Curtis Institute of Music Announces 2026–27 Season
Subscriptions on sale May 4, 2026 at curtis.edu/tickets
Curtis’ forthcoming season features renowned conductors Teddy Abrams (’08), Nicholas McGegan, Yannick Nézet-Séguin, Evan Rogister, Osmo Vänskä, and conducting fellow Mariana Corichi Gómez, and works by John Adams, Ludwig van Beethoven, Valerie Coleman, Tania León, Gustav Mahler, Felix Mendelssohn, Dmitri Shostakovich, and Osmo Vänskä.
Curtis Opera Theatre presents a dynamic lineup of productions including Carlisle Floyd’s quintessential American opera Susannah, Joseph Haydn’s heroic comedy Orlando Paladino, and Claude Debussy’s symbolist masterpiece Pelléas et Mélisande.
Curtis New Music Ensemble celebrates Pulitzer Prize-winning composer, educator, and artistic director Julia Wolfe as this year’s composer in residence.
PHILADELPHIA, PA—April 21, 2026—The 2026–27 season at the Curtis Institute of Music launches this October, featuring adventurous programming across orchestra, opera, and chamber music, with more than 100 performances in Philadelphia through May 2027.
Throughout the season, Curtis students—among the most promising young musicians in the world—move from studio to stage, sharing their artistry in performances alongside internationally-renowned guest artists, faculty, and alumni. The new season pairs beloved masterworks—such as Beethoven’s Symphony No. 8, Mahler’s Symphony No. 9, and Debussy’s Pelléas et Mélisande—with contemporary voices and new perspectives, including Cuban composer Tania León’s Stride, John Adams’ Harmonielehre, and the world premiere of conductor Osmo Vänskä’s Circus of Life.
This season also features Rita E. Hauser Conducting Fellow Mariana Corichi Gómez leading Carlisle Floyd’s Susannah—the first time a fellow has conducted a Curtis mainstage production. Common in European opera training but rare in the United States, this milestone reflects Curtis’ expanded three-year conducting program and its ongoing learn-by-doing philosophy.
Subscriptions for the 2026–27 season are available starting May 4, 2026; single tickets also go on sale in May.
Praised as “the best of the best” (BBC Music Magazine) with a “roster of alumni that reads like a musical hall of fame” (New York Times), Curtis welcomes approximately 160 students to campus each fall to refine their artistry in a uniquely immersive environment. Supported by a tuition-free policy, mentored by a distinguished faculty, and shaped by a learn-by-doing philosophy, Curtis students gain the experience and artistic voice that prepare them for careers on the world’s leading stages.
“The heart and soul of Curtis is the student experience,” says Roberto Díaz, president and CEO. “This season’s diverse repertoire offers our students meaningful opportunities to grow as artists, collaborators, and leaders. I look forward to welcoming audiences into this special journey, where each performance reflects the dedication, curiosity, and artistry that prepare Curtis students for careers on the world’s great stages.”
Curtis Institute of Music 2026–27 Season Details
Curtis Symphony Orchestra
Curtis Symphony Orchestra brings together extraordinary young musicians and world-renowned conductors in dynamic, wide-ranging repertoire. A cornerstone of the Curtis Institute of Music experience, these performances showcase students preparing for careers in the world’s leading orchestras. The ensemble presents three concerts this season in Marian Anderson Hall, Kimmel Center.
- October 11: Join Curtis Symphony Orchestra and Grammy Award-winning conductor-composer Teddy Abrams (’08) for an afternoon of vivid symphonic storytelling. The program opens with Beethoven’s Symphony No. 8, showcasing his playful, mischievous side, complete with a witty imitation of a metronome and a tip of the hat to Haydn. Tania León’s Pulitzer Prize-winning Stride follows, written to honor the legacy of suffragist Susan B. Anthony and combining the sounds of her Cuban American heritage with a dark, restless energy. The afternoon culminates with John Adams’ Harmonielehre. Inspired by a vivid dream, this modern symphonic classic spans three exhilarating movements, concluding the program with pulsing rhythms and shimmering waves of color.
- November 8: Grammy Award-winning conductor and the school’s head of conducting Yannick Nézet-Séguin leads Curtis Symphony Orchestra in this introspective program. The evening opens with Valerie Coleman’s Umoja, the Swahili word for “unity.” Premiered by the Philadelphia Orchestra in 2019, this work harnesses the full expressive power of the ensemble and its sections to reflect our society’s challenges and tensions, ultimately “emerging into sunlit joy” (Philadelphia Inquirer). Gustav Mahler’s Symphony No. 9—hailed “the greatest Mahler ever composed” by Viennese composer Alban Berg—follows. His transcendent final symphony showcases Mahler at the height of his skill, pushing symphonic form to its limits as he celebrates the splendor of life—and the peaceful recognition of its inevitable end.
- March 14: Finnish conductor Osmo Vänskä leads Dmitri Shostakovich’s propulsive and electrifying Symphony No. 4. An uncompromising masterpiece silenced by Soviet authorities for decades, this three-movement work builds musical themes to a monumental scale with exhilarating and ferocious energy. Opening this dynamic program, Felix Mendelssohn’s Ruy Blas Overture—based on Victor Hugo’s harrowing play—unfolds as a compressed drama, surging from a somber opening into restless energy before driving toward a fiery, brass-driven close. The world premiere of Vänskä’s Circus of Life follows, offering a reflective finale that explores the overlap between spectacle and the complexities of everyday life.
Curtis Opera Theatre
The exceptional artists of Curtis Opera Theatre collaborate with renowned conductors, directors, and designers to present fresh, compelling performances from across the operatic repertoire. Through visionary productions and outstanding musicianship, they engage audiences with dynamic interpretations while preparing for careers on the world’s leading stages.
- November 19, 21: Curtis Opera Theatre opens its 2026–27 series with Susannah, Carlisle Floyd’s poignant tragedy that helped define American opera. Written at the height of 1950s McCarthyism, the work follows a young woman unjustly persecuted by her Evangelical community in rural Tennessee. Praised for its distinctly American voice, Floyd’s score blends folk-inspired melodies and traditional hymns with operatic lyricism, creating a sound world rooted in the American South. One of the most frequently performed American operas, Susannah remains as resonant today as its 1955 premiere. Rita E. Hauser Conducting Fellow Mariana Corichi Gómez leads a stellar cast of singers in multi-disciplinary artist Mikhaela Mahony’s new production at the Philadelphia Film Center. Performed in English with English supertitles.
- February 18, 20: Curtis Opera Theatre’s series continues with Orlando Paladino, Haydn’s heroic comedy. Based on Ludovico Ariosto’s 16th-century epic poem, the opera follows princess Angelica and her beloved Medoro as they flee the jealous knight Orlando—a character based on Frankish military hero Roland—whose unrequited love drives him toward delirious obsession. A rarely heard gem of opera, Orlando Paladino blends the wit of opera buffa with the elegance of opera seria, shifting effortlessly between passion, satire, and farce. Conducted by Nicholas McGegan and directed by Eve Summer, this spirited production brings Haydn’s playful blend of adventure, fantasy, and human folly vividly to life. Performed in Italian with English supertitles.
- April 30, May 2: The 2026–27 series concludes with Debussy’s modernist masterpiece Pelléas et Mélisande, an ethereal meditation on love, jealousy, and the inevitability of fate. Adapted from Belgian playwright and librettist Maurice Maeterlinck’s drama, this enigmatic opera traces a shadowy, dream-like love triangle among Mélisande and Pelléas, and his envious brother Golaud. Conducted by Evan Rogister and directed by John Matsumoto Giampietro, this work also features a shimmering, impressionistic score that illuminates passions and tensions its characters cannot voice. A landmark of musical symbolism, Pelléas et Mélisande continues to mesmerize audiences over a century later. Performed in French with English supertitles.
Curtis New Music Ensemble
Curtis New Music Ensemble performs compelling repertoire from the 20th and 21st centuries, highlighting today’s most innovative composers. Through bold collaborations and imaginative productions, students bring contemporary classical music to life. The ensemble presents two concerts this season in Gould Rehearsal Hall.
- October 17: Curated by Grammy Award winner Karen Slack (’02), creative advisor for vocal studies and opera, Words Like Freedom: To Langston with Love brings the poetry of Langston Hughes to vivid life through music and staging. Curtis students illuminate Hughes’ powerful words through vocal and instrumental color, honoring his legacy as a poet, novelist, and activist. This moving tribute explores themes of identity, resilience, and hope—celebrating a singular American voice whose work continues to resonate.
- Date TBA: The second concert of Curtis New Music Ensemble’s 2026–27 series celebrates this year’s composer in residence with a “Portrait of Julia Wolfe.” Praised as “bracingly physical… and fiercely imaginative” (New York Times), Wolfe blends classical with folk, rock, and minimalist influences—creating genre-defying works that challenge the possibilities of 21st century music. A winner of the 2015 Pulitzer Prize in Music, a 2016 MacArthur fellowship, and Musical America’s 2019 Composer of the Year award, Wolfe’s distinctive and visceral approach has defined her as one of today’s most influential composers.
Curtis Recital Series
Curtis’ promise of learn-by-doing is on full display in the Curtis Recital Series. From young student artists experiencing their first major performance to faculty who’ve played on stages across the globe, this series showcases all that Curtis has to offer as musicians and educators. Recitals are free, but advance registration is required.
- Student Recitals: Over 100 free recitals are offered throughout the school year on most Monday, Wednesday, and Friday evenings starting in mid-October.
- Graduation Recitals: During the spring semester, Curtis students on the cusp of their professional careers display their skill and passion in a culminating recital.
- Faculty and Studio Recitals: Curtis’ world-renowned faculty are active musicians with years of professional performance experience on international stages. These acclaimed musicians and educators display the depth of their knowledge and abilities during recitals at Curtis.
Curtis on Tour
Curtis on Tour is the Nina von Maltzahn global touring initiative of the Curtis Institute of Music. Embracing the school’s learn-by-doing philosophy, ensembles are infused with the energy and passion of extraordinary emerging artists performing alongside celebrated alumni and faculty. In addition to performances, musicians engage with local communities through educational and community engagement activities. Since 2008, Curtis on Tour has maintained a presence at top international concert halls, performing more than 600 concerts in over 150 cities, from New York to Berlin and Hong Kong to Santiago.
Visit curtis.edu/tour throughout the 2026–27 season to view all upcoming performances and events.
Ticketing Information
Subscriptions for the 2026–27 season go on sale May 4. The flexible Choose Your Own subscription option offers 25% off ticket prices when purchasing two or more events. Curtis is also offering a Season Pass, with access to all events in 2026–27 for one flat rate of $179 through August 2026. Each pass gives you access to one best-available ticket to every season performance. To order a subscription, visit curtis.edu/subscribe call (215) 893-7902, or email tickets@curtis.edu.
Single tickets for the 2026–27 season start at $24 and will be available in May.
Philanthropic Support for Curtis’ 2026–27 Season
Guest conductor appearances for each Curtis Symphony Orchestra performance are made possible by the Rita E. and Gustave M. Hauser Chair in Conducting Studies.
Orchestral concerts are supported by the Jack Wolgin Curtis Orchestral Concerts Endowment Fund.
Curtis Opera Theatre is generously supported by the Ernestine Bacon Cairns Trust and the Horace W. Goldsmith Foundation.
Generous support for Curtis New Music Ensemble is provided by the Daniel W. Dietrich II Foundation.
Curtis Institute of Music received funding from Pennsylvania Creative Industries, powered by the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, a state agency funded by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the National Endowment for the Arts.
About the Curtis Institute of Music
At Curtis, the world’s great young musicians develop into exceptional artists, creators, and innovators. With a tuition-free foundation, Curtis is a unique environment for teaching and learning. A small school by design, students realize their artistic potential through intensive, individualized study with the most renowned, sought-after faculty. Animated by a learn-by-doing philosophy, Curtis students share their music with audiences through more than 100 performances each year, including solo and chamber recitals, orchestral concerts, and opera—all free or at an affordable cost—offering audiences unique opportunities to participate in pivotal moments in these young musicians’ careers. Curtis students experience a close connection to the greatest artists and organizations in classical music, and innovative initiatives that integrate new technologies and encourage entrepreneurship—all within an historic campus in the heart of culturally rich Philadelphia. In this diverse, collaborative community, Curtis’ extraordinary artists challenge, support, and inspire one another—continuing an unparalleled legacy of musicians who have led, and will lead, classical music into a thriving, equitable, and multidimensional future. Learn more at curtis.edu
