Concerto Köln

Founded in 1985 by students at the Cologne University of Music, Concerto Köln specializes in historically informed performances of 18th- and 19th-century repertoire, usually directed from the concertmaster’s chair. The ensemble quickly established itself as a leading force in the early music world and has appeared internationally. Its many recordings have received distinctions including a Grammy Award, the German Record Critics’ Award, the Opus Klassik, and the Diapason d’or. In 2021, Concerto Köln broke new ground with its historically informed performance of Wagner’s Das Rheingold under its Honorary Conductor Kent Nagano, setting a milestone in the history of musical interpretation. As part of its “#WeCelebrate” concert series, the ensemble is dedicating each year — from its 40th to its 50th anniversary — to an outstanding figure or a significant event in music history. The series kicked off with a tribute to the Italian composer Alessandro Scarlatti. Together with the Dresden Festival Orchestra, Concerto Köln has been presenting “The Wagner Cycles” since 2023, bringing Wagner’s complete Ring of the Nibelung to the stage in historically informed performances. The project culminates in 2026 with Götterdämmerung, coinciding with the 150th anniversary of the Ring’s premiere. Concerto Köln receives support from the Ministry of Culture and Science of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, the North Rhine-Westphalia Art Foundation, the Goethe-Institut, the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media, and the Strecker Foundation.

Lucerne Festival debut on 18 August 2002 in a program of works by Mozart and his contemporaries, juxtaposed with Turkish music; most recent appearance here was on 12 September 2025, in Wagner’s Siegfried under Kent Nagano.

July 2026