Maestros!
Dear Public,
After unveiling the first Maestros who will set the tone for our 33rd edition, we are delighted to introduce five more exceptional conductors who will lead our orchestras this summer. Get ready for a season filled with powerful, unforgettable musical moments!
The Verbier Festival Team
Lahav Shani
VFO & VFCO
Sun. 26.07 | Sat. 01.08
Currently Music Director of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra and of the Munich Philharmonic Orchestra, the Maestro returns to Verbier on 26 July to conduct Bruckner’s monumental Symphony No. 7, a cornerstone of his repertoire, which he studied with his mentor Daniel Barenboim. In the first half of the programme, the remarkable Yunchan Lim and Minsoo Sohn perform Mozart’s Concerto for Two Pianos in E-flat major. On 1 August, Lahav Shani leads a very special evening featuring Brahms’s final symphony, alongside an immersive experience with Renée Fleming, blending her voice with striking imagery from the National Geographic Society.
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Nikolaj Szeps-Znaider
VFCO
Mon. 27.07 | 18:30 | Combins
Nikolaj Szeps-Znaider returns to Verbier for an exceptional evening on 27 July, leading the VFCO. Following Mendelssohn’s energetic Opening of Ruy Blas, written in just three days, Janine Jansen and Daniel Blendulf join forces for Brahms’s Double Concerto, renowned for its richness and virtuosity. Nikolaj Szeps-Znaider then conducts Schumann’s Rhenish Symphony, whose rare five-movement structure pays tribute to Germany’s musical heritage, notably the Cologne Cathedral, evoked in the slow movement built around a chorale. Highly sought after as a violinist, don’t miss Nikolaj Szeps-Znaider’s unique recital with Kirill Gerstein.
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Mikhaïl Pletnev
VFCO
Wed. 29.07 | 18:30 | Combins
As a pianist, conductor and composer, Mikhaïl Pletnev is widely regarded as one of the greatest artists of our time, guided by a profound humility and a deep commitment to the essence of music. This summer, the magician Pletnev presents an original, off-the-beaten-path programme, featuring rarely performed pieces, such as the Symphony No. 6 by the prolific Austrian composer Carl Czerny and Schubert’s Wanderer Fantasy, interpreted by pianist Dmitry Shishkin in an arrangement by Mikhaïl Pletnev himself, creating a compelling dialogue between soloist and orchestra. The evening continues with Schumann’s Violin Concerto, one of the most demanding works in the repertoire, brought to life by the exceptional Daniel Lozakovich. A true multi-faceted artist, Mikhaïl Pletnev also appears on 26 July in a recital combining Bach, Grieg, and Schumann, before reuniting with Gianandrea Noseda on 30 July.
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Gianandrea Noseda
VFO
Thu. 30.07 | 18:30 | Combins
Gianandrea Noseda is one of the world’s most sought-after conductors, renowned for his mastery of both the symphonic and operatic repertoire. On 30 July, he reunites with Mikhaïl Pletnev, this time at the piano, for Chopin’s irresistible Piano Concerto No. 2. The Italian maestro then leads Mahler’s Tragic Symphony No. 6, a monumental work whose dramatic intensity and architectural power offer a sweeping panorama of Mahler’s musical universe. Impressive in both scale and symbolism, this symphony is undoubtedly one of the major highlights of the 2026 edition.
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Vasily Petrenko
VFO
Sun. 02.08 | 18:30 | Combins
Gramophone Magazine’s Artist of the Year and current Music Director of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Vasily Petrenko brings the 33rd edition of the Festival to a dazzling close with a truly apotheotic concert. The programme opens with Shor’s Suite after Crystal Palace, followed by excerpts from Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet, and culminates in Tchaikovsky’s sublime Piano Concerto No. 2, performed by Alexandre Kantorow. Vasily Petrenko first conducted the Second Piano Concerto when the pianist made his breakthrough with the piece at the 2019 Tchaikovsky Competition, setting the stage for an unforgettable, emotionally rich reunion this summer.
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