Critic's choice
Opera
Welcome to the Opéra de Lille's 2026-2027 Season
In 2026-27, the Opéra de Lille invites us to explore a question that touches us all : that of the feeling of belonging. Through powerful narratives and singular figures, the new season questions the tensions between inclusion and exclusion, conformity and emancipation, the reality of here and the desire for elsewhere. It invites us to shift our perspective, challenge our certainties, and imagine otherways of being in the world.
The lyrical programming, dance performances, and concerts in various formats take us from the baroque repertoire to contemporary creation, including tango. In autumn, we will meet Alcina and those who choose to live outside the norms, asserting with force the richness of diversity. Winter will lead us to Mars and other unknown territories, whether distant or internal, where the most extreme forms of human existence are revealed. In spring, the story of María de Buenos Aires will guide us to the shores of the Río de la Plata, a land of exile and fragile hopes. Summer, finally, will highlight Otello and his love broken by prejudice, before leading us to Venice, a crossroads city with timeless magnetism.
More than ever, Lille is making its Opéra a space for dialogue, where emotions are shared and horizons open up...
Festival
Pärnu Music Festival 2026
Founded by renowned conductor Paavo Järvi, the Pärnu Music Festival returns in 2026 with a special focus on Estonia’s natural beauty and the 35th anniversary of the country’s regained independence. Set in the charming Baltic seaside town of Pärnu, surrounded by forests, bogs and coastline, the festival reflects the deep connection between music, nature and national identity.
For Paavo Järvi, Pärnu is far more than a festival location. It is the place of his childhood summers, shared with his brother Kristjan Järvi and their father, the legendary conductor Neeme Järvi. This personal bond inspired the creation of the Järvi Academy in 2009 and, two years later, the Pärnu Music Festival, which has since become an internationally acclaimed meeting place for leading artists, emerging talents and contemporary composers.
The 2026 programme celebrates both heritage and innovation. Alongside world-class soloists, promising young musicians will make their major stage debuts, while four world premieres reaffirm the festival’s commitment to new music and contemporary artistic voices. Nature is a central theme, reflected in works by Estonian master Heino Eller and Beethoven’s Pastoral Symphony. The festival concludes with a grand finale featuring pianists Rudolf Buchbinder and Alice Sara Ott performing Beethoven’s piano concertos with Paavo Järvi and the Estonian Festival Orchestra.