approach to music: as a phenomenon at the piano, Hayato Sumino has been appointed as 2026 Artist in Residence Rheingau Musik Festival. He kicks off his residency as a soloist in Rachmaninoff’s Second Piano Concerto, performing in the impressive Friedrich von Thiersch Hall of the Wiesbaden Kurhaus. Joining him on stage will be the Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra and its principal conductor Alain Altinoglu. In addition to Rachmaninoff, the programme also includes Borodin’s spirited Polovtsian Dances and Elgar’s mysterious Enigma Variations, which transport the audience to a late Romantic era full of sumptuous melodies and orchestral passion. PROGRAM Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto No 2; Elgar: Enigma Variations; Borodin: Polovtsian Dances
Magic Moments of Music – John Cranko’s ‘Onegin’
John Cranko, born in South Africa in 1927, moved to London as a teenager and quickly became a well-known choreographer after a short career as a dancer. In 1961, the artistic director of the Stuttgart Theatre persuaded him to take over the position of creative leader of the then little-known Stuttgart Ballet. Within a short time, Cranko succeeded in making the ensemble one of the most successful companies in the world. None of his works better exemplify Cranko’s artistry than Onegin. The piece, based on Pushkin’s verse novel Eugene Onegin and set to music by Tchaikovsky, premiered at the Stuttgart Ballet in 1965 and remains Cranko’s greatest success to this day and is still on the repertoire of many ballet companies. Cranko condenses Pushkin’s novel into a theatrically effective distillation by focusing the drama on five characters. At the same time, Cranko demonstrates that pas de deux are not only the dance highlights of a ballet, but should also be the driving force behind the plot. The Russian audience was very sceptical when Cranko announced that he would be performing his Onegin at a guest performance in Moscow in 1971. Cranko had ventured into two sacred works of Russian culture, Pushkin’s novel and Tchaikovsky’s opera. But the performance in Moscow became Cranko’s greatest triumph. He died shortly afterwards, in 1973.
The power of the Ring – 150 Years ‘The Ring of the Nibelung
Wagner’s ‘The Ring of the Nibelung’ is the musical embodiment of the motto “Think big.” The documentary ‘The Power of the Ring – 150 Years of the Ring of the Nibelung’ embarks on an entertaining journey of discovery into the fascinating world of Wagner’s operatic cycle. With conductors Gianandrea Noseda, Simone Young ; Philosopher Slavoj Žižek ; Scientist Eva Rieger ; Author Boris Schumatsky ; Stage Director Andreas Homoki
Premieres Revisited – Handel’s Messiah in Dublin
A film to explore the profound cultural and historical impact of Handel’s Messiah, tracing its journey from its legendary 1742 Dublin premiere to becoming a yearly sing-along tradition on Dublin’s streets. With exclusive interviews, the film features insights from conductor Proinnsías O’Duinn, violinist Dermot O’Hanlon, and singer Sharon Carty, who perform in the traditional open-air performance with the Lady’s Choral Society and the Dublin Handelian Orchestra. The production portrays Messiah not just as a historical relic, but as a living tradition that continues to move and empower audiences 285 years after its first notes echoed through Dublin.
Eric Lu and the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra
Eric Lu, winner of the First Prize and Gold Medal at the 2025 Chopin International Competition in Warsaw, joins the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra for a riveting performance of Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 3, led by the acclaimed conductor Ryan Bancroft. In contrast with Beethoven’s daring harmonies, the program is completed by the shimmering colors of Stravinsky’s The Nightingale, a dazzling, fairytaleinspired work that blends lyricism with orchestral brilliance. With such a powerful pairing of classic and modern genius, this concert is set to be a thrilling journey through contrasting sound worlds – one not to be missed.