Richard Wagner penned his masterpiece «The Ring of the Nibelung» in Lucerne, while Sergei Rachmaninoff resumed composing in Weggis after a long hiatus. Discover sites of great significance to classical music and experience first-class festivals and concerts.
Together with Swiss Top Events (STE), Switzerland Tourism has produced a new podcast focussing on the nine best-known events in Switzerland. These include the Lucerne Festival. Listen to the special stories and what makes these events so unique for their visitors.
Lucerne Festival
The Lucerne Festival is one of the highest profile international festivals for classical music. For more than 85 years, the festival has been bringing famous symphony orchestras, legendary conductors and outstanding soloists to Lucerne from around the world. With several annual festivals plus a major Summer Festival, there is something for everyone – from Mozart to modern music, from Mendelssohn to innovation and experimentation.
Lucerne Symphony Orchestra
The oldest symphony orchestra in Switzerland has a strong international reputation. The Lucerne Symphony Orchestra is the resident orchestra of KKL Luzern as well as being the opera orchestra of the Luzerner Theater. It also arranges many of its own concerts, and has staged a piano festival known as «Le piano symphonique» since 2022.
KKL Luzern
The KKL Luzern culture and convention centre delivers superb acoustics on the shores of Lake Lucerne. At the heart of KKL is a unique concert hall. The hall – one of the world’s best – is famed for its outstanding acoustics as well as its breathtaking architecture, making it the ideal venue for superior classical concerts like the Lucerne Festival.
Richard Wagner Museum
Richard Wagner, one of the most famous composers in musical history, lived in Lucerne for six years. His one-time house in Tribschen, by Lake Lucerne, is now a museum. The centrepiece of the collection is the Erard grand piano, on which Wagner completed «The Master-Singers of Nuremberg» and other works.
Rachmaninoffs Villa Senar
The Villa Senar was once the property of one of the greatest composers and pianists of the 20th century: Sergei Rachmaninoff. Today the villa is a museum and an educational and cultural centre. Join a public tour to travel back to the Weggis of the 1930s, and catch one of the many concert performances.
Chamber music hall at the Hotel DAS MORGEN
The new chamber music hall at this hotel in Vitznau is resplendent in gold, with a ceiling that evokes the night sky. The concert hall of the Hotel «DAS MORGEN» can already claim to be world class. The intimate feel of the space and the excellent acoustics guarantee an engaging experience for concert-goers.
Orchesterhaus Kriens
The Lucerne Symphony Orchestra, Switzerland’s oldest symphony orchestra, rehearses at the Orchesterhaus Kriens. The resident orchestra of KKL Luzern is also the opera orchestra of the Luzerner Theater. Apart from rehearsals, the Orchesterhaus hosts chamber music concerts and educational musical events.
Dreilinden Park
Dreilinden Park, the largest public park in Lucerne, offers breathtaking views. The former site of the Musikhochschule School of Music, colloquially known as «Konsipark», is one of the city’s genuinely well-kept secrets. The park grounds accommodate the castle-like Villa Vicovaro, the artificial ruins of a gateway, several marble sculptures and even a grotto.