The grand Beethoven cycle of 2027
Ludwig van Beethoven –
The cornerstone of the orchestra’s artistic identity
It is shortly after 8 pm on 20 March 1946. A tense silence hangs over Bamberg’s Zentralsaal as the first notes of a newly founded orchestra ring out: the Bamberg Symphony, or ‘Bamberger Symphoniker’. And on the programme for the inaugural concert is – Beethoven. His Leonore Overture No. 3, his Violin Concerto, his 7th Symphony.
The Bamberg Symphony Orchestra makes its debut with the music of perhaps the greatest and most charismatic symphonist in the history of music. And it finds its deep artistic roots in his music.
81 years later. Once again, there is a sense of anticipation in the air as the Bamberg Symphony Orchestra, under its principal conductor Jakub Hrůša, embarks on an extraordinary project: the cyclical performance of all nine of Ludwig van Beethoven’s symphonies. And not just once. The Bamberg Symphony will perform this cycle four times in succession: in Bamberg, Prague, Düsseldorf/Cologne and Vienna.
This intensive engagement with Beethoven runs like a common thread through the orchestra’s history. Conductors such as Principal Conductor Joseph Keilberth, Sir Georg Solti, Eugen Jochum and Honorary Conductor Herbert Blomstedt shaped and consolidated this special Beethoven tradition over decades. Today, this legacy is carried forward in close artistic collaboration with Principal Conductor Jakub Hrůša. Together with him, the Bamberg Symphony Orchestra maintains a vibrant connection to Beethoven’s music, which remains the foundation and point of reference for its rich tradition to this day.
It is through this artistic exploration that the Bamberg Symphony has developed its distinctive sound. Beethoven is not only a cornerstone of the repertoire, but also a musical starting point from which the orchestra’s multifaceted musical language has evolved – spanning Brahms and Dvořák, Bruckner and Mahler, right through to Janáček and Martinů.
The Bamberg Symphony’s Beethoven cycle, conducted by Jakub Hrůša, marks not only a tribute to the great composer but also a reconnection with the orchestra’s own history: more than 80 years after the orchestra’s foundation, a circle is drawn between its origins and the present day: Beethoven is and remains the foundation of the Bamberg Symphony’s own artistic identity.
DATES & TICKETS
BAMBERG, concert hall:
FRI, May 14, 7 p.m. (CEST)
Ludwig van Beethoven Symphonies No. 1, 2, and 3
SAT, May 15, 8 p.m. (CEST)
Ludwig van Beethoven Symphonies No. 4 and 5
FRI, May 21, 6 p.m. (CEST)
Ludwig van Beethoven Symphonies No. 6 and 7
SUN, May 23, 5 p.m. (CEST)
Ludwig van Beethoven Symphonies No. 8 and 9
PRAGUE, Smetana hall:
MON, May 17, 7 p.m.
Ludwig van Beethoven Symphonien No. 1, 2, and 3
TUE, May 18, 8 p.m.
Ludwig van Beethoven Symphonies No. 4 and 5
WED, May 19, 8 p.m.
Ludwig van Beethoven Symphonies No. 6 and 7
TUE, May 25, 8 p.m.
Ludwig van Beethoven Symphonies No. 8 and 9
Jakub Hrůša conductor
Bamberg Symphony
Louise Alder soprano
Thomas Atkins tenor
Jingwen Cai mezzo-soprano
Nicholas Brownlee bass-baritone
Czech Philharmonic Choir Brno (on 23, 25 and 31 May 2027)
Vienna Singakademie (on 6 June 2027)
DÜSSELDORF, Tonhalle:
THU, May 27, 7 p.m.
Ludwig van Beethoven
Symphonies No. 1, 2, and 3
FRI, May 28, 8 p.m.
Ludwig van Beethoven
Symphonies No. 4 and 5
COLOGNE, Philharmonie:
SUN, May 30, 4 p.m.
Ludwig van Beethoven
Symphonies No. 6 and 7
MON, May 31, 8 p.m.
Ludwig van Beethoven
Symphonies No. 8 and 9