Munich Philharmonic

The Munich Philharmonic was founded in 1893 through the private initiative of Franz Kaim, the son of a piano manufacturer. Since then, the orchestra has left an indelible imprint on Munich’s cultural life under the leadership of renowned conductors. In the orchestra’s earliest years – initially under the name »Kaim Orchestra« – conductors like Hans Winderstein, Hermann Zumpe and the Bruckner pupil Ferdinand Löwe guaranteed both a high technical standard of performance and enthusiastic support of contemporary artistry. Right from the outset, their artistic concept included the effort to structure programs and prices to allow access to the concerts by all levels of society. Felix Weingartner, who directed the orchestra from 1898 to 1905, enhanced its international reputation with several tours to other countries.

Gustav Mahler directed the orchestra in 1901 and 1910 at the respective world premières of his Fourth and Eighth Symphonies. In November of 1911, the orchestra, then called the »Konzertverein Orchestra« performed the world première of Mahler’s »Das Lied von der Erde« (The Song of the Earth) under Bruno Walter’s direction – only six months after the composer’s death in Vienna.

In 2018/19, the Munich Philharmonic celebrated its 125th anniversary. In October 2021, the Munich Philharmonic inaugurated the Isarphilharmonie – the orchestra’s new home and concert hall while the Gasteig is being renovated. The hall was designed by architects »Gerkan, Marg und Partner«, with the acoustics designed by Yasuhisa Toyota and his company Nagata Acoustics. True to the Munich Philharmonics’ new motto, »Being approachable and breaking new ground«, the orchestra is expanding its festival programme and will create new points of access for audiences with formats such as »mphil late« and »Wandelkonzerte« to be held regularly from now on.

In February 2023, the Munich Philharmonic appointed Lahav Shani as its principal conductor. Even before taking up his post officially in September 2026, he will conduct six different programmes in the 2024/25 season under the motto »Dreams«, both in Munich and on tour. The Munich Philharmonic’s concerts at Klassik am Odeonsplatz will also take place under his baton.

Program and cast

May 17, 2025 & May 18, 2025
Conductor: Giedrė Šlekytė
Soprano: Chen Reiss

Program
Franz Schreker
Vom ewigen Leben for Soprano and Orchestra

Raminta Šerkšnytė
Midsummer Song

Richard Strauss
Selected Orchestral Songs

 - Interval -

Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy
Symphony No. 3 in A minor, Op. 56 "Scottish"

May 21, 2025 & May 22, 2025
Conductor: Zubin Mehta
Oboe: Marie-Luise Modersohn
Bassoon: Raffaele Giannotti
Violin: Naoka Aoki
Cello: Floris Mijnders

Program
Joseph Haydn
Sinfonia Concertante for Oboe, Bassoon, Violin, Cello, and Orchestra in B-flat major, Hob. I:105

 - Interval -

Gustav Mahler
Symphony No. 5 in Five Movements for Large Orchestra

June 6, 2025 & June 7, 2025
Conductor: Lahav Shani
Violin: Leonidas Kavakos

Program
György Ligeti
Atmosphères

Igor Stravinsky
Violin Concerto in D major

 - Interval -

Johannes Brahms
Symphony No. 2 in D major, Op. 73

June 13, 2025 & June 14, 2025
Conductor: Andris Nelsons
Soprano: Rachel Willis-Sørensen

Program
Claude Debussy
Prélude to "The Afternoon of a Faun"

Richard Wagner
Wesendonck Lieder for Voice and Orchestra

 - Interval -

Hector Berlioz
Symphonie fantastique, Op. 14

June 26, 2025 & June 29, 2025
Conductor: Gustavo Gimeno
Piano: Kyohei Sorita
Preparation: Andreas Herrmann
Women’s Choir of the Munich Philharmonic Choir

Program
Sergei Rachmaninoff
Piano Concerto No. 3 in D minor, Op. 30

 - Interval -

Gustav Holst
The Planets, Op. 32

July 2, 2025 & July 3, 2025
Conductor: Andrés Orozco-Estrada
Violin: Hilary Hahn

Program
Johannes Brahms
Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 77

 - Interval -

Antonín Dvořák
Symphony No. 9 in E minor, Op. 95 "From the New World"

9 and 10 September 2025

Programme

Edward Elgar: Cello concerto in E minor, Op 85

Franz Schubert: Symphony No 7 in B minor, D 759, Unfinished Symphony

Richard Wagner: Prelude and Isoldes Liebestod from Tristan und Isolde

27 and 28 September 2025

Programme

Edvard Grieg: Peer Gynt Suite No 1, Op 46

Sergei Prokofiev: Piano Concerto No 3 in C major, Op 26

Antonín Dvořák: Symphony No 8 in G major, Op 88

8 and 9 October 2025

Programme

Rodolphe Bruneau-Boulmier: Caída libre (world premiere, commissioned by the Munich Philharmonic)

Hector Berlioz: Les Nuits d’été for solo voice and orchestra, Op 7

Claude Debussy: La Mer

Hector Berlioz: Le Corsaire, Op 21

17, 18,19 October 2025

Higdon / Gershwin / CoplandCristian Măcelaru (conductor), Rudolf Buchbinder (piano)

Programme

Jennifer Higdon: Fanfare Ritmico

George Gershwin: Concerto in F, for piano and orchestra in F major

Aaron Copland: Symphony No 3

24,25 October 2025

Berio / DebussyMatthias Pintscher (conductor), vocal ensemble Cantando Admont

Programme

Luciano Berio: Sinfonia for eight voices and orchestra

Claude Debussy: Images for orchestra

Vocal ensemble Cantando Admont (rehearsed by Cordula Bürgi)

29,30 October 2025

Clyne / Schubert – Berio / HaydnRiccardo Minasi (conductor)

Programme

Anna Clyne: Sound and Fury for chamber orchestra

Franz Schubert / Luciano Berio: Rendering for orchestra

Michael Haydn: Requiem in C minor (Missa pro defuncto Archiepiscopo Sigismondo) MH 155, Schrattenbach Requiem

With

Soprano: Camilla Tilling

Mezzo-soprano: Xenia Puskarz Thomas

Tenor: Siyabonga Maqungo

Bass: Andrew Foster-Williams

Rehearsal: Andreas Herrmann

Munich Philharmonic Choir

Conductor: Riccardo Minasi

14 November 2025

Rachmaninoff / Shostakovich / Borodin1st Spielfeld Klassik Youth Concert

Programme

Sergei Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto No 2 in C minor, Op 18

Dmitri Shostakovich: Excerpts from the suite to Moscow, Cheryomushki

Alexander Borodin: Symphony No 2 in B minor

With

Conductor: Santtu-Matias Rouvali

Piano: Kirill Gerstein

Narrator: Malte Arkona

15,16 November 2025

Rachmaninoff / Shostakovich / BorodinSanttu-Matias Rouvali (conductor), Kirill Gerstein (piano)

Programme

Sergei Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto No 2 in C minor, Op 18

Dmitri Shostakovich: Excerpts from the suite to Moscow, Cheryomushki

Alexander Borodin: Symphony No 2 in B minor

20, 22 November 2025

Mendelssohn / TchaikovskyTugan Sokhiev (conductor), Lucas and Arthur Jussen (piano)

Programme

Felix Mendelssohn: The Hebrides, concert overture, Op 26

Felix Mendelssohn: Concerto for Two Pianos and Orchestra No 1 in E major

Pyotr I. Tchaikovsky: Symphony No 4 in F minor, Op 36

21 November 2025

Mendelssohn / TchaikovskyUniversity and U30s concert with Tugan Sokhiev (conductor), Lucas and Arthur Jussen (piano)

Programme

Felix Mendelssohn: The Hebrides, concert overture, Op 26

Felix Mendelssohn: Concerto for Two Pianos and Orchestra No 1 in E major

Pyotr I. Tchaikovsky: Symphony No 4 in F minor, Op 36

5,6 December 2025

Rossini / Schubert / BeethovenHan-Na Chang (conductor), Anastasia Kobekina (cello)

Programme

Gioachino Rossini: Overture to Guillaume Tell

Franz Schubert: Arpeggione Sonata in A minor D 821 (arranged for cello and orchestra by Antonio Tusa)

Ludwig van Beethoven: Symphony No 4 in B-flat major, Op 60

10,11,12 December 2025

Márquez / Ortiz / Falla / RavelPaolo Bortolameolli (conductor), María Dueñas (violin)

Programme

Arturo Márquez: Danzón No 8

Gabriela Ortiz: Altar de cuerda, violin concerto (German premiere)

Manuel de Falla: El sombrero de tres picos (The Three-Cornered Hat) from suites No 1 and No 2

Maurice Ravel: Boléro, ballet for orchestra

19, 20, 21 December

Gabrieli / Gardiner / Stravinsky / Tartini / HaydnLahav Shani (conductor), Guido Segers (trumpet)

Programme

Giovanni Gabrieli: Sonata pian’ e forte from Sacrae Symphoniae

Henry Balfour Gardiner: Evening Hymn (arranged for choir and orchestra by Lahav Shani)

Igor Stravinsky: Symphony of Psalms for choir and orchestra

Giuseppe Tartini: Concerto for trumpet, strings and basso continuo in D major

Joseph Haydn: Symphony No 92 in G major, Hob. I:92, Oxford

With

Conductor: Lahav Shani

Trumpet: Guido Segers

Rehearsal: Andreas Herrmann

Munich Philharmonic Choir

9, 10 January 2026

MozartAndrea Marcon (conductor), Julia Lezhneva (soprano)

Programme

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Overture to The Marriage of Figaro, K 492

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Ei parte … senti … ah no! – Per pietà, ben mio, perdona, recitative and aria of Fiordiligi from Così fan tutte, K 588

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: L’amerò, sarò costante, Aminta’s aria from Il re pastore, K 208

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Parto, ma tu, ben mio, Sesto’s aria from La clemenza di Tito, K 621

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Symphony in C major, K 338

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Exsultate, jubilate, motet for soprano and orchestra, K 165

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Symphony in E-flat major, K 543