Stars Align when Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra Presents a Season Beyond Borders 2025-2026

The two colorful conductor profiles Barbara Hannigan and Pekka Kuusisto lead the way as the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra prepares for a new season in the Gothenburg Concert Hall 2025-2026.

Winner of the 2025 Polar Prize, conductor and soprano Barbara Hannigan, will present one of the year's highlights when The White Book by Laura Bowler is world premiered in Gothenburg on January 14th 2026. The music is based on Nobel Prize winner Han Kang's book of the same name and is specially written for Barbara Hannigan to sing. A co-commission of Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra, London Symphony Orchestra and Copenhagen Philharmonic.

Hannigan is Principal Guest Conductor of the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra since 2019 and opens the season on September 4 with music by Berlioz, Copland and Beethoven. A season that offers collaborations beyond borders, new commissions, beloved classics and world artists who constantly challenge themselves.

World-renowned violinist and conductor Pekka Kuusisto is new Principal Guest Conductor from 2025-2026. He will lead Artist in Residence violinist Ava Bahari and cellist Andreas Brantelid in Brahms's Double Concerto and will also perform Louise Farrenc's 3rd Symphony. Two unique programs with Kuusisto and guests await in spring – one in collaboration with mezzo-soprano Anne Sofie von Otter, one with Sami folk singer Katarina Barruk in a theme about the power of language.

More stars to come

Gothenburg Symphony will perform the Scandinavian premiere of John Adams' new piano concerto After the Fall, performed by Víkingur Ólafsson with Adams as conductor. More stars align with appearences from supertenor Jonas Kaufmann in an opera gala, violinists Nikolaj Znaider and Eldbjørg Hemsing, pianists Leif Ove Andsnes, Bertrand Chamayou, Jean-Yves Thibaudet, Markus Schirmer, Peter Friis Johansson and Roland Pöntinen, viral organist Anna Lapwood, cellist Truls Mørk and tenor and director Andrew Staples.

Master conductors visiting are Marie Jacquot, Tabita Berglund, Marta Gardolinska, Thomas Dausgaard, Stephane Denève, Nicholas Collon and Ludovic Morlot. In addition, Esa-Pekka Salonen is back in Gothenburg to conduct his Organ concerto with Olivier Latry as soloist. Honorary Conductor Neeme Järvi is back at the podium in a concert of Nordic classics and will also go on tour with GSO to Lugano Arte e Cultura Festival. Former Chief Conductor Santtu-Matias Rouvali will lead Der Ring ohne Worte by Wagner-Maazel and the world premiere of Tobias Broström’s Symphony No. 2.

Furher masterpieces over the year are Orff Carmina Burana, Ravel Bolero and the Swedish classic God in Disguise by Lars-Erik Larsson, together with choir, orchestra and soloists.

High demand on seats

The audience continues to flock to the Gothenburg Concert Hall. The Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra's concerts had an average occupancy of 94% in 2024. Now a new year is ready with over 150 planned concerts in the form of orchestral series, family and school concerts, chamber-, organ and popular concerts.

Browse full Season 2025-2026 here.