In 2025, the biennial Gewandhaus Festival is dedicated to Dmitri Shostakovich. To mark the 50th anniversary of Shostakovich’s death, the Gewandhausorchester, Boston Symphony Orchestra and the Festival Orchestra will perform the Russian composer’s entire symphonic and concerto oeuvres. World-class artists will perform in the extensive chamber music series. Plus audiences will be treated to two performances of the opera Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk at the Oper Leipzig.

This annual festival honours the most famous cantor of St Thomas Church, Johann Sebastian Bach. Highlights are the concerts with the Thomanerchor in St Thomas Church, where Bach is buried. In 2025, the theme is Transformation with a programme that highlights transformation processes in Bach’s oeuvre. Audiences will be treated to works that Bach created in the style of different European preferences, as well as rearranged compositions.

In Leipzig, November 4 is Mendelssohn Day and the city will honour the anniversary of the composer’s death with talks, lectures, guided tours and performances. For the first time, the festival will be opened by a female conductor, Gemma New. The principal conductor of the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra will lead the Gewandhausorchester and members of the Mendelssohn Orchestra Academy as they perform Mendelssohn’s Symphony No. 3.

Composer Albert Lortzing is the focus of the Leipzig Opera Festival 2026, marking both the 225th anniversary of his birth and 175th anniversary of his death. Lortzing is regarded as the main representative of German theatre opera. He not only premiered many of his operas in Leipzig, but he also appeared on stage in the city as an actor and singer.

The music director of the Boston Symphony Orchestra and Gewandhauskapellmeister will lead three performances by both the BSO and the Gewandausorchester. In a special collaboration for the festival period only, the two orchestras will play together for three concerts, also with Nelsons at the helm.

One of the most exciting conductors of her generation, Anna Rakitina has performed with the Chicago, Boston and San Francisco orchestras, the New York Philharmonic and many more. Rakitina joins Andris Nelsons to lead both the BSO and the Gerwandhausorchester as they perform Shostokovich’s entire symphonic and concerto oeuvres.

Described by The Times as ‘the most astounding pianist of our time’, this Russian artist has performed as a soloist with the world’s greatest orchestras. He will be appearing throughout the festival, including at the opening performance on 15 May 2025.

Enter 2025 with the spirit of music at the Leipzig Gewandhaus Concert Hall where the Gewandhausorchester will perform Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9. Priced from €689, the trip includes three nights’ accommodation, plus breakfast. Also included is one ticket to the Grand Concert at the Turn of the Year, followed by a party at Hotel Michaelis.

Experience a truly special Easter weekend as the Gewandhausorchester and the Thomanerchor perform Bach’s St Matthew Passion. See the city on a musical tour and enjoy Bach’s Mass in B Minor at the Gewandhaus Concert Hall on Easter Sunday. Priced from €445, the trip includes three nights’ accommodation, plus breakfast, and tickets to see the St Matthew Passion and B Minor Mass.

Journey to Leipzig as the city celebrates Russian composer Shostakovich. Included in the price (from €399): two nights’ accommodation, plus breakfast, admission to the Bach Museum and dinner at the historic restaurant Barthels Hof. Tickets for a selection of concerts during the festival are additional.

In 2025, the biennial Gewandhaus Festival is dedicated to Dmitri Shostakovich. To mark the 50th anniversary of Shostakovich’s death, the Gewandhausorchester, Boston Symphony Orchestra and the Festival Orchestra will perform the Russian composer’s entire symphonic and concerto oeuvres. World-class artists will perform in the extensive chamber music series. Plus audiences will be treated to two performances of the opera Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk at
the Oper Leipzig.

This annual festival honours the most famous cantor of St Thomas Church, Johann Sebastian Bach. Highlights are the concerts with the Thomanerchor in St Thomas Church, where Bach is buried. In 2025, the theme is Transformation with a programme that highlights transformation processes in Bach’s oeuvre. Audiences will be treated to works that Bach created in the style of different European preferences, as well as rearranged compositions.

In Leipzig, November 4 is Mendelssohn Day and the city will honour the anniversary of the composer’s death with talks, lectures, guided tours and performances. For the first time, the festival will be opened by a female conductor, Gemma New. The principal conductor of the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra will lead the Gewandhausorchester and members of the Mendelssohn Orchestra Academy as they perform Mendelssohn’s Symphony No. 3.

Composer Albert Lortzing is the focus of the Leipzig Opera Festival 2026, marking both the 225th anniversary of his birth and 175th anniversary of his death. Lortzing is regarded as the main representative of German theatre opera. He not only premiered many of his operas in Leipzig, but he also appeared on stage in the city as an actor and singer.

The music director of the Boston Symphony Orchestra and Gewandhauskapellmeister will lead three performances by both the BSO and the Gewandausorchester. In a special collaboration for the festival period only, the two orchestras will play together for three concerts, also with Nelsons at the helm.

One of the most exciting conductors of her generation, Anna Rakitina has performed with the Chicago, Boston and San Francisco orchestras, the New York Philharmonic and many more. Rakitina joins Andris Nelsons to lead both the BSO and the Gerwandhausorchester as they perform Shostokovich’s entire symphonic and concerto oeuvres.

Described by The Times as ‘the most astounding pianist of our time’, this Russian artist has performed as a soloist with the world’s greatest orchestras. He will be appearing throughout the festival, including at the opening performance on 15 May 2025.

Enter 2025 with the spirit of music at the Leipzig Gewandhaus Concert Hall where the Gewandhausorchester will perform Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9. Priced from €689, the trip includes three nights’ accommodation, plus breakfast. Also included is one ticket to the Grand Concert at the Turn of the Year, followed by a party at
Hotel Michaelis.

Experience a truly special Easter weekend as the Gewandhausorchester and the Thomanerchor perform Bach’s St Matthew Passion. See the city on a musical tour and enjoy Bach’s Mass in B Minor at the Gewandhaus Concert Hall on Easter Sunday. Priced from €445, the trip includes three nights’ accommodation, plus breakfast, and tickets to see the St Matthew Passion and B Minor Mass.

Journey to Leipzig as the city celebrates Russian composer Shostakovich. Included in the price (from €399): two nights’ accommodation, plus breakfast, admission to the Bach Museum and dinner at the historic restaurant Barthels Hof. Tickets for a selection of concerts during the festival are additional.

In 2025, the biennial Gewandhaus Festival is dedicated to Dmitri Shostakovich. To mark the 50th anniversary of Shostakovich’s death, the Gewandhausorchester, Boston Symphony Orchestra and the Festival Orchestra will perform the Russian composer’s entire symphonic and concerto oeuvres. World-class artists will perform in the extensive chamber music series. Plus audiences will be treated to two performances of the opera Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk at
the Oper Leipzig.

This annual festival honours the most famous cantor of St Thomas Church, Johann Sebastian Bach. Highlights are the concerts with the Thomanerchor in St Thomas Church, where Bach is buried. In 2025, the theme is Transformation with a programme that highlights transformation processes in Bach’s oeuvre.
Audiences will be treated to works that Bach created in the style of different European preferences, as well as rearranged compositions.

In Leipzig, November 4 is Mendelssohn Day and the city will honour the anniversary of the composer’s death with talks, lectures, guided tours and performances. For the first time, the festival will be opened by a female conductor, Gemma New. The principal conductor of the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra will lead the Gewandhausorchester and members of the Mendelssohn Orchestra Academy
as they perform Mendelssohn’s Symphony No. 3.

Composer Albert Lortzing is the focus of the Leipzig Opera Festival 2026, marking both the 225th anniversary of his birth and 175th anniversary of his death. Lortzing is regarded as the main representative of German theatre opera. He not only premiered many of his operas in Leipzig, but he also appeared on stage in the city as an actor and singer.

The music director of the Boston Symphony Orchestra and Gewandhauskapellmeister will lead three performances by both the BSO and the Gewandausorchester. In a special collaboration for the festival period only, the two orchestras will play together for three concerts, also with Nelsons at the helm.

One of the most exciting conductors of her generation, Anna Rakitina has performed with the Chicago, Boston and San Francisco orchestras, the New York Philharmonic and many more. Rakitina joins Andris Nelsons to lead both the BSO and the Gerwandhausorchester as they perform Shostokovich’s entire symphonic and concerto oeuvres.

Described by The Times as ‘the most astounding pianist of our time’, this Russian artist has performed as a soloist with the world’s greatest orchestras. He will be appearing throughout the festival, including at the opening performance on 15 May 2025.

Enter 2025 with the spirit of music at the Leipzig Gewandhaus Concert Hall where the Gewandhausorchester will perform Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9. Priced from €689, the trip includes three nights’ accommodation, plus breakfast. Also included is one ticket to the Grand Concert at the Turn of the Year, followed by a party at Hotel Michaelis.

Experience a truly special Easter weekend as the Gewandhausorchester and the Thomanerchor perform Bach’s St Matthew Passion. See the city on a musical tour and enjoy Bach’s Mass in B Minor at the Gewandhaus Concert Hall on Easter Sunday. Priced from €445, the trip includes three nights’ accommodation, plus breakfast, and tickets to see the St Matthew Passion and B Minor Mass.

Journey to Leipzig as the city celebrates Russian composer Shostakovich. Included in the price (from €399): two nights’ accommodation, plus breakfast, admission to the Bach Museum and dinner at the historic restaurant Barthels Hof. Tickets for a selection of concerts during the festival are additional.