This article is for major events and other topics related to classical music in 2026.
Events 1 January At the 2026 Vienna New Year's Concert, the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra and Yannick Nézet-Séguin perform the "Sirenen Lieder" of Josephine Amann-Weinlich and the "Rainbow Waltz" of Florence Price, in orchestrations by Wolfgang Dörner, the second time that the concert has featured music by female composers and the first time that the concert has featured more than one female composer. The inclusion of the Florence Price selection also marks the first appearance of music by a composer from outside Europe and by a composer of colour. The orchestra and conductor presented these works in the 30 December 2025 and 31 December 2025 performances of the same programme. The Orchestre symphonique de Mulhouse officially takes national status in France, with the new name of the Orchestre national de Mulhouse. 6 January – The Opéra national de Paris announces the appointment of Semyon Bychkov as its next music director, effective 1 August 2028, with an initial contract of four years. 7 January Aurora Orchestra announces that John Harte is to stand down as its chief executive in July 2026. The London Symphony Orchestra announces the appointment of John Harte as its next managing director, effective in August 2026. 9 January – The board of directors of Washington National Opera votes to relocate from the Kennedy Center and to discontinue productions there. 12 January – The Orchestra of the Swan announces the appointment of Zoë Curnow as its next executive director, effective 1 April 2026. 13 January – The Park Avenue Armory announces the appointment of Deborah Warner as its artistic director, with immediate effect. 14 January – The Concertgebouw, Amsterdam announces Liam Nassereddine as the winner of its 'Concertgebouw Young Talent Award'. 15 January – An explosion in the city centre of Utrecht causes the evacuation of the Utrechts Conservatorium. 16 January – Washington National Opera announces the planned continuation of its spring 2026 season at George Washington University, following its 9 January decision to vacate the Kennedy Center. 20 January – The Metropolitan Opera announces cost-reduction plans to include staff redundancies and salary reductions, and the postponement of one new production originally scheduled for the 2026-2027 season. 21 January – The Ernst von Siemens Foundation announces its 2026 prizes: 2026 Composer Prizes: Bethan Morgan-Williams, Hovik Sardaryan, Kitty Xiao Ensemble Prizes '26: NO HAY BANDA, Ensemble for New Music Tallinn 2026 Ernst von Siemens Music Prize: Jordi Savall 22 January The Cliburn announces the inaugural Cliburn International Competition for Conductors, scheduled for 2028 in Houston. The Allentown Symphony Orchestra announces that Diane Wittry is to retire as its music director at the close of the 2027-2028 season. 24 January – Denyce Graves gives the final performance of her career at the Metropolitan Opera, as Maria in Porgy and Bess. 27 January – The George Enescu Philharmonic Orchestra announces the appointment of Robert Treviño as its next principal conductor, effective with the 2026-2027 season, with an initial contract of four years. Ex Cathedra announces the appointment of James Burton as its next artistic director, effective with the 2027-2028 season. Philip Glass announces the withdrawal of the world premiere of his Symphony No. 15 from its scheduled June 2026 performances at the Kennedy Center. 30 January – The Opernhaus Wuppertal announces the appointment of Christian Reif as its next Generalmusikdirektor, effective with the 2027-2028 season. 1 February – The closure of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts for two years is announced, to take effect on 4 July 2026, ostensibly for renovation and reconstruction. 8 February – In the Super Bowl LX halftime show, a bespoke string orchestra performs an arrangement of Bad Bunny's song 'Monaco', under the direction of Giancarlo Guerrero. 9 February The RAI National Symphony Orchestra announces the appointment of Michele Mariotti as its next principal conductor, the first Italian conductor to be named to the post, effective in October 2026, with an initial contract of three seasons. Jeffrey Kahane resigns as music director of the San Antonio Philharmonic. 10 February The Canadian Opera Company announces the appointment of Ian Derrer as its next general director, effective 1 July 2026. News reports indicate that Ian Derrer is to conclude his tenure as general director and chief executive officer of Dallas Opera on 30 June 2026, in parallel with his appointment to the Canadian Opera Company. 11 February – The Nashville Symphony announces the appointment of Leonard Slatkin as its next music director, effective with the 2026-2027 season, with a set tenure through the 2028-2029 season. 12 February The first public performance of the one-act opera Marina, with music by Umberto Giordano and libretto by Enrico Golisciani, takes place at the Teatro dal Verme, Milan, following the rediscovery of the opera after its disappearance for over 130 years. The Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra announces that Jaime Martín is to conclude his tenure as its music director at the close of the 2026-2027 season. 16 February – The San Antonio Philharmonic announces the cancellation of the remaining concerts of its 2025-2026 season. 23 February – The Great Lakes Chamber Music Festival announces the appointment of Jennifer Frautschi as its next artistic director, effective with the 2027 season. 1 March - The Antwerp Symphony Orchestra officially merges with Opera Ballet Vlaanderen. 3 March The London Philharmonic Orchestra simultaneously announces the scheduled conclusion of the tenure of Edward Gardner (conductor) as its principal conductor at the close of the 2027-2028 season, and the appointment of Paavo Järvi as its next chief conductor, effective with the 2028-2029 season. The New World Symphony announces that Howard Herring is to retire as its president and chief executive officer effective 30 June 2026. 6 March The board of directors and president of the Boston Symphony Orchestra announce that Andris Nelsons is to conclude his Boston Symphony Orchestra tenure at the end of the 2026-2027 season. Jean Davidson announces her scheduled departure as executive director of the National Symphony Orchestra (Washington, DC, USA), effective in May 2026. The Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts announces the appointment of Jean Davidson as its next executive director and chief executive officer, effective 4 May 2026. 9 March – Opera Australia announces the appointment of Amy Lane as its next director of opera, effective September 2026. 10 March The Teatro dell'Opera di Roma announces the appointment of Alessandro Galoppini as its next artistic director, with an initial contract through 2030. The board and foundation of La Fenice, with approval from Venice mayor Luigi Brugnaro, confirm the appointment of Beatrice Venezi as the next music director of La Fenice, without her ever having conducted a full production or concert with the company prior to her appointment, effective in October 2026. The Boston Philharmonic Orchestra announces its plans to cease operations at the close of the 2026-2027 season. 12 March The Senate of Berlin announces the appointment of Stefan Brandt as the new Generaldirektor (general director) of the Stiftung Oper in Berlin ('Berlin Opera Foundation'), effective 1 January 2027. The Phoenix Symphony announces the appointment of Paolo Bortolameolli as its next music director, effective with the 2027-2028 season. 17 March – The Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra announces the appointment of Tabita Berglund as its next chief conductor, the first female conductor to be named to the post, effective with the 2027-2028 season, with an initial contract of four seasons. 18 March Alina Pogostkina announces via social media her retirement from her concert career. The Redlands Symphony announces the appointment of Deanna Tham as its next music director, the first female conductor to be named to the post, effective 1 July 2026. 19 March – The Brooklyn Academy of Music announces the appointment of Tamara McCaw as its new president, with immediate effect. 23 March – The Teatr Wielki – Polish National Opera announces the appointment of Yoel Gamzou as its next music director, effective with the 2026-2027 season, with an initial contract of four seasons. 26 March – The board of directors of the Salzburg Festival announce the termination of the contract of Markus Hinterhäuser as artistic director of the festival, placing him on leave until 30 September 2026. 1 April The Staatsoper Hannover announces the appointment of Francesco Angelico as its next Generalmusikdirektor (GMD), effective with the 2026-2027 season. The Hallé announces Aku Sorensen as the winner of the Siemens Hallé International Conductors Competition 2026. 2 April – The Bravo! Vail Music Festival announces the appointment of Chris Rogerson as its next artistic director, effective 1 September 2026. 6 April – The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism of South Korea announces the following appointments, each with an initial term of three years: The appointment of Han-na Chang as president of the Seoul Arts Center, the first woman to be named to the post, effective 24 April 2026 The appointment of Hye-jin Park as artistic director and chief executive of Korea National Opera The appointment of Mee-jung Yoo as chief executive of the National Symphony Orchestra 7 April – The Salzburg Festival announces the appointment of Karin Bergmann as its interim artistic director, with immediate effect, the first woman to serve as the festival's artistic director. 9 April Pekka Kuusisto announces via social media his suspension of his United States engagements in protest at the actions of the current US government. The Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra announces that Daniel Hart is to retire as its president and executive director on 31 December 2026. 16 April English National Opera announces the appointment of Helen Shute as its next chief executive officer, effective November 2026. The Groot Omroepkoor announces the appointment of Florian Helgath as its next chief conductor, effective with the 2027-2028 season, with an initial contract of four seasons. 23 April – The Metropolitan Opera announces that the government of Saudi Arabia has withdrawn from a previously discussed eight-year agreement intended to provide $200M USD to the company. 26 April – The board and foundation of La Fenice announce the annulment of the appointment of Beatrice Venezi as the opera company's next music director and the cancellation of all previously scheduled engagements with her as conductor, following public statements by Venezi seen as detrimental to the organisation. 30 April – Boston Baroque announces the appointment of Marc Minkowski as its next music director, effective with the 2026-2027 season. 1 May – The Adelaide Youth Orchestras announce the appointment of Lloyd Van't Hoff as its next artistic director, effective in June 2026. 5 May – Sinfonietta Rīga announces the appointment of Olari Elts as its next artistic director, effective with the 2026-2027 season. 8 May – The Handel and Haydn Society announces the appointment of Lecolion Washington, Jr. as its next president and chief executive officer, effective 1 August 2026. 9 May – The Cuarteto Latinoamericano gives its final performance as a string quartet at the Palacio de Bellas Artes in Mexico City.