The jewels of the 2026 season of the Teatro Colón that you must see, yes or yes

The Teatro Colón presented its 2026 season with a more limited lyrical program than in its glory years, but solid, diverse and strategically designed to balance tradition, risk and renewal. Seven operas, all new productions except The Counts of Hoffmannand three chamber titles form a map that covers the Italian canon, rescues long-lost German repertoire and is committed to contemporary work. Manon Lescautin a concert version, will be heard outside the walls in the Palacio Libertad.

The big event will take place within the lyrical season The Valkyriewhich marks Wagner’s return to the Colón after years of absence, with musical direction by Alejo Pérez and direction by Davide Livermore.

A high voltage cast takes part, Elena Pankratova (Die Walküre) Wagner soprano, reference interpreter for this repertoire. and the debut of Life Miknevičiūtėone of the most resonant Wagner sopranos of recent years will be just as relevant.

The most innovative proposal that promises a unique look will be the world premiere of dementiaby the talented Oscar Strasnoy, an opera in three scenes and an epilogue, with a libretto by Ariana Harwicza work specially commissioned by the Argentine composer will have the musical direction Tito Ceccherini and direction Mariano Pensotti.

Colón’s historic heart beats strong again with the five Italian titles: I Capuleti and Montecchiby Bellini, which returns to the theater after more than half a century; and the real duo Cavalleria Rusticana / Pagliacciwith the impressive Liudmyla Monastyrska as one of the most anticipated names. Othello crown the year with an exceptional cast led by Gregory customerone of the great Verdian tenors of our time.

The chamber opera offers three essential and indispensable titles from the 20th century: The Soldier’s Story by Stravinsky, The Threepenny Opera Weill-Brecht and Another twist from Brittenthree works that condense modernity, politics and psychology in more intimate formats.

The most anticipated international event of the year will be the return of the Berlin Philharmonic in October Kirill Petrenko And Daniil Trifonovan absolutely stunning pianist who made his unforgettable debut at the Colón last year. The German group is considered one of the best orchestras in the world and offers three concerts, the first and third will present a monumental program: Piano Concerto No. 1 by Brahms followed by Thus spoke zarathustra by Richard Strauss. The second concert will be an emotional journey Enigma Variations from Elgar to Fourth Symphony by Tchaikovsky.

One of the highlights of the program of the Buenos Aires Philharmonic Orchestra, which is celebrating its 80th birthday, is the presence of the conductor Gergely Madaras in December with the Monumental resurrection by Mahler, one of the milestones of the cycle.

The symphony Leningradled by James Conlonopens the season promising an insightful reading of a monumental work that transforms into sound the resistance, pain and moral strength of a besieged city.

Midoria cult figure, will return in May with the Concerto for violin and orchestra in D major, op. 35 by Tchaikovsky; and that which is always calling The Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 3 by Rachmaninoff will resonate in August along with the very personal Symphony No. 15 by Shostakovich, under the direction of Srba Dinic And Aristo Sham as a soloist.

He will perform in June Nelson Goerner in the Concerto for Piano and Orchestra in A minor, op. 54 by Schumann, directed Marc Albrechtit will be an event full of sophistication and depth. In the same program you will also hear a complete Wagner program – an absolute rarity in the local scene – the overture from The Meistersinger of NurembergPreludes to Acts 1 and 3 of Lohengrin, Overture and Bacchanal by Tannhäuser.

One of the historical gems is the Argentine premiere of “Faust et Hélène” by Lili Boulanger in August and works by pioneering composers such as Marianne of Martinez And Amy Beach.

Another program planned in September is that which brings together the Baltic spirituality of Vasks and the Central European poetry of Mahler under the direction of Zoe Zeniodiwith Aphrodite Patoulidou And Vadim Gluzman as soloists.

Another unique program in the month of October combines epic and virtuosity through the use of the double bass –Julian Medina– in the middle with the American premiere of On a winding road from Daniel Freiberg and the Concert entertainment from Nino Rotawhich culminates with two symphonic explosions by Tchaikovsky.

In November the legendary violinist Frank Peter Zimmerman will interpret that Concerto for violin and orchestra by Walton, directed by Elias Grandy. In addition, you can hear Lemminkäinen by Sibelius, a gem that has very little programming.

The Stable Orchestra is adding three symphony concerts – May, August and November – under the direction of Alejo Perezfrom Strauss and Holst to Beethoven, Brahms and Berlioz. The Academic Orchestra also offers concerts between March and December.

Contemporary Columbus, directed Martin Bauerpresents four unmissable dates: Blade Runner with music by Vangelis Live, it opens the cycle with an amplified ensemble.

This is followed by a program of Latin American premieres by the young Icelandic director Bjarni Frímann – Björk’s collaborator and leader of the contemporary ensemble BIT20 – will lead the Philharmonic Orchestra with works by Sofia Avramidou and Francesco Filidei linked to literary universes.

Filidei’s Concerto for Cello and Orchestra is accompanied by cellist Francesco Dillon as soloist.

The cycle celebrates its 90th anniversary in November Steve Rich with Rich/JudgeFusion of visual art and music, created together with Gerhard Richter And Corinna Belz. Pianist Vicky Chow concludes Surface image by Tristan Perich, a living experience for piano and 1-bit electronics, the technology with which the American composer and visual artist works.

The Teatro Colón Experimentation Center (CETC) season unfolds a map of radical exploration where technology, politics, contemporary dance, experimental cinema, expanded opera and new readings of the classics coexist.

In June the German composer Alexander Schubert will premiere three works that intersect with AI, electronics and performance, accompanied by seminars on creating with algorithms. In August, on the occasion of Henze’s 100th birthday, he gave a lecture The auburn oneone of the German composer’s boldest works, staged by Ignacio González Cano and designed by Matías Otálora.

The CETC celebrates its premiere in October The ruinsan experimental opera specially commissioned from Juan Onofri, a piece that considers gender as a physical and expressive machine in flux, shot through with humor and madness.

The season ends with The stormbased on Shakespeare and directed by Alfredo Arias like Prospero, proposes a mobile and fragmented reading of Shakespeare’s classic directed by Martín Bauer Carlos Casellaand the percussion group Tambor Fantasma.

Since last year, the Golden Hall has reaffirmed its role as an articulating space between tradition and new perspectives, paying attention to the entire program, organized in different directions: Heritage honors historical masters; Great voices permeate the song across its diverse geographies; Jazz en el Dorado presents figures from the contemporary scene in an acoustic key; Pianissimo brings together established pianists in conceptual programs; Young classic makes ISA talents visible; the Tango cycle celebrates its current vitality; Classical texts and cabaret intertwine literature and music; Corales brings together vocal ensembles from the city; and Buenos Aires Cámara expands its presence to various venues in Buenos Aires.

Summer will offer Eternal Piazzollaa multi-sensory show covering his work and creative universe, and Immersive Columbus: Monetan immersive experience that transforms the CETC into an impressionistic space in motion.

The children’s program includes King ArthurLyrical stories, adapted versions of The hairdresser of Seville and Swan Lake, and the conclusion with A Christmas dream.