2000
The Concert Hall's new organ is inaugurated at the Festival's opening concert on 17 August. The Festival theme is "Metamorphoses" with symposium and 25 symphony concerts. The artiste étoile is clarinetist Sabine Meyer, the composers-in-residence György Kurtág and Toshio Hosokawa. Co-productions with Lucerne Theater: G. Kurtág's Kafka-Fragmente, op. 24 (invited to First Ruhr Triennale) and Luciano Berio's Un re in ascolto. 11 concerts in Moderne.Lucerne. The Credit Suisse's Young Artist Award is introduced jointly by LUCERNE FESTIVAL, Vienna Philharmonic, the Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde (Vienna) and the Credit Suisse Group. The first winner is Quirine Viersen (cello).

1999
Jürg R. Reinshagen is appointed chairman of the Board of Trustees.
LUCERNE FESTIVAL, OSTERN is the first festival program conceived for Lucerne by
Michael Haefliger. 

The Gustav Mahler Youth Orchestra is appointed the Easter Festival's orchestra-in-residence.
LUCERNE FESTIVAL, SOMMER inaugurates a triptych of themes, beginning with "Myths."
The International Music Festival views itself not only as a traditional organizer of concerts of international caliber, but expressly as a vehicle for contemporary music and art events directly related to music. 18 symphony concerts. The artiste étoile is Evelyn Glennie (percussion), the composers-in-residence Frangis Ali-Sade and Giya Kancheli. Symposium on "Myths Without End"; Penthesilea, an opera by Othmar Schoeck; eight concerts in Moderne.Lucerne. Children’s Corner and "debut.lucerne" achieve worldwide acclaim.

1998
The Festival celebrates the sixtieth anniversary of its founding.
Jean Nouvel's Culture and Congress Center (KKZ) and its 1800-seat Concert Hall open their doors. The Berlin Philharmonic play Wolfgang Rihm's in-schrift and Beethoven's Ninth under Claudio Abbado. Symposium on "The Festival in the 21st Century."

A third festival is founded in this anniversary year: LUCERNE FESTIVAL, PIANO, to be held annually in November and to focus on music for keyboard instruments.

Michael Haefliger is appointed the Festival's new general director.

1997
With the Kunsthaus demolished and the Culture and Congress Center still under construction, Festival events are held in the Von Moos-Stahl Hall in Emmenbrücke, adapted by Herzog & de Meuron for use as a concert stage. The guiding theme of the Festival is "Nostalgia." 17 symphony concerts, four Musica Nova concerts with works by Wolfgang Rihm. Schubert cycle. Festival within a Festival: "Pfeifen im Walde" (Whistling in the Woods).

1996
The Festival's guiding theme is "The Healing Power of Music." 17 symphony concerts, four Musica Nova concerts with works by Beat Furrer and Michael Jarrell. Lectures; workshop on "Therapeutic Sounds." On 11 September the Vienna Philharmonic, conducted by Giuseppe Sinopoli, gives the Festival's final concert in the old concert hall of the Kunsthaus. The City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra gives its Festival début.

1995
The Festival's guiding theme is "Music Misunderstood: Misconceptions in Music History." 18 symphony concerts, three Musica Nova concerts with works by Luciano Berio. Festival within the Festival: Gypsy Music.

1994
The City of Lucerne resolves to build a new Culture and Congress Center, to be completed by 1998.
The Festival's guiding theme is "Interpretation and Arrangement." 16 symphony concerts, three Musica Nova concerts with music by Klaus Huber. Cycle of "Interpretations." Festival of street music.

1993
16 symphony concerts, two Musica Nova concerts with works by Alfred Schnittke. Festival within the Festival: "Amateur Music." The Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra gives its Festival début.

1992
Matthias Bamert is appointed new director of the IMF.
As of this year, the Easter Festival will be held regularly in the week before Palm Sunday. Symphonic and sacred music featuring early music ensembles on period instruments. The Festival's guiding theme is "Europe." 16 symphony concerts, three Musica Nova concerts. The final concert of the Swiss Festival Orchestral is given on 22 August, conducted by Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos. The orchestra disbands after taking part in the Festival for nearly 50 years.

1991
The Easter Festival is canceled due to the Gulf War.
16 symphony concerts, one Musica Nova concert, two Young Artists concerts. The Zurich Tonhalle Orchestra gives its Festival début.

1990
16 symphony concerts, two Musica Nova concerts, two "Young Artists" concerts.
First concert with Claudio Abbado as new principal conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic.
The Gustav Mahler Youth Orchestra gives its Festival début under the baton of Václav Neumann.

1989
Georges Bucher is appointed president of the IMF (until 1998). 16 symphony concerts, one Musica Nova concert, two Young Artists concerts. The Berlin Philharmonic gives concerts under James Levine and Daniel Barenboim.

1988
The first Easter Festival takes place to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the IMF, drawing on the tradition of medieval Easter and Passion plays. Special emphasis is placed on sacred music in Lucerne's beautiful religious buildings: the Jesuit Church, the Court Church and the Franciscan Church.
On 31 August Herbert von Karajan conducts his final concert in Lucerne with the Berlin Philharmonic.
The Orchestre de la Suisse Romande reappears after a long absence, and the Chamber Orchestra of Europe gives its Festival début.

1987
Festival themes: America and France.
46 events, including 16 symphony concerts

1986
Festival themes: Weber, Liszt and Schoeck.
Musica Nova concert with music by Hans Werner Henze. The Budapest Festival Orchestra gives its Festival début.

1985
Festival theme: Year of Music and Year of Youth. Juvenilia by great composers and a focus on Johann Sebastian Bach, George Frideric Handel and Domenico Scarlatti. Musica Nova concert with Pierre Boulez.

1984
Festival themes: Martinu, Dvorák and Smetana. Rafael Kubelik conducts his final concert at the Festival. Musica Nova concert with music by Norbert Moret.

1983
Festival theme: Wagner-Brahms. The Siegfried Idyll is performed at its place of origin, Wagner's former residence on Tribschen peninsula. The Staatskapelle Dresden gives its Festival début. Musica Nova concert with Pierre Boulez.

1982
Festival theme: England. Her Majesty Queen Elisabeth II becomes the Festival's patroness. The series "The Composer and His World" is devoted to Peter Maxwell Davies. The London Symphony Orchestra and the Philadelphia Orchestra give their Festival débuts.
A street music festival is held on the city's streets and squares.