Echoes of dreams
Under the theme ‘American Dreams’, Sebastian Nordmann, the festival’s new artistic and executive director, makes his mark: honouring tradition while opening the door to fresh perspectives.
As summer slowly takes its leave and the days along Lake Lucerne grow quieter, an exhilarating international event will be taking place. Starting 13 August and ending 13 September, the city will be transformed into a place of musical greatness, with over 120 events in a 32-day period. With a bold programme, artistic and executive director Sebastian Nordmann leads the summer festival for the first time under his own creative direction. The German cultural manager previously served as the long-serving director of the Konzerthaus and Konzert hausorchester Berlin. Exceptionally well connected internationally, Nordmann has created a programmatic blend of artistic excellence and social openness. The creative core will remain as strong as ever, and over 20 symphony orchestras will perform within the month, among them some of the world’s most renowned ensembles. Simultaneously, Nordmann broadens the festival’s profile with new concert formats, accessible opportunities, and international guests from the ‘New World shaping the programme alongside Europe’s leading orchestras.
The Theme ‘American Dreams’ will explore the breadth of American musical history. From Gershwin to Copland, and from minimal music to jazz and film music influences, a panorama emerges that presents classical music as an open and ever-evolving cosmos. The opening concert on 14 August compiles works by George Gershwin and Charles Ives, alongside Steve Reich’s New York Counterpoint. The celebratory finale will be Gershwin’s opera Porgy and Bess, rounding off the festival in impressive fashion; with a symbolically resonant frame for an event illuminating American soundscapes from many different angles. Additionally, numerous works will be performed for the first time at the Lucerne Festival, including Ives’ First Symphony and Copland’s Appalachian Spring.
A page from an orchestral score, serving as the foundation for interpretation and collaboration among the musicians.
New formats and fresh perspectives
- Ouvertüre and Klassik für alle: Open Air open the festival on Thursday, 13 August, with free concerts.
- Mittendrin: In this immersive format, the audience sits among the musicians on stage.
- In den Strassen: City Stage: This street music project brings classical music and more directly into public space.
Stars, anniversaries, and other musical highlights
A particular highlight is the 50th stage anniversary of Anne-Sophie Mutter, who will celebrate her long-standing artistic connection to Lucerne with several programmes. Violinist Augustin Hadelich also marks the festival as ‘artiste étoile’, appearing in four differently conceived performances that showcase his stylistic versatility.
And at the heart of the festival remains the Lucerne Festival Orchestra, which, under the baton of Riccardo Chailly and with guest conductors including Klaus Mäkelä and Jakub Hrůša, shapes programmes and balances classical tradition with American-inflected repertoire.
Meanwhile, new immersive concert formats and open-air experiences offer unexpected perspectives on live performance, welcoming a broad audience to take part.
The festival pushes stylistic boundaries this year with the techno marching band MEUTE, a demonstration of how classical music is increasingly understood as part of a diverse contemporary culture.
In parallel, the Lucerne Festival Academy keeps its gaze firmly on the present: with contemporary projects, 12 world premieres, and experimental sound formats, Lucerne once again becomes a laboratory for new musical ideas in 2026.
The concert hall at KKL Lucerne is renowned for its outstanding acoustics and striking architecture, forming the artistic heart of the Lucerne Festival.
Words Swenja Willms
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