Mon, August 17, 2026
Summer Festival: West Eastern Divan Orchestra

A summit meeting of two legends: Daniel Barenboim and Yo-Yo Ma have made music history over the last half-century. But they share more than that. Both understand music as the best path to understanding and are committed to intercultural dialogue. With his "Silk Road Project," Yo-Yo Ma bridged the gap between Asia and the West, and in his most recent projects, he continues to transcend the boundaries between genres and cultures to strengthen social cohesion. With his West-Eastern Divan Orchestra, founded in 1999 and comprised primarily of Israeli, Palestinian, and Arab musicians, Barenboim keeps alive the vision of mutual recognition, equality, and justice—especially in our conflict-ridden times. Their joint concert in Lucerne will naturally also touch on America: Antonín Dvořák composed his melodious Cello Concerto in the USA, and some even claim to hear the gospel song "Go, Tell It on the Mountain" in the elegiac second theme of the opening movement. After the intermission, however, we travel back to Europe, the motherland of classical music: Mendelssohn's Italian Symphony exudes joy, radiates temperament and fiery spirit – and builds to a frenzied climax with a tarantella in the finale.

Program:
6:30 p.m.: Pre-concert talk with Susanne Stähr (KKL Lucerne, Auditorium)

Antonín Dvořák (1841–1904)
Cello Concerto in B minor, Op. 10

Felix Mendelssohn (1809–1847)
Symphony No. 4 in A major, Op. 90 Italian

intermission at approximately 8:20 p.m.

Tickets available from March 24, 2026 | 10:00 AM (CET)