Pianist Víkingur Ólafsson curates the new Lucerne Festival Pulse in May 2026. Upon invitation from Víkingur Ólafsson and Lucerne Festival’s Executive and Artistic Director Sebastian Nordmann, the Mahler Chamber Orchestra is delighted to join Víkingur Ólafsson for two concerts at the first edition of Pulse.
“We are excited about our first and long-awaited artistic collaboration with Víkingur Ólafsson, and to have this opportunity at our musical home Lucerne feels like a dream come true”, says Mahler Chamber Orchestra Chief Executive Officer Liisa Ketomäki.
Starting on 8 May, the new Festival Pulse will be held for the first time. In his inaugural edition, titled “Time and Space,” Víkingur Ólafsson will explore connections spanning from Johann Sebastian Bach to the present. Bach’s Goldberg Variations will be brought to life in a new, immersive setting, accompanied by a light installation by the Icelandic-Danish artist Olafur Eliasson.
Concert at KKL on 14 May 2026
G. LIGETI Poème Symphonique
T. ADÈS Concerto Conciso
G. KURTÁG …quasi una fantasia
A. PÄRT Credo
T. ADÈS America
Víkingur Ólafsson piano
Anna Denis mezzo-soprano
MDR Radio Choir
Mahler Chamber Orchestra
Thomas Adès conductor
Concert at KKL on 17 May 2026
J. S. BACH Concerto for harpsichord/piano and string orchestra no. 5 in F minor, BWV 1056
P. KOPATCHINSKAJA (arr.) Carinthian Song "A Vegale af'n Zweschpmbam"
A. BERG Violin Concerto
J. S. BACH "Es ist genug" from Cantata "O Ewigkeit du Donnerwort", BWV 60
J. BRAHMS Symphony no. 4
Víkingur Ólafsson piano
Patricia Kopatchinskaja violin
Mahler Chamber Orchestra
Elim Chan conductor
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