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

Brahms and Buniatishvili – a truly divine combination. The openness and timelessness inherent in the broad outlines of Johannes Brahms's Second Piano Concerto meet in Khatia Buniatishvili an interpreter who considers freedom the highest good: "It's as if you're in a trance, alone with the piano, simply following the music and suddenly feeling a great harmony within. The freedom of interpretation goes hand in hand with the freedom from yourself," she once described her ideal state. Artist and private person, orchestra and soloist, musical text and sound merge in this way into an inseparable unity. This can succeed when you understand your musical partners as seamlessly as the Parisian does with the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, which unpacks its vast array of tonal colors in the second half of the concert with Debussy's "Images" for orchestra and its famous middle section, "Ibéria."

Orchestra of French-speaking Switzerland / Khatia Buniatishvili / Jonathan Nott

Elbphilharmonie Hamburg

Rolando Villazón is not only one of the leading singers in the classical world, but also an enthusiastic Mozart interpreter. In his ProArte concert, the star tenor will treat the audience to a feast of Viennese Classicism with arias, scenes, and instrumental works from the Salzburg genius's most famous operas. Of course, numbers from The Magic Flute, Idomeneo, and La clemenza di Tito are not to be missed. The young musicians of the PRJCT Amsterdam ensemble dedicate themselves to their interpretations of these masterpieces with renewed passion. As one of the most sensational new ensembles, the ensemble for early music, founded by Maarten Engeltjes, has been conquering the music scene since 2017 and can now be found on many of the major stages with its diverse programming and exciting concert projects with renowned soloists.

Rolando Villazón / PRJCT Amsterdam

An album of film music arrangements, the major cello concertos of the repertoire, chamber music with friends, and Persian music with his father: Kian Soltani is an incredibly versatile artist. At the beginning of his meteoric career, he won the highly endowed Paulo Competition in Finland with Witold Lutosławski's Cello Concerto – now he will perform the demanding work in the third of his residency concerts at the Elbphilharmonie, accompanied by the Iceland Symphony Orchestra.

Iceland Symphony Orchestra / Kian Soltani / Eva Ollikainen

There are works that endure for centuries without aging: Johann Sebastian Bach's "Well-Tempered Clavier" is one such work. Especially when a sound perfectionist like Pierre-Laurent Aimard sits at the piano and breathes new life into the almost 300-year-old music. The Frenchman played the first part in Hamburg in 2015, and now, 10 years later, he returns with the second.

Pierre-Laurent Aimard / Piano Recital

"A sound party that sounds like Beethoven on speed later on," said the "Stuttgarter Zeitung" after the premiere of Alex Paxton's "How to eat your sexuality" in February 2025. Never overly intellectual, but rather completely direct, wild and colorful, the three-part work by the successful Brit comes across, whose music the "New York Times" not without reason described as "the most cheerful sound in a long time." 

New Vocal Soloists / Klangforum Wien / Vimbayi Kaziboni

It is the first courtroom drama in history. In Johann Sebastian Bach’s St John Passion, Jesus stands before Pontius Pilate to answer for his actions while the Jews gathered outside demand his death. The St Thomas cantor created a gripping tragedy from the sparse Gospel, which is still one of the most dramaturgically effective works in music history. Bach translated the almost scenic plot into vivid tonal colours. The orchestral prelude opens the inexorable sequence of capture, condemnation and crucifixion with disturbing dissonances, before leading into an enchanting choral movement in praise of God.

Bach: Johannes-Passion / Klaas Stok

The Hamburg State Orchestra's Philharmonic Concerts become time-plays, transcending the boundaries of the ordinary. This concert features Sally Beamish's compositional exploration of Mozart's rules – the second and third movements of his Sinfonia concertante are replaced by new compositions by her, inspired by the original. Mozart encounters us today as a mirror of the past and, through Beamish, as a part of the here and now. This unabashed musical play opens new perspectives on our musical culture, our thinking and being, and our way of receiving music.

Hamburg Philharmonic State Orchestra / Konradin Seitzer / Aziz Shokhakimov

She is passionate about the works of her Scandinavian homeland: Norwegian conductor Tabita Berglund. At 36 years old, she has already conducted many of the world's most important orchestras – but the trained cellist has never before appeared as a guest with the NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchestra. The newly appointed Principal Guest Conductor of the Dresden Philharmonic is now celebrating her Hamburg debut with arguably Finland's biggest symphonic hit: Jean Sibelius' Second Symphony. "Like a river of small streams" – as the composer once described his organic compositional technique – in this piece, one theme after another grows from a simple three-note motif, culminating in the broad melodic flow of the triumphant finale. Immediately after its premiere in 1902, the work became a model for many other Scandinavian composers – and to this day, no other symphony by Sibelius has been able to surpass the popularity of this Second Symphony, which brilliantly bridges the gap between Romantic tradition and innovation.

NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchestra / Tabita Berglund

She is passionate about the works of her Scandinavian homeland: Norwegian conductor Tabita Berglund. At 36 years old, she has already conducted many of the world's most important orchestras – but the trained cellist has never before performed with the NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchestra. The newly appointed Principal Guest Conductor of the Dresden Philharmonic literally extends a warm welcome ("Velkomne med æra") to Hamburg with one of her Norwegian compatriots who is relatively unknown here: Like Edvard Grieg in his time, the composer Geirr Tveitt, who died in 1981, was also interested in the folk songs surrounding his home on the Hardangerfjord and arranged them atmospherically for orchestra in his "One Hundred Folk Songs from Hardanger," Op. 151.

NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchestra / Alexander Melnikov / Tabita Berglund

These three internationally renowned exceptional artists share a passion for music in an impressive way that promises an evening of chamber music at the highest level: Israeli soprano Chen Reiss, known for her interpretative depth and stylistic versatility in the song repertoire, meets Sharon Kam, born in Crimea, whose innovative clarinet artwork bridges the gap between tradition and contemporary sounds. Completing this trio on the piano is the versatile Israeli-born pianist and professor of transcultural music education Yael Kareth. The individual mastery and harmonious interplay of these artists promise a great and emotional evening.

Chen Reiss / Sharon Kam / Yarel Kareth

What could be a better start to Lent than a spectacular performance of Verdi's Requiem? Star conductor Gianandrea Noseda and the Zurich Opera Orchestra are a well-rehearsed team in the pit, using their sensitivity for dramatic situations to bring this operatic work to its full impact. They are supported not only by the collective large choir but also by a line-up of soloists of international caliber.

Verdi: Requiem Mass / Gianandrea Noseda

Gianandrea Noseda and the Zurich Opera Orchestra – a well-rehearsed team, masterfully skilled at the intense portrayal of powerful emotions and supporting famous voices. Together with star soprano Regula Mühlemann, they present a collage of Passion-themed works at the Elbphilharmonie this Easter, focusing on the figure of the suffering Mother of God.

Orchester der Oper Zürich / Regula Mühlemann / Gianandrea Noseda

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

Articles & News