Media Release

THREE HIGHLIGHTS NOT TO BE MISSED

The opening concert will be doubly loaded with symbols: 30 years after having conducted the first concert of the Verbier Festival, Zubin Mehta will return to open the festivities of this anniversary year with the Verbier Festival Orchestra. The energetic Yuja Wang will set the tone with Rachmaninoff’s Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 3. The work of the Russian pianist and composer will be honored in 2023 for the 150th anniversary of his birth.

For the 30th anniversary of the Festival, two emblematic godmothers of the Festival are returning to perform in Verbier: the great actresses Marthe Keller and Isabelle Huppert. Two intimate performances in the Cinema room will be strong emotional and poetic moments for the audience.

The highlight par excellence of this thirtieth Festival will undoubtedly be the Gala which will take place on July 24 at the Salle des Combins, bringing together on stage the artists who have made the Verbier Festival famous with the musicians of the Verbier Festival Chamber Orchestra. A program carefully prepared by Martin T:son Engstroem who will want to be unforgettable: Barbara Hendricks – the third godmother of the Festival – Bryn Terfel, Gautier and Renaud Capuçon, Joshua Bell, Martin Fröst … among more than 40 soloists and surprises not to be missed under no excuse!

A FIRST CHOICE PROGRAM

For an anniversary year, an extraordinary programme: the Verbier Festival is proud to welcome internationally renowned artists for the first time this summer. The famous cellist Yo-Yo Ma will make his debut on the Salle des Combins stage accompanied by Leonidas Kavakos and Emmanuel Ax on July 16 for an evening of chamber music dedicated to Beethoven. The great trumpet player Wynton Marsalis becomes one of the Festival’s composers in residence. He comes to celebrate with the public of Verbier: he will be on stage in concert on July 22 with his jazz ensemble. In addition, two of his compositions will be presented: The Verbier Festival Junior Orchestra conducted by James Gaffigan will play Marsalis concerto for violin and orchestra on July 23 and Verbier Festival Orchestra with trumpeter Håkan Harderberger will play a preview in Switzerland and Europe of his concerto for trumpet and orchestra during the closing concert on July 30. The programme would not have been complete without the elegance and charm of Renée Fleming. Accompanied by none other than the unique Evgeny Kissin on the piano, the American soprano will perform works by Schubert, Liszt, Rachmaninoff and Duparc on July 28.

Three young talents from the Kanneh-Mason family come to join the great family of Verbier musicians: Isata, 26-year-old pianist, Braimah, 25-year-old violinist and Sheku, 23-year-old cellist, the latter is an alumnus of the Academy . A chamber music concert not to be missed on July 28 in the Church of Verbier.

Verbier always rhymes with piano. The great names of the international classical scene answered the call: Yefim Bronfman, Mao Fujita, Richard Goode, Maria João Pires, Mikhaïl Pletnev, Danii Trifonov, as well as the American jazz pianist Brad Mehldau who had come to Verbier for the first times in 2022. The very young 14-year-old prodigy Tsotne Zedginidze will present his new compositions at the Church of Verbier.

True to its reputation for artistic excellence, the Verbier Festival is proud to present Wozzeck as one of the concert operas of 2023. The Verbier Festival Orchestra conducted by Lahav Shani will present this work in three acts by Alban Berg: this classic will not fail to seduce festival-goers with the charismatic Matthias Goerne in the role of soldier Wozzeck. The staging of this concert which will take place on July 27, 2023 will be decorated with giant screens.

THE ACADEMY AND THE ORCHESTRA PROGRAM

With a record number of applications received – 2,250 – this year, the programmes of the Academy and the orchestras of the Festival are sure not to miss young talent for this anniversary edition. A series of six concerts dedicated to the Academy entitled “Academy Presents” gives the opportunity to discover the young and talented soloists, chamber music ensembles and opera singers who constitute the next generation. The Verbier Festival Orchestra, whose musicians are aged 18 to 28, presents six concerts this summer. The Verbier Festival Junior Orchestra, whose musicians are aged 15 to 18, is on the bill for three concerts, including a performance on the last day of the Festival with the singers of the Atelier Lyrique in Stravinsky’s opera La Carrière du Libertin.

The programme of more than 100 Academy Masterclasses will be unveiled in March 2023 followed by the programming of UNLTD in spring 2023, which includes free activities and events accessible to all, such as outdoor concerts, musical hikes, conferences, workshops for children, and much more.

PRACTICAL INFORMATION FOR THE 2023 EDITION

Note this year that the evening concerts will start earlier. Concerts at the Salle des Combins will start at 6:30 pm instead of 7 pm and concerts in the Church will now be at 7:30 pm instead of 8 pm. The box office opens on February 7 for the general public.

The Verbier Festival is proud to announce that Banque Julius Baer and SICPA are joined by Rolex, the Festival’s historic sponsor, which is exceptionally returning for the 30th edition.

The Verbier Festival is a classical music festival that encourages sharing between great musicians and young aspiring artists from around the world. It is committed to excellence in music performance and education through its highly respected artistic programme, Academy and community engagement programmes. The next edition of the Verbier Festival will place July 14 to 30, 2023 in Verbier (Switzerland). The Festival is made possible with the generous support of its many private and public sponsors such as Aline Foriel-Destezet, the Association of the Friends of the Verbier Festival, the Communue de Val de Bagnes and with the Anniversary Sponsor Rolex and its Principal Sponsorships Bank Julius Baer and SICPA.

PROGRAMME