Was bleibt, wenn man nicht mehr ist, was man ein Leben lang war? „Reise nach Laredo“ ist ein fantastischer, magischer Roman über das Loslassen, über das, worauf es im Leben ankommt – und vor allem eine mitreißende Geschichte.

What is the perfect love song? Pianist Andreas Kern embarks on a search for the perfect love song together with the audience. He presents various love songs from all genres, from Chopin and Strauss to Leonhard Cohen and Adele, and actively involves the audience with help and advice (always voluntarily, of course).www.pianobattle.com www.andreaskern.com

Hybrid attacks and in particular large scale disinformation campaigns, initiated by the government of Russia and other autocratic regimes, have become a serious threat to Western democracies. How should Western governments react to these attacks and to what extent is a coordinated effort possible within NATO in this new and dangerous field of conflict?

Der Hanser-Verleger stellt seinen neuen Roman über die Flugpionierin Amelia Earhart vor. Es ist der 2. Juli 1937, in ihrer Lockheed Electra fliegt Amelia Earhart hoch über dem Ozean. Die Schatten der Wolken sehen aus wie Inseln. Sie steht kurz davor, als erster Mensch die Welt zu umrunden. Dies ist die schwerste Etappe. „Die Himmelsrichtungen“ ist eine Liebesgeschichte mit wechselnden Beteiligten – manche erstaunlich, andere flüchtig wie Wolken. Und es ist ein Roman über die Erinnerung und wie sie sich allmählich entblättert. Jede Schicht zeigt die Vergangenheit in einem neuen Licht. Wie soll man diese Geschichte anders erzählen als rückwärts? Amelia weiß noch nicht, dass es der letzte Tag ihres Lebens ist.

Bach's highly virtuosic suites for solo cello are among the most important and most popular works in the cello literature. The musical and technical expressive possibilities of the instrument are explored in a total of six suites. Before his concerts in the Berlin Philharmonie and the Elbphilharmonie, Jan Vogler, one of the most important cellists, will perform this monumental compendium on two evenings.

Bach's highly virtuosic suites for solo cello are among the most important and most popular works in the cello literature. The musical and technical expressive possibilities of the instrument are explored in a total of six suites. Before his concerts in the Berlin Philharmonie and the Elbphilharmonie, Jan Vogler, one of the most important cellists, will perform this monumental compendium on two evenings.

Outstanding voice of the European jazz scene. The multi-award-winning singer and producer Lucia Cadotsch proves that the story of jazz is far from over. Since the huge international public and media success of her album SPEAK LOW in 2016, the Berlin-based Swiss singer and winner of the German Jazz Award and Swiss Music Prize has become a force to be reckoned with. And she regularly explores the boundaries of jazz in ever new and surprising ways - including with her latest band AKI.

Grammy-nominated mandolinist Avi Avital is known for his “explosively charismatic” performances (New York Times). He is the driving force behind the revival of the mandolin: He has been playing in the world's most prestigious concert halls for more than two decades. Now he joins the American string quartet Brooklyn Rider, known for eclectic repertoire and stirring performances – acclaimed by critics and audiences from all genres. National Public Radio (NPR) credits Brooklyn Rider with “recreating the 300-year-old genre of the string quartet as a vibrant, creative ensemble for the 21st century”.

The trumpet of 25-year-old French musician Lucienne Renaudin Vary sounds young and fresh. She won the Opus Klassik award for best young musician in 2021 and is one of the rising stars of the classical music scene. At her debut at Schloss Elmau, she will present her new programme “Jazz meets classical music”, in which she and pianist and arranger Tim Allhoff, himself an Echo award winner, will also shed light on their second musical home – jazz.

Sebastian Copeland is a polar explorer, climate advocate, photographer and author. In 2017, Sebastian was named one of the world’s “25 Most Adventurous Men of the last 25 years” by “Men’s Journal”. His work has been featured in National Geographic, Vanity Fair, Outside, American Photo, The New York Times, People Magazine, USA Today, Paris Match as well on NBC, CBS, NPR and CNN’s Larry King Live, and hundreds of international media.

Philipp Schupelius and Julius Asal are undoubtedly at the start of great careers: Schupelius won the German Music Competition in 2023 and is regarded by Classic FM as one of the world's most interesting young musicians. Julius Asal recently signed an exclusive contract with Deutsche Grammophon and was the only pianist to be selected for the BBC's “New Generation Artist“ 2024 programme.

It only takes a few notes to reveal the unmistakable sound of his clarinet. In his 25-year career, David Orlowsky has performed on the world's major stages and has been honoured with four ECHO / OPUS Klassik awards. Now he can be experienced in Elmau with his new trio and his new programme “Petrichor”. The term describes the smell of rain falling on dry ground. And so not only this piece, but the entire programme of the synaesthete David Orlowsky is an exciting journey full of musical impressions and scents that are sometimes mysterious, then again rhythmically pulsating, wildly rebellious or captivating with melodic magic.

The unique character of music played live is a crucial aspect of understanding the expressive beauty and compelling honesty of Grigory Sokolov's art. His poetic interpretations, which come alive with mystical intensity in the concert hall, are based on an in-depth knowledge of the repertoire. His programmes span the entire history of music: from transcriptions of sacred polyphony of the Middle Ages and works by Couperin, Rameau and Bach, to the Classical and Romantic repertoire and key compositions of the 20th century. Now Grigory Sokolov returns to Schloss Elmau – with what is sure to be a compelling and impressive concert evening.

Rakhi Singh and her sister Simmy, two of the most innovative violinists of our time, are guests in Elmau. Born in rural Wales to an Indian father and an English mother, they are influenced by different cultures and traditions, which also flow into their music. Rakhi is the founder and artistic director of the Manchester Collective, one of the most interesting ensembles around - experimenting with new music and musical forms. She works with artists such as Steve Reich, Hiromi, Phillip Glass, Björk and Abel Selaocoe.

With her two studio albums “MINT” & “S.I.D.E.S.”, the German-British indie pop singer achieved over one billion streams and three million sales. Since the release of her debut single “No Roots” (US Gold, multi-platinum in Europe), she has thrilled audiences all over the world. In addition to top 10 placings in the European charts or the US Hot 100 and winning the jury on “The Voice of Germany”, it is above all incredible live moments that characterise Alice Merton's career. From her home in London, Alice Merton has been working primarily on new music this year. She has already released two songs from this new era – so we can look forward to the coming year, in which there will be plenty of new music from Alice Merton.

Dutch duo Lucas & Artur Jussen are among the most sought-after piano duos of our time and are a breath of fresh air in the world's biggest concert halls. With their energetic, almost symbiotic playing, their great refinement of sound and their gripping interpretations, they are celebrated by press and audience alike. “It's like driving two BMWs at the same time,” said conductor Michael Schønwandt about the two pianists after a joint concert.

Two world-class string quartets: the Quatuor Ébène and the Belcea Quartet are among the best string quartets ever. For this concert, they unite to form an octet and interpret two of the great works for this instrumentation – Mendelssohn's youthful work full of luminous melodic ideas and the darkly glowing, dense work by the nineteen-year-old Romanian Enescu.

On this evening, the sought-after pop singer Stefanie Heinzmann presents her songs in the artful arrangements of the “Takeover! Ensemble”. The Swiss singer scored a hit in 2008 with “My Man Is A Mean Man” and went on to perform with international stars such as Lionel Richie. Now it will be interesting to see how her songs sound in the Takeover arrangements, as the head of the ensemble, violinist Miki Kekenj, effortlessly brings all styles together with his clever arrangements, translating modern songs from pop and soul into his classical instrumentation and thus ensuring a particularly emotional concert experience.

South African cellist Abel Selaocoe redefines the parameters of the cello: he moves effortlessly through a variety of genres, from collaborations with world musicians and beatboxers to classical solo concerts. He combines virtuoso performance with improvisation, singing and body percussion and has a particular interest in rethinking concert programmes and highlighting connections between Western and non-Western musical traditions.

British saxophonist Jess Gillam delights audiences everywhere with her infectious esprit. She has performed with orchestras such as the Munich Philharmonic Orchestra and in venues such as the Royal Albert Hall, including the famous “Last Night of the Proms” on several occasions. She was the first saxophonist ever to secure an exclusive recording contract with the major CD label Decca Classics. Now with a fabulously eclectic programme that takes us on a musical journey of discovery from Bach to Bowie!