Munich's Bayerisches Staatsorchester brings an eclectic mix of concert experiences, showcasing the rich diversity of orchestral and chamber music. From Thomas Guggeis's noteworthy interpretations to Vladimir Jurowski's compelling storytelling, the events promise a musical journey through time and emotion. With a series of concerts featuring rare symphonic works, intimate chamber performances, and powerful orchestral masterpieces, every musical taste finds its echo in this celebration of artistic expression and historical narratives.

A Symphony of Stories: Celebrating Music and Emotions in Munich

Experience an extraordinary journey through the rich tapestry of music and culture with the Bayerisches Staatsorchester's diverse array of events. From chamber concerts that explore nuanced interpretations of classic works to orchestral performances featuring groundbreaking compositions, this series showcases a remarkable lineup of talented artists and composers. Whether you're captivated by the emotional depth of a symphony or the intricate interplay of a chamber ensemble, these events promise to offer something for every music enthusiast. Join us in celebrating the timeless beauty and transformative power of music.

A Symphony of Events: Unveiling the Rich Tapestry of Music and Culture

The Bayerisches Staatsorchester is set to captivate audiences with a series of chamber and orchestral concerts in 2025. Featuring a wide range of performances from renowned artists, these events highlight the rich tapestry of classical music. From the innovative compositions of Dvořák and Kodály to the powerful symphonic works of Shostakovich and Strauss, each event promises a unique musical journey. With a lineup that includes the talents of Paweł Horodyski, Vladimir Jurowski, and Tarmo Peltokoski, music lovers are in for a treat as they experience the harmonious blend of traditional and contemporary works.

A Symphony of Chamber Music: Exploring Bayerisches Staatsorchester's Diverse Concerts

Munich plays host to a series of enthralling chamber and orchestral concerts organized by the prestigious Bayerisches Staatsorchester, showcasing timeless masterpieces and contemporary creations. From the UN:ERHÖRT Chamber concert to festival chamber performances, each event brings together celebrated artists and transformative music, offering audiences a chance to immerse themselves in diverse soundscapes. With performances spanning across notable venues like the Alte Pinakothek and Munich Residence, this concert series is a true testament to the enduring allure of classical music.

Munich's Musical Reverberations: A Journey Through Chamber and Orchestral Delights

The enchanting world of chamber and orchestral music takes center stage in Munich, 2025, with a series of breathtaking concerts organized by the Bayerisches Staatsorchester. Featuring a broad spectrum of genres and compositions, these events showcase the talents of renowned artists and composers, each bringing their unique flair to the hallowed halls of Munich's grand venues. From the timeless classics of Mozart and Beethoven to the poignant melodies of Shostakovich, this musical journey promises an unforgettable experience for all enthusiasts.

A Symphony of Diversity: Unveiling Munich's Chamber Concert Series

In the heart of Munich, a series of concerts orchestrated by the prestigious Bayerisches Staatsorchester unfolds, offering a rich tapestry of musical experiences. From the poignant symphonies conducted by Vladimir Jurowski, to the intimate chamber music performances by renowned artists, these events promise an exploration of emotion, history, and artistic mastery. Each concert presents a unique narrative, woven through the timeless works of composers like Haydn, Shostakovich, and Mozart. Join us as we delve into the details of these captivating performances set against the backdrop of Munich's iconic venues.

Exploring the Depths of Emotion: A Journey Through Munich's Musical Festivities

The Munich Residence is set to host a captivating series of chamber and orchestral music concerts by the renowned Bayerisches Staatsorchester. From the enchanting notes of Beethoven's Wind Octet to the intriguing compositions of Jörg Widmann, each concert promises a unique auditory experience. Featuring a lineup of exceptional performers, these events offer a deep dive into the world of classical music, providing audiences with an opportunity to engage with masterpieces by Enescu, Mozart, Schumann, and more.

A Melodic Journey: Chamber and Orchestral Marvels at the Munich Residence

The Bavarian State Orchestra has curated an extraordinary lineup of concerts for the 2026 season, showcasing the brilliance of both orchestral and chamber music. From the iconic compositions of Tchaikovsky and Beethoven to modern interpretations by Markus Poschner and Pablo Heras-Casado, these events promise a captivating experience for music enthusiasts. Featuring world-renowned performers like Leonidas Kavakos and Christian Gerhaher, each concert is set against the backdrop of Munich's historic venues, offering an immersive journey through the world of classical music.

A Symphony of Sounds: Unveiling the Bavarian State Orchestra's 2026 Concerts

The Bayerisches Staatsorchester, known for its rich tradition and vibrant performances, presents an eclectic series of events from February to July 2026. With esteemed artists and an array of creative works, the schedule spans chamber music, orchestral concerts, and gala celebrations. Highlights include the introduction of the Hermann Levi Academy's chamber concert, Pablo Heras-Casado conducting for the first time, and a grand gala in honor of Zubin Mehta's 90th birthday. This series not only showcases individual brilliance but also celebrates the enduring legacy of musical maestros.

Bavarian State Orchestra: A Symphony of Events Celebrating Music and Legacy

4th Chamber Concert: Musical Legacy

Allerheiligen-Hofkirche

The Hermann Levi Academy introduces itself

UN:ERHÖRT – Chamber Concert of the Hermann Levi Academy

Alte Pinakothek

His only violin concerto was the first large-scale piece that Pyotr Tchaikovsky began to compose anew after the catastrophe of his misguided marriage. But unlike his Fourth Symphony, also completed during this period (which is on the program of the second Academy Concert of the 2025–26 season), this work contains neither disastrous falls nor motifs of fate, and there is no plot that could be subsumed into the music. Nevertheless, it perhaps subliminally tells of the search for the right place in life, of the relationship of the individual to society. The very choice of the key of D major—the same as in Ludwig van Beethoven's Violin Concerto—signifies a connection to history, and his individual approach to symphonic form testifies to the composer's self-confidence. Leonidas Kavakos, who made his debut with the Bavarian State Orchestra a good ten years ago with Johannes Brahms's Violin Concerto, takes on the solo part. The musical director—for the first time ever at the Bavarian State Opera—is Markus Poschner, one of the most stylistically versatile and curious conductors of our time. With Beethoven's Eroica , he makes a debut that reassesses the work's political message for our times: a debut that raises high expectations.

4th Academy Concert: Markus Poschner

Max-Joseph-Platz

3rd Chamber Concert: Farewell to the Beautiful World

EPSG:4326

Family Chamber Concert

Munich Residence

Under the direction of General Music Director Vladimir Jurowski, the Bavarian State Orchestra will perform three European works from the fin de siècle to the 1920s, which, in their contrasts, reflect the upheavals of the early 20th century. Sergei Rachmaninoff’s symphonic poem The Isle of the Dead , inspired by the haunting gloom of Arnold Böcklin’s painting of the same name, will be contrasted by Maurice Ravel’s Piano Concerto in G major, with which Italian pianist Beatrice Rana will make her Bavarian State Opera debut. The concerto, perfectly formed in classicism, embodies the radiant optimism of the 1920s with elements of blues and jazz. Richard Strauss’ Also Sprach Zarathustra stands between the melancholy of the afterlife and the affirmation of life: first performed in 1896 at the end of the 19th century, this tone poem, rich in contrast and unresolved in its conflicts, already points the way to what is to come. The modernity of the composition, which was expected with suspicion and received with astonishment in its time, is demonstrated not least by its use in Stanley Kubrick's monumental film 2001: A Space Odyssey , which in turn points far into the future.

Guest concert of the Bavarian State Orchestra

Queen Elisabeth Hall

Philharmonie Luxembourg

Cité de la Musique

3rd Academy Concert: Vladimir Jurowski

Festive and contemplative music for Advent and Christmas OperaBrass brings the magic of the Christmas season to life with radiant sound and moving festivity.

Christmas with OperaBrass

St. Michael München

Man and his destiny – that is the theme underlying the sounds of the 2nd Academy Concert 2025–26. Even the opening chords make it clear that Johannes Brahms describes his most personal fears and hopes in his first piano concerto. With this mammoth work in D minor, he shattered all the boundaries that the audience, sworn to classical balance, could have imagined at the premiere in 1859. Pianist Daniil Trifonov is the ideal interpreter like no other today; he makes his debut with the Bavarian State Orchestra with this concerto. For Pyotr Tchaikovsky, any music that did not aspire to "pure tonal play" was program music: music that speaks of emotional stirrings, in which experiences and encounters linger. For his Fourth Symphony, he hinted at what motivated him while composing it: "This is fate, that fatal power which prevents the desire for happiness from reaching its goal, which jealously watches to ensure that well-being and peace are not full and unclouded, which hangs like the sword of Damocles over the head and continually poisons the soul. This power is invincible, and one can never conquer it" – but one should not stop fighting it either. Kirill Petrenko conducts this work for the first time in Munich. The return of our former chief conductor is, as always, eagerly awaited.

2nd Academy Concert: Kirill Petrenko

2nd Chamber Concert: Festive Music for Advent

ATTACCA Concert: Great Romanticism

Bayerische Theaterakademie August Everding

1. Chamber Concert: In memory of the victims of fascism and war

"Dawn over the Moskva" is also the name given to the orchestral prelude to Modest Mussorgsky's opera Khovanshchina . Will it be another gloomy day, or will the skies clear up over the world? Music Director Vladimir Jurowski begins the new concert season of the Music Academy with enchantingly beautiful music from times of turmoil – music full of longing and desire, evoking memories of better days and hope for happier ones. Yves Savary, principal cellist of the Bavarian State Orchestra, performs Dmitri Shostakovich's Second Cello Concerto, which, according to his biography Krzysztof Meyer, is "perhaps the best of all his instrumental concertos," in which one finds "all the characteristics of Shostakovich's symphonic style": "the broad vocal quality, the expansive formal scope, the vitality and movement, as well as the humor and grotesque." Hans Zender, the subtle yet far-sighted composer, virtually invented a new genre in his late work: the "composed interpretation." Using his own compositional means, he quotes, overwrites, counterpoints, and transcends Robert Schumann's Fantasy for Piano Solo, supplemented by a Prelude and two Interludes, into a genuine orchestral work through which Schumann's original—here labeled "Ruins," "Triumphal Arch," and "Starry Night"—repeatedly shines through and blossoms: a magical sonic experience that transcends time and time again.

1st Academy Concert: Vladimir Jurowski

Opera for everyone: BMW Classics Concert

Sportanlage Sendling-Westpark

Chamber Concert Festival: Rezital Blai Gumí Roca

ATTACK Concert

4th Festival Chamber Concert: Trout Quintet

Festival Chamber Concert: Widmann und Mozart

2nd Festival Chamber Concert: Great Piano Quintet

Festival Chamber Concert: Holzbläser-Oktett

Two magnificent orchestral works from two very different periods – Joseph Haydn’s Farewell Symphony and Dmitri D. Shostakovitch’s Symphony No. 8. Both are characterised by a dichotomy of sorrow and rebellion. The members of the royal court orchestra at Esterházy Palace wanted to go home to their families after a long summer season. The Prince, however, would not release them. Haydn struck a subversive note of protest for the welfare of his fellow musicians, by having one instrument after another fall silent and withdraw at the end. The Prince, as lore has it, understood the message and gave in. Shostakovich found the courage not to sing songs of jubilation at the end of the Second World War, but instead lamented the deaths of millions and loss of personal freedom under the Stalinist regime. “All that is dark and ignominious will disappear, all that is beautiful will triumph,” Shostakovich explained in a newspaper article. The dictator heard a threat in the contradiction between the music and the asserted expression, and promptly had all performances of the piece banned. His instinct did not fail him. Today, Shostakovich&#39;s Symphony No. 8 is considered a, “tragedy of the present” (Ivan Martynov), and has lost none of its topicality.

Academy Concert: Vladimir Jurowski

6th Chamber Concert: Polyphony from Five Centuries

Allerheiligen Hofkirche

The programme of the fifth 2024/2025 Academy Concert combines two composers from the German-Austrian late Romantic period, both known for their lavishly lush and at the same time contrapuntally
tight orchestral language, with two from the far north in Finland. In his second symphonic poem,
Richard Strauss expresses the life principle of a man constantly seeking new excitement, who is
driven solely by constant change, until in the end the “fuel is all gone”, and he no longer even resists his departure.

Academy Concert: Tarmo Peltokoski

5th Chamber Concert: Hindemith and Bartók

Dr. Arnold and Emma Bahlmann, DIBAG Industriebau AG, Rolf and Caroli Dienst, Vera and Volker Doppelfeld-Stiftung, Dr. Dierk and Veronika Ernst, Monika and Karl Ertl, Christa Fassbender, Dr. Joachim Feldges, Friends of the Nationaltheater, Dietlinde and Carl-Peter Forster, Oliver and Claudia Götz, Regina Hesselberger, Stefan and Maria Holzhey, Dirk and Marlene Ippen, Christine and Marco Janezic, Dr. Hans-Dieter Koch and Silvie Katalin Varga, Christof Lamberts, LfA Förderbank Bayern, Christiane Link, The Opera Foundation, A+Olivia Rogowski, Schwarz Foundation, Dr. Martin Steinmeyer, Georg and Swantje von Werz, Oliver and Kaori Zipse

Passion Concert

Chamber Concert: Pfitzner und Brahms

Swiss composer Frank Martin extracts six monologue-like passages from Hugo von Hofmannsthal’s reworking of the medieval, “Everyman. The play of the rich man's death”, which traces the psychological development of the title character – from realisation of his impending death to revolt and despair, through to final acceptance of death. Martin’s essentially tonal, but extremely individually enriched music nestles closely with the text, until it fades off consolingly in C major. Anton Bruckner’s Symphony No. 6 is is somewhat overshadowed by its more popular neighbours. The composer, a great admirer of Richard Wagner, pays homage to his idol with a quote from Tristan and Isolde in the finale. Vladimir Jurowski, taking a strictly chronological approach to the Austrian symphonist’s œuvre, interprets this complex, rhythmically striking piece, described by its composer as the “perkiest” of his symphonies, which will now be performed for only the fourth time in the history of the Musical Academy.

UN:ERHÖRT - Chamber concert of the Hermann-Levi-Akademie

Chamber Concert: Wind Quintets from Two Centuries

The young conductor Thomas Guggeis, having sensationally jumped in for his mentor Daniel Barenboim in Berlin and now the General Music Director at the Oper Frankfurt, makes his “academic” debut with the Bayerisches Staatsorchester and presents us a symphonic rarity. Alexander Zemlinsky’s Fantasia for Orchestra, Die Seejungfrau (The Mermaid – based on Hans Christian Andersen’s fairytale), conducted by the composer at its 1905 world premiere in Vienna. The composer’s unhappy relationship with his pupil Alma Schindler, who after a passionate affair left him for Gustav Mahler, is reflected in this powerfully sonorous portrayal of the mermaid’s fate. Perhaps because of this personal background, Zemlinsky decided not to perform the piece. It was thought to be lost and was not performed for almost seventy years. Mendelssohn’s Overture to the Fair Melusine is also based on the world of water spirits and tells the story of a close relative of the mermaid. Aigul Akhmetshina also sings of the coming and going of love. Ernest Chausson’s Poème de l’amour et de la mer op. 19 links the story of a love affair with the atmosphere of the sea.

Academy Concert: Thomas Guggeis

All peace is followed by war, behind all happiness awaits disaster. Tragedy also shares this universal view, and in his grand opera “Les Troyens”, Hector Berlioz presents it in the face of two women: Cassandra and Dido lose their personal happiness, as it has no place in the struggle between the peoples and heroes, and ultimately lose their life. In the first part of “The Trojans” the seeress Cassandra proclaims the fall of Troy. Being the only one to do so, none believe her. With her entire people, she falls victim to the Greeks’ stratagem. In the second part, Berlioz puts Dido, Queen of Carthage, at the centre of the piece. Her love for the Trojan hero Aeneas turns to hate when he leaves her to found a new Troy.  Berlioz wrote the libretto loosely based on Vergil’s Aeneid. He went his own way with the music, which was never performed in its entirety while the composer lived, to produce grand opéra, spectacular choirs and ballets, along with new form experiments. Les Troyens remains a challenge for musical theatre to this day, and is indeed one of the monumental conceptual pieces of the previous century.

Les Troyens

Nationaltheater

Concert by the Opera Studio of the Bavarian State Opera and the Hermann Levi Academy of the Bavarian State Orchestra

The Spanish conductor Pablo Heras-Casada, principal guest conductor of the Teatro Real in Madrid, will be conducting the Bavarian State Orchestra for the first time and will present Hector Berlioz's orchestral songs Les Nuits d'été, Op. 7. Christian Gerhaher will perform the vocal part in this romantic, wistful song cycle, marked by farewells, which was never performed in its entirety during the composer's lifetime. He last appeared in this context exactly ten years ago, at the 5th Academy Concert in 2016 under the direction of Kirill Petrenko. The concert will then be followed by a work with a twenty-year history of composition: Johannes Brahms began drafts for a symphony as early as 1854, but he wrote doubtfully to Hermann Levi: "You have no idea how we feel when we always hear such a giant (meaning Beethoven) marching behind us." The composer was not satisfied with his own work until he was 43; Symphony No. 1 in C minor, Op. 68, was premiered in Karlsruhe in 1876 (the same year as Richard Wagner's Ring of the Nibelung in Bayreuth).

5th Academy Concert: Pablo Heras-Casado

5. Chamber Concert: Time Stands Still

Sebastian Weigle is already a familiar name at the Munich National Theater, having performed in numerous operatic performances. With The Love of Danae, the internationally sought-after artist recently rehearsed his first new production at the Bavarian State Opera, and now he is conducting an Academy concert for the first time. The program features two orchestral works whose virtuosity and richness of color showcase the instrumental talent of an orchestra in every respect: Modest Mussorgsky's only original orchestral composition, A Night on Bald Mountain, a wild witches' sabbath, and Camille Saint-Saëns 's Organ Symphony   , in which the State Opera's new organ is able to unfold its splendor. In the fine tradition of the Bavarian State Orchestra of introducing its soloists in the Academy Concerts, principal trumpeter Johannes Moritz will interpret the Trumpet Concerto by Alexander Arutiunyan: a truly spectacular piece in which the Armenian composer combines elements of his homeland's folk music with late-Romantic, luxuriant harmonies and French flair – a captivating discovery.

6th Academy Concert: Sebastian Weigle

Gala concert for Zubin Mehta's 90th birthday

6. Chamber Concert: Depths of Passion

Soloists of the Bavarian State Opera and the Bavarian State Opera Choir

Festival service

1st Festival Chamber Concert: Recital Marlene Gomes

2nd Festival Chamber Concert: Strauss' Merry Workshop

3rd Festival Chamber Concert: Polyphonic with Vocals

1st Festival Baroque Concert

OperaBrass invites you: ten brass players, great works and the greatest joy of playing – to marvel, smile and dream

Festival Night Concert: Just Brass

4th Festival Chamber Concert: Rheingold Quartet

Soundscapes of Cinema: Great film music from classical and modern times with works by John Williams, Richard Strauss, Edward Elgar, Samuel Barber and others.

Festival Concert ATTACCA: Everything Is Possible

Gasteig HP8

Works by Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach, Georg Friedrich Händel, Antonio Vivaldi and others

Bayerisches Staatsorchester

Mar 27, 2026

Passion Concert

17 - 18 Apr, 2026

5th Academy Concert: Pablo Heras-Casado

Apr 26, 2026

5. Chamber Concert: Time Stands Still

May 18, 2026

6th Academy Concert: Sebastian Weigle

May 30, 2026

Gala concert for Zubin Mehta's 90th birthday

Mar 15, 2026

4th Chamber Concert: Musical Legacy

Feb 23 - Jun 8, 2026

UN:ERHÖRT – Chamber Concert of the Hermann Levi Academy

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