Hesitating, composing, listening to echoes

The Lucerne Festival Academy has a new Artistic Director – and he’s a remarkably versatile artist! Jörg Widmann, who took over at the start of 2026 as successor of the late Wolfgang Rihm, is not only one of today’s most distinguished composers but also an internationally sought-after clarinetist and conductor.

Lucerne Festival Director Sebastian Nordmann met with Jörg Widmann at the Richard Wagner Museum in Lucerne. In this inspiring setting, Widmann offers insights into his compositional process, shares his reaction to being named director of the Academy, discusses key program highlights from his first year in Lucerne, and much more.