Work of the week

Edmund Finnis: The Landscape Wakes. An orchestral poem about the ceaseless awakening of the world. World premiere Feb 6, 2026, in Milwaukee.

World Premiere in Berlin: Eduard Resatsch’s Premonition shatters the silence on January 29th at the Konzerthaus. A powerful musical journey between dreams and reality, conducted by Vladimir Jurowski.

From prodigy to master: Erich Wolfgang Korngold's "Violanta" premieres on January 25, 2026, at the Deutsche Oper Berlin. Experience a psychological drama of revenge and passion, conducted by Sir Donald Runnicles.

Anthony Davis's chamber opera Pancho Rabbit and the Coyote is a binational commission exploring the migrant experience at the U.S.-Mexico border. Based on Duncan Tonatiuh’s award-winning children's book, the opera uses a bilingual animal fable to make themes of hope, exploitation, and family unity musically tangible. The production blends jazz, classical, and Mexican folklore into a contemporary "Animal Farm".

In 2026, we will celebrate the 100th birthday of composer Hans Werner Henze. His well-known Fantasia for Strings is based on a film score he wrote in 1966. Henze composed music for director Volker Schlöndorff that brings to life the depths of the story of Der junge Törless (Young Törless). Henze was a visionary, conductor and cosmopolitan – an artist whose influence extended far beyond his musical scores. To mark the start of the anniversary celebrations in January, Camerata Bern will be performing Fantasia for Strings in its concerts.

Japanese Premiere: Viktor Ullmann's "The Emperor of Atlantis," composed in Terezín in 1943. A timeless plea against tyranny.

Mary Finsterer's "Auxilium Christianorum" – A commission for choir and orchestra that reinterprets Bach's chorale. WP Dec 2, 2025 in Melbourne.

Noriko Koide's Whale for orchestra and children. A sonic expedition into the ocean. World Premiere at Nagoya, Nov 24, 2025.

The San Francisco Opera is set to present the highly anticipated world premiere of Huang Ruo’s opera The Monkey King (Libretto: David Henry Hwang) on November 14, 2025. Based on the Chinese epic Journey to the West, the work tells the story of Sun Wukong, the Monkey King , who, after a revolt against Heaven, comes to the crucial realization that true power lies in self-enlightenment. The production combines Huang Ruo's innovative "Dimensionalism" aesthetic with elements of Peking opera and visionary puppetry by MacArthur Genius Basil Twist. Directed by Tony winner Diane Paulus and conducted by Carolyn Kuan, The Monkey King is the perfect prelude to the composer's young, strategic partnership with Schott Music. 

Henze's satirical opera The English Cat as a new production at the Bavarian State Opera to mark the start of the ‘Henze 100’ anniversary year.