The Canadian bass baritone Gerald Finley and the British pianist Julius Drake are among the best that can currently be heard in both Lied and opera. In Schloss Elmau the two can now be heard with French and American songs, a must for all „Lied“-aficionados!

The Polish author Olga Tokarczuk was honoured "for a narrative imagination that with encyclopedic passion represents the crossing of boundaries as a form of life."

Frank Woeste, living in Paris and firmly rooted in the French jazz world, likes to improvise on his compositions with pianist colleagues. Woeste comes to Schloss Elmau together with the award-winning Baptiste Trotignon, who has already taken a seat at our Steinway with jazz and as a Lied accompanist.

The best of classical and folk music, country dance and polka, yodel and waltz.

Who could interpret Beethoven's String Trios, the composer's most demanding early works, more successfully than these three soloists with a heart beating violently for chamber music: the Norwegian violinist Vilde Frang, the British violist Lawrence Power and the Franco-German cellist Nicolas Altstaedt!

Who could interpret Beethoven's String Trios, the composer's most demanding early works, more successfully than these three soloists with a heart beating violently for chamber music: the Norwegian violinist Vilde Frang, the British violist Lawrence Power and the Franco-German cellist Nicolas Altstaedt!

Chefsommelière Marie Helen Krebs freut sich, herausragende Winzer in Schloss Elmau zu präsentieren.
„Wer Wein macht, denkt in Generationen“ – getreu diesem Motto perfektionieren die Fattoria Nittardi (Toskana) und das Weingut Wittmann (Rheinhessen) ihre Expertise im Weinanbau. Die Reben danken die langjährige Wertschätzung mit Balance, die Weine mit Tiefe und Präzision.

Die Gastgeber des Luce d’oro, Christoph Rainer, Executive Chef, Marie Helen Krebs, Chefsommelière, und Team freuen sich, herausragende Winzer in Schloss Elmau zu präsentieren.
„Wer Wein macht, denkt in Generationen“ – getreu diesem Motto perfektionieren die Fattoria Nittardi (Toskana) und das Weingut Wittmann (Rheinhessen) ihre Expertise im Weinanbau. Die Reben danken die langjährige Wertschätzung mit Balance, die Weine mit Tiefe und Präzision.

There is something magical in the history of the Israeli pianist Yaron Herman. After an aspired career as a basketball player, which was ended by an injury, he started playing the piano at the age of 16. A meteoric rise to become one of the most respected pianists of his generation follows, leading his listeners into a realm of innovation and joy.

Chefsommelière Marie Helen Krebs freut sich, herausragende Winzer in Schloss Elmau zu präsentieren.
„Wer Wein macht, denkt in Generationen“ – getreu diesem Motto perfektionieren die Fattoria Nittardi (Toskana) und das Weingut Wittmann (Rheinhessen) ihre Expertise im Weinanbau. Die Reben danken die langjährige Wertschätzung mit Balance, die Weine mit Tiefe und Präzision.

The charismatic Avi Avital is without doubt one of the greatest mandolin players of our time. For this program, Avital immerses himself in classical music and also explores jazz. His congenial partner is the jazz pianist Omer Klein, whom the magazine "Jazz-Podium" placed in the first line of contemporary jazz pianists. Together they have developed a program with music by Bach, jazz pieces, original compositions and Israeli songs.

The duo is the smallest genre of string chamber music. Mozart's works were often written not for the concert hall, but for the living room or the salon. Artistically and technically, however, they are highly demanding and require experienced musicians - and are therefore in the best of hands with the successful soloists Veronika Eberle and Nils Mönkemeyer.

Dinner & Concert

3 course menu in the retreat followed by concert in the Concert Hall

18:30

The energetic concerts of Khatia Buniatishvili are legendary – now she lets her virtuoso fingers fly over the keys in Schloss Elmau again.

The King's Singers are the kings of a cappella and world-famous British export stars in terms of highest musical quality and best English charm, taking the audience by storm.

From the 1st volume “Bretonische Verhältnisse”
to his 8th volume “Bretonisches Vermächtnis – Kommissar Dupin ermittelt”

A classic from which millions can quote: The Little Prince. It is a world-famous book full of wisdom and many common quotations, such as "You only see well with your heart".

Passion and temperament, creativity and poetry, humour and irony: these are the characteristics that characterise Anna Depenbusch - not only on stage but also backstage. With her last studio album “Das Alphabet der ANNA DEPENBUSCH in schwarz-weiß” (The alphabet of ANNA DEPENBUSCH in black and white), the singer-songwriter from Hamburg showed that it takes no more than a piano and her voice to immerse oneself in a world full of fantasy for a few hours. In this world, stories written about life, anecdotes, truths, dreams, desires and longings merge in a symbiosis. Whether she whispers or whistles, caresses or trembles, jokes playfully or simply touches you deeply: “Anna Depenbusch is the measure of all things in her field, modern chanson” (Hannoversche Allgemeine Zeitung).

David Rothenberg has made music with whales, insects, water and wind: but the perfect sound was provided by the Berlin nightingales, who live in competition with the city noise. The American musicologist and musician Rothenberg, an icon of the worldwide experimental music scene, has written a symphony of the big city that sets a musical monument to the nightingale.

Master cellist Gautier Capucon travels to Schloss Elmau together with his ideally-matched piano partner Gülru Ensari. On the programme are some of the great works for cello and piano.

„One of the biggest new music talents in Britain“ (Vogue)

Based on years of research, in this book the two Harvard professors Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt present a deep understanding of how and why democracies die; an alarming analysis of how democracy is being subverted today; and a guide for maintaining and repairing a threatened democracy, for governments, political parties and individuals. History doesn't repeat itself. But we can protect our democracy by learning its lessons, before it's too late.

"Seldom have I read such a clever, accurate and unexcited discussion about why people turn away from parties and institutions and suddenly drift to the right", says Giovanni di Lorenzo about Joachim Gauck's "Tolerance". In a conversation with Minister of State Monika Grütters, Gauck explores the pressing social questions about tolerance and its limits.

Violinist and ECHO Classic prizewinner Ray Chen and French pianist Julien Quentin return to Schloss Elmau with a varied programme: from Bach's famous Chaconne in D minor for solo violin to Grieg's 2nd violin sonata and Ravel's virtuoso Tzigane.

“No one else plays the guitar like him,” the FAZ was already astonished when Nguyên Lês made his German debut in 1993. In his new project, the musicians' origins – Vietnam, India and Japan – form a magical triangle in which fascinating soundscapes are created. A sparkling encounter of identities.

Ein Memoir der Sonderklasse: John Burnside verbindet in „Über Liebe und Magie“ persönliche Erinnerungen, Reflexionen und ungeschönte Selbsterforschung zu einem einzigartigen Kunstwerk.

“This is one of those rare occasions. The eleven-year-old pianist Alexandra Dovgan can hardly be called a wonder child, for while this is a wonder, it is not child’s play. What one hears is a performance by a grown-up individual and a person. It is a special pleasure for me to commend the art of her remarkable music teacher, Mira Marchenko. Yet there are things that cannot be taught and learned. Alexandra Dovgan’s talent is exceptionally harmonious. Her playing is honest and concentrated. I predict a great future for her…“
Grigory Sokolov

Grigory Sokolov returns to Schloss Elmau. For this year's recital, the reserved master pianist performs works by Mozart, including the Sonata in A major K. 331 and the Rondo in A minor K. 511 - a certainly compelling and impressive concert evening with numerous encores.

“We'll be talked about for a long time.” Monika Helfer's new novel “Die Bagage” – a touching story of origin and family

On the occasion of Ludwig van Beethoven's 250th birthday, Igor Levit, one of the world's leading pianists and Beethoven expert, dedicates two concerts to some of the composer's most famous piano sonatas. The first complete recording of Igor Levit's Beethoven piano sonatas, released by Sony Classical in September 2019, received excellent reviews and, in addition to various awards, reached No. 1 in the official classical music charts in 2019.

One of the projects of the restless Munich Chamber Orchestra this season is the collaboration with the violinist Arabella Steinbacher. Together, the musicians have recorded Piazzolla's "Four Seasons of Buenos Aires", giving concerts throughout Germany and also making a stopover in Schloss Elmau.

On the occasion of Ludwig van Beethoven's 250th birthday, Igor Levit, one of the world's leading pianists and Beethoven expert, dedicates two concerts to some of the composer's most famous piano sonatas. The first complete recording of Igor Levit's Beethoven piano sonatas, released by Sony Classical in September 2019, received excellent reviews and, in addition to various awards, reached No. 1 in the official classical music charts in 2019.

"Unbridled enthusiasm for playing and radical rhythm", raved the well-known Austrian musician Wolfgang Muthspiel about BartolomeyBittmann. With their third album "Dynamo", the two Viennese musicians have once again created a great musical achievement, which takes the audience into a fascinating world of sound in the most beautiful way. One thing can definitely be said: Musical narrow-mindedness and a love of tradition are not necessarily among the characteristics that distinguish this pair.

Baritone Michael Volle, to be heard on the world's most important opera stages, together with the soprano Gabriela Scherer gives an evening of great arias and duets from opera history.

Malta-born Joseph Calleja is one of the most sought-after tenors of the present day. NPR described him as “probably the best lyrical tenor of our time”, Gramophone magazine voted him Artist of the Year 2012, and now Joseph Calleja, who sings on all the world's great opera stages, can be heard for the first time in Schloss Elmau – with arias from well-known operas and selected songs from his Maltese homeland.

Cuarteto SolTango stands for authentic tango with orchestral sound and chamber music esprit. The four musicians and their guest interpret classical tango of the "Golden Era" up to the Tango Nuevo of Astor Piazzolla in a unique instrumentation with artistic instrumentation by pianist Martin Klett.

The fact that Sebastian Studnitzky plays trumpet and piano at the highest international level is in itself a sensation. Like few other instrumentalists of his generation, he is present in clubs and at festivals worldwide (with Nils Landgren's Funk unit, Jazzanova, Mezzoforte or Wolfgang Haffner). In 2014, as musical director, he initiated the XJAZZ Festival – Berlin's biggest jazz festival from the ground up – and turned the jazz scene in Germany upside down. In 2015 Sebastian Studnitzky received the ECHO Jazz.

Whether Schumann or Ravel - the sought-after pianist Anna Vinnitskaya moves effortlessly through the repertoire. For this year's "double feature" in Schloss Elmau, where the pianist will present both a piano recital and chamber music, Anna Vinnitskaya has prepared Ravel's demanding "La Valse" and works by Robert Schumann, among others.

For the second evening of her "double feature" in Schloss Elmau, Anna Vinnitskaya plays with the award-winning cellist Leonard Elschenbroich. The two musicians interpret central cello works by Beethoven and Brahms.

Daniela Krien tells of people whose lives were shaken by a counterpoint in history. She tells of disorientation and deep despair. But these novel miniatures go beyond the fate of the individual; they draw a picture of the human being of today. A book about holding one's head above water, about continuing to do things anyway, about creating in spite of everything.

With her "Crystal Quartet" the award-winning French saxophonist Céline Bonacina combines dancing grooves with rousing improvisations as well as complex compositions with great joy of playing and infectious good humour.

Bigband jazz made in Bavaria. The Jazzrausch Bigband is committed to inspiring their audience with creative music-making. Their success has been unbroken and has carried the young techno brass band far beyond the borders of the state to the big German classical music festivals in Rheingau and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern as well as to the Lincoln Center in New York and to Africa & China.

Michael Fitz is not only an actor and thus known to a wide audience through his many television and cinema roles, he is also a true song poet and musical storyteller. He has been touring the German concert stages for10 years and inspires his audience all over the country with himself and his guitars, his fine, cheeky humour and his poetry and passion.

Annett Lousian, probably the most charming voice of Germany is back in Schloss Elmau with her new album "Kleine große Liebe" - full of catchy lyrics and a fresh, modern sound.

Samson Tsoy, described as “most promising” by BBC Music Magazine, was named Laureate of the 2012 Santander International Piano Competition. At the invitation of Elisabeth Leonskaja, he performed alongside famous musicians such as Jörg Widmann. He is a finalist of the “Vendome Prize” at the Verbier Festival and 1st Prize Winner of the Campillos International Piano Competition. Last season included debut performances with BBC Symphony Orchestra and Mariinsky Orchestra under Valery Gergiev.

A panorama of the first post-reunification years in East and West: after the German Book Prize-winning bestseller Kruso, Lutz Seiler continues the story in two major narrative arcs – in a road trip that takes us halfway around the globe and in a Berlin novel that shows us the first days of a new world. And along the way the story of a family is told, which is blown up by the autumn of 89 and which now has to try to find a new way to each other.

Christian Gerhaher, one of the world's most sought-after lieder and opera singers, can be heard again this year together with his piano partner Gerold Huber in a recital at Schloss Elmau.

Swiss saxophonist, clarinettist and composer Nicolas Masson presents his quartet “Nicolas Masson's Parallels” in his album “Traveleres” released by ECM. The quartet has been touring in unchanged formation for a decade.

Bodek Jankes's currently most ambitious project "SONG" is a modern and acoustic, 21st-century response to the world of singer-songwriters, pop culture and its songs. A heavy clash of contrasting music cultures paves the creative space towards new rhythmic, melodic and harmonic structures, surprising the listener with fresh and new but catchy sounds from an exceptional drummer, composer and arranger.

in German

Ausgehend von der Geburtsstunde des Barock und der „Sezierung“ von Rhetorik und Affekt Anfang des 17. Jahrhunderts in Italien um Monteverdi geht die Reise über europäische Werke des Hoch- und Spätbarocks von Händel, Corelli und Jacques Hotteterre le Romain bis hin zu einem Ausblick ins 20. Jahrhundert mit Luciano Berios Gesti, wo die Theatralik italienischen Stils mit den Stilmitteln der Avantgarde der 60er Jahre kulminiert.

A very special concert will bring a very special mother and son team to Schloss Elmau: Violinist Viktoria Mullova is one of the outstanding violinists of our time. Every time she performs at Schloss Elmau, she unfolds a new facet of her great skill and musical range from Bach to Indian music. Her son, the young award-winning double bassist Misha Mullov-Abbado, has also devoted himself to music with great success - but he is especially devoted to jazz. A special evening in an unusual duo formation!