2026 GUIDE TO FESTIVALS

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Chamber Music Northwest Summer Festival
Chamber Music Northwest Summer Festival
WHAT DISTINGUISHES THIS FESTIVAL
CMNW's Summer Festival is composed of carefully crafted programs over five weeks. It combines solo artists alongside ensembles, protégé musicians, and CMNW Young Artist Institute students to present innovative and intimate performances from world premiere commissions to beloved classics.
FESTIVAL HIGHLIGHTS
Chamber Music Northwest, in beautiful Portland, Oregon, hosts its 56th annual Summer Festival June 25 to July 19, 2026. Themed "Confluence: Our Shared Voices," it is designed by Artistic Directors Gloria Chien and Soovin Kim to transcend cultural, geographical, and political borders, and celebrate musical traditions that shape the music we love.

Highlights include: historic and 21st-century masterpieces by J. S. Bach, Lembit Beecher, Leonard Bernstein, Brahms, Dvořák, George Gershwin, Kodály, Mozart, Maurice Ravel, Robert Schumann, Tchaikovsky, and Heitor Villa-Lobos; and exciting world premieres by some of America's most exciting emerging composers, including Steven Banks, Reena Esmail, and Donghoon Shin.

Superstar musicians this summer include: Kit Armstrong, David Shifrin, Anthony McGill, Gloria Chien, Soovin Kim, Viano Quartet, and more.
LOCATION
Locations in Portland and Beaverton, Oregon
WEBSITE
DATES
June 25 - July 19, 2026
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
Gloria Chien and Soovin Kim
GENRE
Classical
TICKET PRICE RANGE
$10 to $71
Additional ticket information: See here for ticket prices
TICKET PURCHASE INFORMATION
Telephone: 503-294-6400
BOOKING CONTACTS
Booking cycle date range
Fall 2026 for summer 2027
SOCIAL LINKS
Cincinnati May Festival
Cincinnati May Festival
WHAT DISTINGUISHES THIS FESTIVAL
Cincinnati May Festival is recognized as a leader in increasing diversity and access in the choral world; it is distinguished by its community-based structure and standard of artistic excellence.
FESTIVAL HIGHLIGHTS
  • An Eclectic Opening Night, Friday, May 15, 2026, 7:30 pm: Anton Bruckner, Psalm 150; Songs from Alexander von Zemlinsky and Margaret Bonds; Eclectic Mass with selections from Carlos Simon, Palestrina, J.S. Bach, Margaret Bonds, and Handel
  • The Water's Journey, Saturday, May 16, 2026, 7:30 pm: Duke Ellington, The River; Ralph Vaughan Williams, Symphony No. 1, A Sea Symphony
  • On Love and Lust, Thursday, May 21, 2026, 7:30 pm: Igor Stravinsky, Les noces ("The Wedding"); Carl Orff, Catulli Carmina ("Songs of Catullus")
  • Porgy and Bess, Festival Finale, Saturday, May 23, 2026, 7:30 pm: Selections from Porgy and Bess by George Gershwin, DuBose and Dorothy Heyward, and Ira Gershwin; works from William Grant Still, Stephen Paulus, Bernstein, and Handel.
LOCATION
Music Hall, Cincinnati, Ohio
WEBSITE
DATES
May 15-23, 2026
HEALTH & SAFETY
FESTIVAL DIRECTOR
Julia Bullock
GENRES
Classical • Choral
TICKET PRICE RANGE
$16 to $126
TICKET PURCHASE INFORMATION
Telephone: 513-381-3300
BOOKING CONTACTS
Booking cycle date range
Two years in advance, e.g., spring 2026 for spring 2028
SOCIAL LINKS
Cincinnati Opera Summer Festival
Cincinnati Opera Summer Festival
WHAT DISTINGUISHES THIS FESTIVAL
One of the U.S.'s oldest and most respected opera companies, Cincinnati Opera presents its 2026 Summer Festival at historic Music Hall. The season includes creative collaborations with renowned singers, conductors, directors, and designers, as well as the Cincinnati Opera Chorus and the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra.
FESTIVAL HIGHLIGHTS
Salome featuring Kathryn Lewek, Chad Shelton, Alfred Walker, Michelle DeYoung, Zach Borichevsky, Conductor Robert Spano, Director Jose Maria Condemi; Lalovavi (world premiere) by Kevin Day and Tifara Brown, featuring Brittany Olivia Logan, Talise Trevigne, Morris Robinson, Adrienne Danrich, Zoie Reams, Terrence Chin-Loy, Conductor Kevin Miller, director Kimille Howard; Carmen featuring J'Nai Bridges, Matthew White, Ryan McKinny, Teresa Perrotta, Conductor Ramon Tebar, Director Paul Curran; Orpheus and Euridice featuring Heidi Middendorf, Christopher Pell (clarinet), Conductor Stephen Mulligan, Director Audrey Chait; studio sessions featuring season artists.
LOCATION
Cincinnati, Ohio
WEBSITE
DATES
June 18 - August 2, 2026
HEALTH & SAFETY
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
Evans Mirageas
GENRE
Classical
TICKET PRICE RANGE
$35 to $267
Additional ticket information: Subscribers receive a discount on tickets. Special pricing is also available for students, educators, seniors, U.S. veterans, and SNAP cardholders.
TICKET PURCHASE INFORMATION
Telephone: 513-241-2742
BOOKING CONTACTS
SOCIAL LINKS
The Colorado College Summer Music Festival
The Colorado College Summer Music Festival
WHAT DISTINGUISHES THIS FESTIVAL
Fellows work closely with the faculty, who spend many hours coaching small ensembles, private lessons, and master classes. The faculty teach sessions and discuss strategies for practice, improvisation, and how to perform and relate to colleagues in chamber ensembles and orchestra. The faculty-to-student ratio is one-to-two.
FESTIVAL HIGHLIGHTS
The Colorado College Summer Music Festival will present five Festival Artists Concerts, two Festival Orchestra Concerts, performed by the Festival Fellows and conducted by Scott Yoo, two Children's Orchestra Concerts, conducted by our Fellow Assistant Conductors, two or three outreach concerts, seven Music at Midday Fellow Chamber group concerts, and Concerto Readings.

The Colorado College Summer Music Festival, now in its 42nd season, provides the highest caliber, inclusive educational experience for pre-professional musicians, connecting them with preeminent performance faculty as they prepare to launch rewarding careers, while simultaneously providing vibrant and diverse concerts celebrating legacy, contemporary, and underrepresented classical music.
LOCATION
Colorado College, Colorado Springs, Colorado
WEBSITE
DATES
June 6-26, 2026
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
Susan Grace
GENRE
Classical
TICKET PRICE RANGE
$5 to $40
Additional ticket information: $5 students; $35 orchestra concerts; $40 festival artists; donors to the festival receive ticket discount prices
TICKET PURCHASE INFORMATION
Telephone: 719-389-6552
BOOKING CONTACTS
Susan Grace, music director
Booking cycle date range
Fall 2025 for June 2026 (by invitation only)
SOCIAL LINKS
Colorado Music Festival
Colorado Music Festival
WHAT DISTINGUISHES THIS FESTIVAL
Colorado Music Festival is dedicated to presenting the best of classical music--the work of living composers as well as music by masters of the canon—in Boulder, Colorado's Chautauqua Auditorium, nestled at the base of the Rocky Mountains and known for its natural beauty and magnificent acoustics.
FESTIVAL HIGHLIGHTS
Every July, the Colorado Music Festival transforms Boulder into a vibrant celebration of summer and sound. More than a series of concerts, it's an immersive experience that brings world-class music to life in an unforgettable setting. Nestled in the heart of Boulder, the historic all-wood Chautauqua Auditorium provides a stunning backdrop for performances led by internationally acclaimed Music Director Peter Oundjian.

This year, we celebrate four extraordinary milestones: the Festival's 50th anniversary, the Center's 30th, Colorado's 150th, and our nation's 250th. These remarkable occasions will be honored with world premieres, expanded educational programming, and special events throughout the season. Festival highlights for 2026 include appearances by conductor Leonard Slatkin, violinist Himari, pianist Yuja Wang, and many more.
LOCATION
Chautauqua Auditorium, Boulder, Colorado
WEBSITE
DATES
July 9 - August 9, 2026
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
Peter Oundjian
GENRES
Classical • Chamber Music
TICKET PRICE RANGE
$31 to $113
Additional ticket information: The Festival offers $10 tickets for youth (ages 18 and under) and students (with current school identification). All Family Concert tickets are free.
TICKET PURCHASE INFORMATION
Telephone: 303-440-7666
BOOKING CONTACTS
Booking cycle date range
Currently booking for summers of 2027 and 2028
SOCIAL LINKS
Copenhagen Summer Festival
Copenhagen Summer Festival
WHAT DISTINGUISHES THIS FESTIVAL
The focus for the Copenhagen Summer Festival is on young talents and prizewinners, national and international, and world elite soloists.
FESTIVAL HIGHLIGHTS
Highlights include: Maxim Vengerov, violin recital and trio; David Khrikuli, piano recital; Novo Quartet, string quartet; piano trio Itai Navon, Michael Shaham, Clara Friedensburg; Nicholas Swensen; Kronberg String Trio; Absalon String Quartet; Copenhagen Summer Festival Talent Prize; and more. See here for details.
LOCATION
Royal Danish Arts Academy, Festival Hall, Copenhagen, Denmark
WEBSITE
DATES
July 19 - August 2, 2026
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
Poul Rosenbaum
GENRE
Classical
TICKET PRICE RANGE
€25 to €46
Additional ticket information: Reduced price for juniors and seniors
TICKET PURCHASE INFORMATION
Telephone: +45 38 48 16 30
BOOKING CONTACTS
Booking cycle date range
Fall 2026 for summer 2027
SOCIAL LINKS
Cork International Choral Festival
Cork International Choral Festival
WHAT DISTINGUISHES THIS FESTIVAL
Founded in 1954 to be a dynamic force in choral music, the Festival is held annually over five days in May. Cork welcomes choirs from across the world for a program of concerts, competitions, and performances, as thousands of participants bring Cork to life for a celebration of choral music.
FESTIVAL HIGHLIGHTS
International choirs will present choral music representative of their musical and ethnic backgrounds in a celebratory final Closing Gala Concert. The week will draw to a close and our international choirs will mark the end of a superb festival with a joyful and colorful celebration of song.
LOCATION
Cork City & County, Ireland
WEBSITE
DATES
April 29 - May 3, 2026
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
Peter Stobart
GENRES
Classical • Choral Music
TICKET PRICE RANGE
€0 to €32
TICKET PURCHASE INFORMATION
Telephone: +353 214 215 125
BOOKING CONTACTS
Booking cycle date range
Summer 2026 for spring 2027
SOCIAL LINKS
Des Moines Metro Opera
Des Moines Metro Opera
WHAT DISTINGUISHES THIS FESTIVAL
Lauded by The New York Times as "one of America's most successful smaller companies," Des Moines Metro Opera is a progressive opera company located in the heart of Iowa that has taken its place among America's leading opera festivals.
FESTIVAL HIGHLIGHTS
Des Moines Metro Opera's 2026 Festival Season features the return of Puccini's Tosca, a new production of Carlisle Floyd's Of Mice and Men presented with the Carlisle Floyd Centennial, and a new production and company premiere of Szymanowski's King Roger.

Featured artists include Laura Wilde, Brian Michael Moore, Norman Garrett, Wei Wu, Alan Williams, Lucas van Lierop, John Findon, John Moore, Cadie J. Bryan, Adrian Kramer, Kevin Deas, Dean Murphy, Alexander Birch Elliott, Lydia Grindatto, and Christopher Sokolowski. David Neely and Christopher James Ray will conduct the 2026 season operas; Kristine McIntyre, Chas Rader-Shieber, and Joshua Borths will direct.
LOCATION
Indianola, Iowa
WEBSITE
DATES
June 26 - July 19, 2026
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
Michael Egel
GENRES
Classical • Opera
TICKET PRICE RANGE
$35 to $200
TICKET PURCHASE INFORMATION
Telephone: 515-209-3257
BOOKING CONTACTS
Michael Egel, general & artistic director
Booking cycle date range
Fall 2026 for summer 2027 and summer 2028
SOCIAL LINKS
Dresdner Musikfestspiele
Dresdner Musikfestspiele
WHAT DISTINGUISHES THIS FESTIVAL
The unique density of concerts with internationally acclaimed soloists and ensembles—ranging from Bill Murray to Martha Argerich—provides exceptional and top-class encounters during the festival time.
FESTIVAL HIGHLIGHTS
The Dresdner Musikfestspiele (May 14 - June 14, 2026) will bring a wave of optimism to the concert halls in 2026. Artistic Director Jan Vogler has given the 49th edition of the festival the theme, "The Lightness of Being" —and this year he is expanding the festival's range of genres to include theater and comedy.

The "Lightness of Being" runs like a common thread through all 64 events, which span not only classical music and opera but also jazz, world music, crossover, dance, theater, readings, and performance art. Nearly 30 artists and ensembles will make their Dresdner Musikfestspiele debuts in 2026, including Austrian actor Tobias Moretti, the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra, Joja Wendt & Bastian Pastewka, and pianist and YouTube star Hayato Sumino, known as "Cateen."
LOCATION
Locations in Dresden, Germany
WEBSITE
DATES
May 14 - June 14, 2026
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
Jan Vogler
GENRES
Classical • Pop/Folk • Jazz • World/Ethnic
TICKET PRICE RANGE
€9 to €149
TICKET PURCHASE INFORMATION
Telephone: +49 351-478 56 0
BOOKING CONTACTS
SOCIAL LINKS
Dubrovnik Summer Festival
Dubrovnik Summer Festival
WHAT DISTINGUISHES THIS FESTIVAL
The bustling walled city of Dubrovnik hosts its spectacular festival, presenting a rich and vibrant theatre, dance, and music program. Top artists, orchestras, and ensembles from all over the world perform on remarkable historical squares, palaces, fortresses, churches, gardens, and streets of the Renaissance-Baroque City of Dubrovnik.
FESTIVAL HIGHLIGHTS
A rich and diverse music program of the 77th Festival will bring together top domestic and international artists. Highlights include violinist Renaud Capuçon, Baroque ensemble Barokkanerne, great young pianist David Khrikuli, the Philharmonix ensemble—composed exclusively of members of the Vienna and Berlin philharmonics—and many other world-renowned musicians. Featured Croatian talents include pianist Martina Filjak, Zagreb Soloists, bass baritone Krešimir Stražanac, and many others. This season will close with a spectacular Opera Gala, led by opera stars soprano Pretty Yende, Croatian soprano Darija Auguštan and tenor Tomislav Jukić, accompanied by the Croatian Radio and Television Symphony Orchestra conducted by Sebastian Lang Lessing.
LOCATION
Old City of Dubrovnik, Croatia
WEBSITE
DATES
July 10 - August 25, 2026
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
Martina Filjak
GENRES
Classical • Jazz • World/Ethnic
TICKET PRICE RANGE
€17 to €80
Additional ticket information: Use MasterCard to get 10% off tickets. • Buy tickets for two premiere theatrical or three musical events and get a complimentary ticket for one repeat theatrical or musical performance of your choice. • Installment payments (up to three) are provided for MasterCard cardholders when spending over €70. • Students with the International Student Identity Card (ISIC) can get 10% discount for up to two tickets per event. • Daily DU PASS enables 10% discount, three-day enables 30%, while seven-day DU PASS enables a discount of 50% for two tickets per event. Dubrovnik Summer Festival Gift Card is available in amounts from €40 to €300.
TICKET PURCHASE INFORMATION
Telephone: +385 (0)20 326 123
BOOKING CONTACTS
Booking cycle date range
Summer 2026 for summer 2027
SOCIAL LINKS
Early Music Days - 2026
Early Music Days - 2026
WHAT DISTINGUISHES THIS FESTIVAL
Over the past decades, the festival had the honor of hosting numerous excellent professors and the Early Music Days project has become one of the most relevant event of its kind worldwide.
FESTIVAL HIGHLIGHTS
"The 42." Early Music Days series of events organised by Filharmonia Hungary will take place June 27 - July 4, 2026, in Vác. The master courses—together with the festival concerts featuring world renowned performers—offer splendid developmental opportunities both for professional Hungarian and foreign musicians as well as for students in any academy of music.
LOCATION
Vác, Hungary
WEBSITE
DATES
June 27 - July 4, 2026
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
György Vashegyi
GENRE
Classical
TICKET PRICE RANGE
€10 to €30
TICKET PURCHASE INFORMATION
Telephone: +36 30 361 9250
BOOKING CONTACTS
Geza Galan, communication group; mobile: 0036 30 361 9250
SOCIAL LINKS
Eastern Festival of Music
Eastern Festival of Music
WHAT DISTINGUISHES THIS FESTIVAL
The quality of the festival orchestra is outstanding and the student-to-teacher ratio gives students an ample opportunity to learn with the faculty member to whom they are assigned as well as other faculty conducting sectionals and coaching chamber music.
FESTIVAL HIGHLIGHTS
The five-week 2026 festival with orchestral and chamber music concerts and piano recitals every night begins June 30 and continues through August 1 on the beautiful Guilford College campus. A professional orchestra is in residence and two student orchestras perform difficult works each night during the season. Guest artists include violinists Pinchus Zukerman and Leonidas Kavakos, and pianist Misha Dichter. Two hundred fifty students come from all over the U.S. and several countries to study with the faculty orchestra, guest artists, and Maestro Schwarz.
LOCATION
Guilford College, Greensboro, North Carolina
WEBSITE
DATES
June 27 - August 1, 2026
MUSIC DIRECTOR
Gerard Schwarz
GENRE
Classical
TICKET PRICE RANGE
$20 to $60
Additional ticket information: Tickets are available for the season as well as the Saturday night series and individual concerts.
TICKET PURCHASE INFORMATION
Telephone: 336-908-4941
BOOKING CONTACTS
Booking cycle date range
Fall 2026 for summer 2027
SOCIAL LINKS
Edinburgh International Festival
Edinburgh International Festival
WHAT DISTINGUISHES THIS FESTIVAL
The Edinburgh International Festival is an expansive program of world-leading opera, music, theatre, and dance that, as the first cultural festival, has led the way in defining Edinburgh as the world's Festival City.
FESTIVAL HIGHLIGHTS
The Edinburgh International Festival presents 24 days of opera, music, theatre and dance, with a focus on American artists marking the 250th anniversary of American Independence in 2026. Highlights include the first jazz residency of the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis, featuring All Rise, Ellington's Black, Brown and Beige, and a special concert with Yuja Wang; a residency from the LA Philharmonic with Gustavo Dudamel; celebrations for Steve Reich; and the world premiere of Missy Mazzoli's opera The Galloping Cure. Other highlights include Zurich Opera's A Masked Ball, performances of Don Giovanni and Elektra, a residency by the Berliner Philharmoniker and Kirill Petrenko; the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal with Rafael Payare; Jordi Savalland, and appearances by Vilda Frang, Víkingur Ólafsson, Alisa Weilerstein, and many others.
LOCATION
Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom
WEBSITE
DATES
August 7-31, 2026
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
Nicola Benedetti
GENRES
Classical • Pop/Folk • Jazz • World/Ethnic • Opera • Dance • Theatre • Contemporary Music
TICKET PRICE RANGE
£10 to £100
Additional ticket information: 50 percent of tickets for the 2026 International Festival will be sold at £30 or less; free tickets are available for young musicians, and £10 affordable tickets will be available for all performances.
TICKET PURCHASE INFORMATION
Telephone: +44 131 473 2099
BOOKING CONTACTS
Booking cycle date range
Ongoing; usually six months to several years in advance
SOCIAL LINKS
George Enescu International Festival and Competition
George Enescu International Festival and Competition
WHAT DISTINGUISHES THIS FESTIVAL
The George Enescu International Festival, the largest biannual festival of classical music, brings together world-class ensembles, conductors, and soloists from around the globe, while also providing invaluable platforms to spark international collaboration, showcase rising stars, and shine a light on Romania's own leading talent and musical heritage.
FESTIVAL HIGHLIGHTS
The 28th edition of the George Enescu International Festival, widely recognized as one of the world's largest gathering of major orchestras, will once again bring together the global classical music community for an extraordinary celebration of artistic excellence. Over four weeks, many of the most distinguished orchestras, conductors, and soloists will share the stage, making the festival one of the world's most important.

Artistic Director Cristian Măcelaru returns for the third festival of his tenure with an ambitious programme blending tradition and innovation, featuring international premieres alongside landmark interpretations of masterpieces from across the classical repertoire, performed by some of the world's most celebrated ensembles.
LOCATION
Bucharest, Romania
WEBSITE
DATES
August 27 - September 26, 2027
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
Cristian Măcelaru
GENRE
Classical
TICKET PRICE RANGE
$25 to $59
Additional ticket information: Tickets for the concerts and recitals organized as part of the Enescu Festival & Competition can be found here.
TICKET PURCHASE INFORMATION
Telephone: +40 21 317 80 81
BOOKING CONTACTS
Booking cycle date range
2026 for 2027 and 2029 editions
SOCIAL LINKS
Festival d'Aix-en-Provence
Festival d'Aix-en-Provence
WHAT DISTINGUISHES THIS FESTIVAL
Renowned for its artistic excellence since 1948, the Festival d'Aix has developed into a unique place where innovation is the key word: education and audience innovation, artistic innovation, as well as cultural innovation with a unique network of international collaborations.
FESTIVAL HIGHLIGHTS
Die Zauberflöte by Mozart: Leonardo García-Alarcón, conductor; Clément Cogitore, stage director • Die Frau Ohne Schatten by Strauss: Klaus Mäkelä, conductor; Barrie Kosky, stage director • Requiem by Mozart: Raphaël Pichon, conductor; Romeo Castellucci, stage director • Accabadora by Francesco Filidei (world premiere): Lucie Leguay, conductor; Valentina Carrasco, stage director • El Cimarrón by Henze: Elayce Ismail, stage director

Concert Versions • Les Vêpres Siciliennes by Verdi: Daniele Rustioni, conductor • Bluebeard's Castle by Bartók: Klaus Mäkelä, conductor

Concerts with: Pygmalion, Capella Mediterranea, Pierre-Laurent Aimard, Sonya Yoncheva, Benjamin Bernheim, Michael Spyres, Ailyn Pérez, Samara Joy, Karim Sulayman.
LOCATION
Aix-en-Provence, France
WEBSITE
DATES
July 2-22, 2026
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
Ted Huffman
GENRE
Classical
TICKET PRICE RANGE
€8 to €312
Additional ticket information: Full price tickets range: €32 - €312; youth tickets (under 30 years old): €10 - €93. See full details here, including pricing for each performance.
TICKET PURCHASE INFORMATION
Telephone: +33 (0)4 34 08 02 17
SOCIAL LINKS
Festival Dans les Jardins de William Christie
Festival Dans les Jardins de William Christie
WHAT DISTINGUISHES THIS FESTIVAL
The festival brings together the two passions of conductor William Christie: music and gardens. The programming of concerts in the open air throughout the day in different festival venues allows the public to have a unique experience of baroque music in an idyllic setting with no equivalent.
FESTIVAL HIGHLIGHTS
  • Concerts on the Miroir d'eau (the reflecting pool): great open-air baroque music concerts with the singers and the orchestra of Les Arts Florissants, conducted by William Christie and Paul Agnew
  • Candlelit concerts: sacred baroque music in the peaceful setting of the medieval church of Saint-Juire-Champgillon
  • Musical promenades: short baroque music concerts by the musicians and singers of Les Arts Florissants in the gardens of William Christie.
LOCATION
Thiré (Vendée), France
WEBSITE
DATES
August 22-29, 2026
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
William Christie and Paul Agnew
GENRE
Classical
TICKET PRICE RANGE
€10 to €25
TICKET PURCHASE INFORMATION
Telephone: +33 (0)2 28 85 85 70
SOCIAL LINKS
Festival de Lanaudière
Festival de Lanaudière
WHAT DISTINGUISHES THIS FESTIVAL
The Festival de Lanaudière is the largest classical music festival in Canada and was founded in 1978. Year after year, the festival welcomes tens of thousands of spectators for concerts featuring some of the greatest artists on the national and international scenes.
FESTIVAL HIGHLIGHTS
LOCATION
Amphitheatre Fernand-Lindsay, Joliette, Quebec; churches in the Lanaudière region, Canada
WEBSITE
DATES
July 3 - August 2, 2026
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
Renaud Loranger
GENRE
Classical
TICKET PRICE RANGE
CAD$25 to CAD$130
Additional ticket information: Applicable taxes not included
TICKET PURCHASE INFORMATION
Telephone: 800-245-7636
BOOKING CONTACTS
Renaud Loranger , artistic director
Booking cycle date range
Fall 2025 for summer 2026
SOCIAL LINKS
Festival Napa Valley
Festival Napa Valley
WHAT DISTINGUISHES THIS FESTIVAL
Festival Napa Valley is a music, wine, food, and lifestyle festival that blends the beauty and bounty of Napa Valley with world-class performances spanning all genres from classical music to jazz, film, and dance and the very finest food and wine events.
FESTIVAL HIGHLIGHTS
2026 highlights include:
  • The world premiere of The Judgment of Paris, a new opera by Jake Heggie and Gene Scheer, commissioned by Festival Napa Valley, conducted by Kent Nagano and directed by Jean-Romain Vesperini. Stars Danielle De Niese, Quinn Kelsey, Nicholas Phan, Simone McIntosh, Brenda Rae, and Fellows from the Manetti Shrem Opera Program.
  • Wynton Marsalis to headline the Arts for All Gala.
  • Renée Fleming as keynote speaker for the Music and Wellness Summit and headliner in "Voice of Nature: The Anthropocene."
  • Uytengsu Family Opening Night: From Beethoven to Getty to Dylan with Time for Three and the Young People's Chorus of New York City.
  • Grand Cru performance with violinist Ray Chen and pianist Jean-Yves Thibaudet.
  • A Night at the Ballet: From Swan Lake to The Stones, directed by Live Arts Global's Melanie Hamrick.
    LOCATION
    Locations throughout Napa Valley, California
    WEBSITE
    DATES
    July 4-19, 2026
    ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
    Charles Letourneau
    GENRES
    Classical • Jazz
    TICKET PRICE RANGE
    $0 to $12,500
    Additional ticket information: Daytime concerts are free. New "Choose Your Price" ticketing for select evening concerts. Patron Passports range from $3,750 to $12,500.
    TICKET PURCHASE INFORMATION
    Telephone: 707-346-5052
    BOOKING CONTACTS
    Booking cycle date range
    Six to 12 months in advance
    SOCIAL LINKS
    The Gilmore International Piano Festival
    The Gilmore International Piano Festival
    WHAT DISTINGUISHES THIS FESTIVAL
    The Gilmore International Piano Festival in Kalamazoo, Michigan is North America's largest gathering of keyboard artists. The 11-day festival comprises more than 75 concerts and events featuring appearances by many of the world's preeminent classical and jazz pianists and artists.
    FESTIVAL HIGHLIGHTS
    Shifting from a biennial to an annual event, this year's Festival builds on the success of the 2026 Gilmore Larry J. Bell Jazz Artist Awards by bookending the Festival with performances by its inaugural winner Sullivan Fortner. Other highlights include: a commissioned world premiere monodrama with the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra; piano recitals by Brad Mehldau, Kirill Gerstein, Stewart Goodyear, Marc-Andre Hamelin, Bill Charlap, and Renee Rosnes; performances by 2024 Gilmore Artist Alexandrea Kantorow; family-friendly performances as well as master classes, film screenings, and more.
    LOCATION
    Various locations in Michigan: Kalamazoo, Grand Rapids, Battle Creek, and East Lansing
    WEBSITE
    DATES
    April 30 - May 10, 2026
    EXECUTIVE & ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
    Pierre van der Westhuizen
    GENRES
    Classical • Jazz
    TICKET PRICE RANGE
    $0 to $115
    TICKET PURCHASE INFORMATION
    Telephone: 269-250-6984
    BOOKING CONTACTS
    Pierre van der Westhuizen , executive and artistic director
    Booking cycle date range
    Spring 2026 for spring 2027
    SOCIAL LINKS
    The Glimmerglass Festival
    The Glimmerglass Festival
    WHAT DISTINGUISHES THIS FESTIVAL
    The Glimerglass Festival is a destination for extraordinary performances. It is also a community that comes together to consider the meaning of the stories we share on stage—stories that remind us that even against vast social and historical backdrops, personal connections remain at the heart of it all.
    FESTIVAL HIGHLIGHTS
    As the nation approaches its 250th birthday, The Glimmerglass Festival brings a season that explores our American journey—its promises, its contradictions, its joys, and its challenges. Through iconic musical theater, beloved opera classics, and contemporary American works, we'll reflect on the stories we've inherited and those we're still writing.

    The 2026 Festival will feature a new production of Rodgers and Hammerstein's Oklahoma! directed by Francesca Zambello; Puccini, Illica, and Giacosa's Madame Butterfly; Mozart and Da Ponte's Così; and Gregory Spears and Greg Pierce's Fellow Travelers, alongside special Pavilion events and the youth opera Robin Hood by Ben Moore and Kelley Rourke. Together, we'll explore the complexities of a nation in motion, one story at a time.
    LOCATION
    Cooperstown, New York
    WEBSITE
    DATES
    July 10 - August 17, 2026
    HEALTH & SAFETY
    DIRECTORS
    Robert Ainsley, artistic & general director; Joseph Colaneri, music director
    GENRES
    Classical • Opera • Musical Theater
    TICKET PRICE RANGE
    $38 to $200
    Additional ticket information: The Glimmerglass Festival's single-ticket prices will fluctuate based on sales demand. The prices above are the starting prices (with service fees) for each seating level. See here for the most up-to-date prices for each performance. Ticket package prices are fixed and offer the best benefits.
    TICKET PURCHASE INFORMATION
    Telephone: 607-547-2255
    BOOKING CONTACTS
    Lauren Bailey , director of artistic administration
    Booking cycle date range
    Two years in advance of each Festival season, e.g., summer 2026 for summer 2028
    SOCIAL LINKS
    The Golandsky Institute Summer Symposium
    The Golandsky Institute Summer Symposium
    WHAT DISTINGUISHES THIS FESTIVAL
    The Golandsky Institute Summer Symposium provides an exciting festival of lessons, lectures, special presentations, and master classes with the Institute's faculty and guests.
    FESTIVAL HIGHLIGHTS
    Every summer, hundreds of participants from all over the world converge for interactive sessions with preeminent faculty of the Taubman Approach. On top of engaging lectures, presentations, and master classes, participants immerse themselves in technique clinics, problem-solving sessions, one-on-one work, Q&A sessions, and performances by world-renowned guest artists.
    LOCATION
    State University of New York, Fredonia, New York
    WEBSITE
    DATES
    July 26 - August 1, 2026
    FOUNDER & ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
    Edna Golandsky
    GENRE
    Classical
    TICKET PRICE
    $1,950
    Additional ticket information: Registration price may be subject to change; see here for more details.
    TICKET PURCHASE INFORMATION
    Telephone: 646-389-8648
    SOCIAL LINKS
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