Kirill Petrenko conducts an all-Italian program — With Jonas Kaufmann
Waldbühne 2026: Viva Italia!
Cast
Program notes
The legendary Berliner Philharmoniker and their chief conductor Kirill Petrenko invite superstar tenor Jonas Kaufmann to their highly anticipated season finale held, as always, under the stars at the stunning Waldbühne! The 2026 edition is a celebration all'italiana with plenty of Italian opera favorites performed by the silken-voiced Kaufmann, including arias from Cilea's L'Arlesiana, Giordano's Fedora, and the famous "Vesti la giubba" from Leoncavallo's Pagliacci. Petrenko also leads the Berlin Phil in the fateful Overture from Verdi's La forza del destino and sweetly yearning Intermezzo from Mascagni's Cavalleria rusticana, as well as a tour of the Città Eterna in two of Respighi's lushly evocative tone poems set in the Italian capital, Fontane di Roma (Fountains of Rome) and Pini di Roma (Pines of Rome).
Photo © Stephan Rabold