Buoyed by a record-breaking 2025, the Philharmonie de Paris is approaching its upcoming season with no slowdown. The institution at Porte de Pantin has announced 414 concerts, 33 shows, and 3 exhibitions, totaling 447 events, all guided by a clear principle: combining prestige, creativity, and eclecticism. Classical, jazz, pop, rap, world music, dance, exhibitions, and educational programs will once again coexist in a particularly rich program, designed to extend the momentum of the venue's ten years.
Klaus Mäkelä, Wagner and the great orchestras at the heart of the season
One of the recurring themes of the year will be the departure of Klaus Mäkelä, who will be in his final season as music director of the Orchestre de Paris before leaving his post in the summer of 2027. The Finnish conductor will lead seventeen concerts, while the orchestra will also welcome several major conductors, including Riccardo Chailly, Marin Alsop, Herbert Blomstedt, Marie Jacquot, Joe Hisaishi, Christoph Eschenbach, Daniel Harding and Esa-Pekka Salonen, who is slated to take over the following season.
Among the highlights, the Philharmonie will present a week-long concert version of Wagner's Ring Cycle, performed by the Zurich Opera Orchestra conducted by Gianandrea Noseda. The institution will also feature numerous operas without staged productions, from Porgy and Bess to Hippolyte et Aricie, as well as a wide selection of oratorios and sacred works. The season will also showcase guest ensembles and mark the return of major American orchestras, less frequently seen since the health crisis, such as the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the New York Philharmonic, and the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, according to the program released by the Philharmonie.
Billie Holiday, Ben Harper, and a house that's still expanding its grounds
The upcoming season will not be limited to the symphonic repertoire alone. On the exhibition front, the Philharmonie will honor Billie Holiday with a display dedicated to her artistic freedom and the enduring relevance of her legacy, from January 22 to July 11, 2027. Ben Harper will also be featured, with an exhibition of Weissenborn guitars from his personal collection, accompanied by two concerts in April.
The institution will simultaneously pursue its aesthetic expansion with a Pioneers program, designed to bring to light female composers of the 20th century and today, and will launch a Philharmonie School dedicated to the professions of music production and management. This ambition is based on solid results: the institution reports having welcomed 1,65 million visitors in 2025, with a 92,7% occupancy rate for concerts. This foundation allows it to offer a packed season without shying away from taking risks.
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