Festivals

Daniel Harding leads a splendid account of Die Schöpfung in Salzburg

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AustriaAustria Salzburg Easter Festival 2026 [2] – Haydn: Hanna-Elisabeth Müller (soprano), Andrew Staples (tenor), Konstantin Krimmel (baritone), Bavarian Radio Chorus (director: Peter Dijkstra), Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra / Daniel Harding (conductor). Grosses Festspielhaus, Salzburg, 5.4.2026. (MB)

[l-r, front] Andrew Staples (tenor), Hanna-Elisabeth Müller (soprano) and Konstantin Krimmel (baritone) © Monika Rittershaus

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Attention to detail makes Baden-Baden Lohengrin a festive occasion

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GermanyGermany 2026 Baden-Baden Easter Festival – Wagner, Lohengrin:  Soloists; Czech Philharmonic Choir of Brno, Vienna Philharmonia Chorus, Mahler Chamber Orchestra / Joanna Mallwitz (conductor). Festspielhaus Baden-Baden, 31.3.2026. (DM-D)

Lohengrin Act III: Rachel Willis-Sørensen (Elsa) and Piotr Beczała (Lohengrin) © Martin Sigmund

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Kirill Petrenko’s outstanding Salzburg performance of Mahler’s Eighth sweeps all before it

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AustriaAustria Salzburg Easter Festival 2026 [1] – Mahler: Jacquelyn Wagner, Sarah Wegener, Liv Redpath (sopranos), Beth Taylor, Fleur Barron (mezzo-sopranos), Benjamin Bruns (tenor), Gihoon Kim (baritone), Le Bu (bass), Berlin Radio Chorus (director: Justus Barleben), Salzburg Bach Choir (director: Michael Schneider), Salzburg Festival and Theatre Children’s Choir (directors: Wolfgang Götz and Regina Sgier), Tölz Boys’ Choir (director: Marco Barbon), Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra / Kirill Petrenko (conductor). Grosses Festspielhaus, Salzburg, 3.4.2026. (MB)

Mahler’s Eighth Symphony at the Salzburg Easter Festival 2026 © Monika Rittershaus

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Berlin Festtage’s new Verdi Un ballo fails to ignite. Blame the director (partly)

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GermanyGermany Berlin Festtage 2026 [3] – Verdi, Un ballo in maschera: Soloists, Staatsopernchor Berlin, Staatskapelle Berlin / Enrique Mazzola (conductor). Staatsoper Unter den Linden, Berlin, 1.4.2026. (SRT)

Charles Castronovo (Riccardo) and Anna Netrebko (Amelia) © Stephan Rabold

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A Festtage Der Rosenkavalier in Berlin that left me in pieces

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GermanyGermany Berlin Festtage 2026 [1]: Richard Strauss, Der Rosenkavalier: Soloists, Children’s Choir of the Staatsoper Unter den Linden (chorus director: Vinzenz Weissenburger), Staatsopernchor Berlin (chorus director: Gerhard Polifka), Staatskapelle Berlin / Christian Thielemann (conductor). Staatsoper Unter den Linden, Berlin, 31.3.2026. (SRT)

Staatsoper Unter den Linden’s Der Rosenkavalier (previous performance) © Ruth Walz

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