Name: Franz Schmidt: The Book with the Seven Seals / Manfred Honeck
Start: 2026-05-02T20:00:00
Location: Elbphilharmonie Hamburg

In the vast landscape of cultural events, some stand out with their unique blend of creativity and profound thematic depth. The Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg serves as the perfect backdrop for an array of musical spectacles ranging from jubilant choral performances to intense operatic dramas. With events featuring works by Bach, Strauss, and Brahms, conducted by maestros like Alan Gilbert and Paavo Järvi, attendees are invited to immerse themselves in a world where music narrates the tales of myths, heroism, and existential reflections.

Exploring the Depths of Music: A Journey Through Choirs, Myths, and Heroic Tales

The Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg and the Cologne Philharmonie will host a series of captivating musical events in 2026 that delve into timeless themes of myth, tragedy, and consolation. From heroic myths and operatic shockers to the musical reflections on human suffering and end of the world visions, these events promise to provide profound insight into the human condition through the powerful medium of music. Join us as we explore the works of Strauss, Schumann, Brahms, and others, brought to life by world-renowned conductors and performers.

Exploring the Depths of Myth, Tragedy, and Consolation in Music

Embark on a captivating musical journey with the NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchestra as they present a series of riveting performances from February to May 2026. With a repertoire that spans heroic myths, operatic shocks, and Scandinavian influences, this series promises an immersive experience through the masterful interpretations of renowned conductors and performers. Discover the narratives that challenge notions of heroism, delve into Strauss's dramatic 'Elektra,' and explore the rich cultural tapestry of the Baltic Sea region. Each event offers a unique blend of classical compositions and innovative renditions, creating an unforgettable celebration of music and storytelling.

Exploring Epic Narratives: The NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchestra Series

Join us on a captivating journey through orchestral and cultural landscapes as we delve into a series of concerts and recitals spanning February to May 2026. With performances featuring renowned conductors like Andris Nelsons, Alain Altinoglu, and Manfred Honeck, these events bring together creative masterpieces from Mendelssohn to Brahms and beyond. Immerse yourself in the expressive power of music as it paints stories of hope, history, and human experience, while celebrating Jewish culture and exploring themes of peace, reconciliation, and the end of the world.

Exploring the Symphony: A Journey Through Time and Culture

March and May of 2026 are set to be a haven for classical music enthusiasts, with the Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg and the Cologne Philharmonie hosting a series of exceptional performances. Featuring works by Schumann, Tchaikovsky, Brahms, and Schmidt, these events promise to delve deep into the emotional and spiritual realms of choral and oratorio music. With renowned conductors Paavo Järvi, Andrés Orozco-Estrada, and Manfred Honeck at the helm, audiences are in for a journey through the profound landscapes of human emotion and divine imagination.

Harmonizing Souls: Exploring the Depth of Choral and Oratorio Masterpieces

Elbphilharmonie Hamburg is set to host an exciting lineup of concerts that celebrate the rich cultural heritage of the Baltic region and beyond. Featuring renowned artists like Paavo Järvi, Martin Fröst, and Tabita Berglund, these performances promise to deliver a captivating musical experience. From the orchestral triumphs of Tchaikovsky and Sibelius to the choral masterpieces of Schumann, and the Shakespearean inspirations in Prokofiev and Mendelssohn, this season offers a diverse program that reflects both historical and modern influences in music.

Exploring the Sonic Tapestry of the Baltic & Beyond: An Elbphilharmonie Experience

In 2026, Saxony embarks on a cultural journey with a 'Year of Jewish Culture,' commemorating 100 years since the founding of the first Saxon state association of Jewish communities. The celebration is marked by diverse events, including concerts, operas, and choral performances that highlight Jewish heritage and broader artistic themes. From the evocative chamber concert 'Tacheles' in Leipzig to the grand Gastkonzert operas in Dresden, this year promises to touch the hearts of many. Join us as we explore these unique cultural expressions and the talented artists who bring them to life.

Celebrating Centuries: Saxony's Year of Jewish Culture and More

Manfred Honeck

Christina Landshamer

Tareq Nazmi

Patrick Grahl

Maximilian Schmitt

Catriona Morison

Gerrit Illenberger

Elbphilharmonie

MDR Radio Choir

NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchestra

NDR Vocal Ensemble

Jazz is a fascinating genre of music that represents a special attitude to life for many fans. Moreover, jazz is accessible to anyone. The famous pianist Herbie Hancock says, »Jazz has an inclusive spirit,« and that applies to the workshop »Kosmos Jazz« as well: participants don’t need any musical knowledge; they get to know some typical jazz instruments in a relaxed atmosphere, have the chance to try them out, and play their first piece of jazz together at the end.

Workshop: Kosmos Jazz

With their ears pricked up, the participants go through the Elbphilharmonie and capture exciting sounds with their microphone. What sounds can you find in the concert hall when no concerts are being performed? With a tablet together with an app, the participants record sound snippets which they can later edit and arrange into a short piece of music.

Workshop: Kreativ Sound Safari

In the Elbphilharmonie’s Family Orchestra, children, parents, grandparents, uncles and aunts make music together – and each as best he or she can. The dedicated amateur musicians present the result of six months of hard work and rehearsals in a final concert.

Elbphilharmonie Family Orchestra

Elbphilharmonie Hamburg

Insects do not have the best reputation with people. They sting and bite, crawl into corners and crevices and, with their spindly legs and antennae, are simply just disgusting - that is the commonly held perception. At the same time, many insects are extremely important for ecological balance! Beetles, for instance, break up the soil, compost waste, contribute to the pollination of plants and control pests. The band Bad Bugs gives a voice to the oppressed – and fights back against the fact that more and more habitats for insects are being destroyed. With synthesisers, electric guitars and their voices, they bring the »Underground Sound« of the world of bugs onto the stage and musically present their way of looking at things. They do not wish to be repressed any longer! Together with the audience, they transform their environment so that everyone feels comfortable within it, people and animals alike.

Twinkle Concert L / Bad Bugs

Ralph Vaughan Williams’ monumental »Sea Symphony« merges solos, choir and orchestra into an ode to the sea and the longing for distant shores. This symphony is full of indulgent romantic exuberance and yet is far more than just a musical description of nature. It deals with the fundamental questions of human existence, which the American poet Walt Whitman expresses with enormous linguistic power. For him, the sea itself is a symbol – of the innermost self that man can and must discover and explore, just as he explores the sea.

Choir St. Michaelis / Ensemble Reflektor / Jörg Endebrock

On this evening, the Chamber Orchestra of New York presents a varied programme from three eras. Ravel's »Boléro« in particular is one of the most popular works in the orchestral literature. But Tchaikovsky's Rococo Variations and above all Beethoven's 7th Symphony are also extremely popular. The audience can therefore look forward to an exciting concert experience.

Chamber Orchestra of New York / Salvatore Di Vittorio

He is among the absolute pinnacle of the international conducting profession: Franz Welser-Möst, current head of the Cleveland Orchestra, returns to the podium for the final crowning glory of the 2025/2026 season. The former General Music Director of the Vienna State Opera brings with him lively works that celebrate the musical culture of his Austrian homeland – and simply spread good cheer!

NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchestra / Franz Welser-Möst

The Thomanerchor Leipzig can look back on a history of over 800 years. Composers from all eras have written works for the famous choir. The motets by Johann Sebastian Bach, the most famous St Thomas‘ cantor in its long history, are just as much a part of the core repertoire of the Thomanerchor as many choral works by other St Thomas’ cantors. In this concert, the choir presents a cross-section of choral music from all eras, with works by Johann Sebastian Bach, Samuel Scheidt, Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy and contemporary motets by Ivo Antognini, Ko Matsushitas and John Rutter, among others.

St. Thomas Boys' Choir Leipzig

The Hamburg State Orchestra's Philharmonic Concerts become time-plays, transcending the boundaries of the ordinary: This concert features Barbara Assiginaak's compositional interpretation of Max Bruch's sonic imagination – the first movement of his violin concerto is replaced by a new composition by her, inspired by the original. Bruch confronts us today as a mirror of the past and, through Assiginaak, as a part of the here and now. This unabashed musical interplay opens new perspectives on our musical culture, our thinking and being, and our way of receiving music.

Hamburg Philharmonic State Orchestra / Hilary Hahn / Omer Meir Wellber

The Chor zur Welt brings people and songs together from all regions of the world. The roughly 60 amateur singers sing in different languages and with great curiosity about the music of other cultures. Under the direction of Jörg Mall, »Sounds of Silence«, is about the themes of »Endings« and »Beginnings«.

Choir to the world

The world we live in has rarely been as unstable as it is these days. Surrounded by crises and wars, the noticeable shift to the right is increasingly fueling fears for our democracy. If you ask young people on the street how they view their future, the majority answer is: worried. Starting with Antonín Dvořák's Symphony "From the New World," the Philharmonic State Orchestra asks in this concert: If we were allowed to dream, what would our world of tomorrow look like? How would our coexistence be shaped – between people, but also between people and the environment? As part of a one-year, participatory project, the musicians of the Philharmonic State Orchestra, together with students from two schools in Hamburg, are artistically searching for answers. They will present their results in this concert.

Utopia

The Elbphilharmonie’s gamelan collection consists of Indonesian gongs, drums and metalophones – an exotic-sounding collection of instruments that is regularly brought to life by the Elbphilharmonie’s own ensembles. Under the direction of the experienced gamelan teacher Steven Tanoto, the participants encounter hands-on how the gamelan connects people: Indonesian music is never about the individual, but always about the overall harmonic sound. In the final performance, the participants present what they have learned in their weekly rehearsals – how to make music on gongs and metalophones.

Sekar Kenanga – Elbphilharmonie Gamelan Ensemble

The great Austrian repertoire, from Strauss and Strauss to Mahler and Berg, is in the best hands with Manfred Honeck, a native of Vorarlberg. And because the 2026 Hamburg International Music Festival is dedicated to the theme of "The End," Honeck will be performing the most monumental vision of the end of the world by an Austrian composer of the 20th century at the opening concert: Franz Schmidt's setting of the apocalypse, "The Book with Seven Seals." Outstanding singers and choirs are a must here.

Franz Schmidt: The Book with the Seven Seals / Manfred Honeck

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