The Oslo Philharmonic launches the 25/26 season

The season launches early on 8 August when the Oslo Philharmonic performs five concerts of Verdi’s Requiem at the iconic Oscarsborg Fortress, in collaboration with OscarsborgOpera. The production will be a powerful fusion of music drama and contemporary circus.

“Here the audience will experience an audiovisual performance unlike anything previously seen at Oscarsborg,” says Alex Taylor, Head of Artistic Strategy and Planning.

Thereafter, Adam Hickox conducts the annual free concert at the Palace Square on 17 August, which last year drew over 22,000 listeners.

Klaus Mäkelä’s sixth season

Chief Conductor Klaus Mäkelä enters his sixth season with the Oslo Philharmonic, opening on 28 August with the exotic nocturnal moods of Mahler’s Symphony No. 7. That evening also brings the Norwegian premiere of Hell Mountain, a new work by Anders Hillborg, commissioned in collaboration with the Oslo Philharmonic.

Joining Mäkelä and the orchestra – both at home and on tour – are two very special soloists this season. In January, Lisa Batiashvili performs Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto in Oslo, Hamburg, Vienna, Paris and Essen, while Truls Mørk closes the season in May with Dvořák’s Cello Concerto – both in Oslo and at the prestigious Prague Spring Festival.

Seven commissions on the programme

“This season the Oslo Philharmonic presents seven commissions. Four of them are by Norwegian composers, in addition to three international co-commissions,” says Taylor.

The first Norwegian work of the season is Bjørn Kruse’s Unfolding Moments, a violin concerto written for the orchestra’s violinist Maria Angelika Carlsen, who is soloist at the premiere on 6 November.

Norwegian composer Hermann Vogt has two works on the programme: the first, Hymn, premieres at the Christmas concerts in week 51, and the second, the orchestral version of Light Shall Shine Out of Darkness, is premiered at the Easter concerts. The work has previously been recorded and will be released on LAWO during spring 2025. On 26 and 27 February 2026, Ørjan Matre’s Piano Concerto, written for pianist Leif Ove Andsnes, will be premiered with Andsnes as soloist.

A little piece of the world

“The audience will also get a little piece of the world in Oslo almost every week,” says Taylor about the upcoming season. The programme includes pianists Nobuyuki Tsujii (12 and 13 November) and Leif Ove Andsnes (26 and 27 February), as well as violinists Joshua Bell (4 September) and Lisa Batiashvili (15 January). Taylor also highlights mezzo-soprano Aigul Akhmetshina, who makes her debut with the Oslo Philharmonic on 25 and 26 September under Kazuki Yamada, when the orchestra performs Duruflé’s Requiem and Ravel’s Shéhérazade.

“Like Lise Davidsen, Akhmetshina has quickly become a star the entire opera world is embracing – so this is truly a soloist not to be missed,” says Taylor.

New choral projects

The 25/26 season also features several new projects with the Oslo Philharmonic Choir, including Carmina Burana with guest conductor Santtu-Matias Rouvali (19 and 20 November). The renowned choral conductor Simon Halsey has been appointed Artistic Director of Choral Activities with the Oslo Philharmonic, and his first production takes place in week 39, when he leads the Oslo Philharmonic Choir in performances of Duruflé’s Requiem and Ravel’s Daphnis et Chloé Suite No. 2.

In March, an entirely new concept is introduced when the Oslo Philharmonic and the Oslo Philharmonic Choir, for the first time, invite audiences to a sing-along performance of Mozart’s Requiem. Halsey has long experience with this format, which is highly popular across Europe.