Lucerne Festival opens up new perspectives on the concert experience
2026.09.04
The first summer festival under the leadership of Sebastian Nordmann, the new Executive and Artistic Director, will explore the theme “American Dreams,” featuring more than 120 events across 32 days, from 13 August to 13 September. Nordmann’s programming preserves the artistic core of Switzerland’s largest classical music festival while continuing to advance its profile: leading international soloists and orchestras form the basis of the concert calendar, with 20 symphony orchestras appearing within the span of a single month. The Lucerne Festival Orchestra presents six evening concerts as well as two “Classical Music for All: 40min” events. The Lucerne Festival Academy is led for the first time by its new Artistic Director, the composer, clarinetist, and conductor Jörg Widmann. This year’s “artiste étoile” is violinist Augustin Hadelich, who will appear in four concerts, while Mark Andre serves as composer-in-residence.
