The Tanglewood Festival will take place this summer from late June through early September, offering an exciting lineup of performances at the famed music and learning campus in the Berkshire Hills of western Massachusetts. The program features notable world premieres, important debuts, and collaborations between renowned artists and the Boston Symphony Orchestra (BSO), led by Andris Nelsons.
A significant highlight of the season is the world premiere of John Williams’ Piano Concerto, composed for Emanuel Ax, who will perform as the soloist. Nelsons will conduct the BSO in this special presentation, adding to the rich history of Tanglewood as a venue for Williams’ premieres, including his Violin Concerto No. 2 and Cello Concerto, among others.
Another key moment is Nelson’s performance of Puccini’s Tosca, set for July 19. This concert-opera presentation will feature soprano Kristine Opolais, tenor Seok Jong Baek as Cavaradossi (in his Tanglewood debut), bass-baritone Sir Bryn Terfel as Scarpia, and the Tanglewood Festival Chorus.
The festival also marks the 150th anniversary of Maurice Ravel’s birth with an all-French program, including Seong-Jin Cho performing both of Ravel’s piano concertos on July 12. Additionally, Yuja Wang will take the stage for the Leonard Bernstein Memorial Concert, performing Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No. 2 with the Tanglewood Music Center Orchestra (TMCO) on July 20.
Tanglewood is also known for supporting young artists, with notable debuts including Spanish violinist María Dueñas, who will perform Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto on July 25. The festival’s closing concert on July 27 will feature Lang Lang performing Saint-Saëns’ Piano Concerto No. 2 under Nelsons’ baton, alongside works by Gabriela Ortiz and Beethoven.
Another special event will be a star-studded piano quartet performance on August 3, featuring Emanuel Ax, Leonidas Kavakos, Antoine Tamestit, and Yo-Yo Ma in a program of Beethoven’s music. The season will conclude with Zubin Mehta’s return to the Shed for the first time since 2001, where he will conduct BSO in Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9.
Other distinguished figures at the festival include Esa-Pekka Salonen, Pekka Kuusisto, Elim Chan, and Daniil Trifonov, Yefim Bronfman, and more.
For a complete list of performances, visit the official Tanglewood website
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