International Music Festival Hamburg 2026

From 1st May to 3rd June 2026, Germany's largest Hanseatic city invites you to the International Music Festival Hamburg. Under the motto "End", renowned orchestras, conductors, ensembles and soloists will present an exciting programme ranging from great classical works to modern soundscapes, making the metropolis on the Elbe a meeting place for music lovers from all over the world.

Festival Highlights

The festival kicks off with a very special highlight: the NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchestra, which will open the festivities at the Elbphilharmonie. Conducted by Manfred Honeck, Franz Schmidt's monumental oratorio "Das Buch mit sieben Siegeln" (The Book with Seven Seals) will be performed on 1^st May 2026.

Further highlights will be provided by concerts of contemporary works and classical compositions – featuring Pierre Bleuse and Georgian pianist Khatia Buniatishvili, among others, who will place works by Henze, Mozart and Debussy, among others, in an exciting context.

• Modern soundscapes with Pierre Bleuse
  15^th & 16^th May 2026, 20:00 (Elbphilharmonie)
  Works by Hans Werner Henze ("Sebastian im Traum"), Charles Ives ("Central Park in the Dark") and Claude Debussy ("Images pour orchestre")

• Exciting chamber music in the Small Hall
  7^th May & 16^th May 2026 (Elbphilharmonie, Small Hall)
  Including: "Klänge der Unsterblichkeit (Sounds of Immortality)" (7^th May), followed by chamber music with the Scharoun Ensemble Berlin and artists such as Siyabonga Maqungo (16^th May)

The complete programme is expected to be published in November 2025. We invite you to subscribe to our newsletter so that you don't miss this date.