Munich Philharmonic

Founded in 1893, the Munich Philharmonic made music history early on when Gustav Mahler conducted the premieres of his Fourth and Eighth Symphonies and Bruno Walter, shortly after Mahler’s death, led the first performance of Das Lied von der Erde. A pupil of Bruckner, Ferdinand Löwe established the orchestra’s great tradition of Bruckner performance; in the decades that followed, Eugen Jochum, Hans Rosbaud, Fritz Rieger, and Rudolf Kempe shaped its artistic profile. In 1979, Sergiu Celibidache assumed leadership of the orchestra for seventeen years, enhancing its international reputation through numerous tours abroad. After Celibidache’s death, James Levine (1999-2004), Christian Thielemann (2004-11), Lorin Maazel (2012-14), and Valery Gergiev (2015-22) led the orchestra. Zubin Mehta has held the title of Conductor Laureate since 2004. In January 2023, Lahav Shani was appointed the orchestra’s next Chief Conductor; he will take up the post in the 2026-27 season for a season featuring works by Mahler, Bruckner, Schubert, and Paul Ben-Haim, as well as an operatic project presenting Béla Bartók’s Bluebeard’s Castle. The Munich Philharmonic releases its recordings on its MPHIL label, the most recent being Frank Martin’s oratorio In terra pax under Alain Altinoglu. Through its “Spielfeld Klassik” program, the orchestra has developed a wide-ranging educational initiative for audiences of all ages. The orchestra also tours extensively, including appearances in twelve European cities and in the United States during the 2026-27 season, as well as a residency at the Easter Festival in Aix-en-Provence.

Lucerne Festival debut on 23 March 2002, with Christian Thielemann conducting works by Debussy, Chausson, and Ravel.

For further information on this ensemble, visit their homepage at http://www.mphil.de/en.

April 2026