Baroque, Orchestra, Wagner: Must-see classical performances in 2nd half of year

Conductor Kirill Petrenko leads the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra. / Courtesy of VINCERO

As in previous years, the second half of 2025 is packed with performances that will thrill classical music enthusiasts. The season can be summed up in three key words: “Baroque,” “Orchestra,” and “Wagner.”

Philippe Herreweghe, a master of Baroque music, will perform Bach’s monumental sacred work, the Mass in B minor, with Collegium Vocale Gent at Seoul Arts Center on September 18 and at Art Center Incheon on the 20th. This marks the first time in 19 years since 2006 that Herreweghe and his ensemble will perform this piece in Korea. Herreweghe is recognized alongside John Eliot Gardiner, William Christie, and Ton Koopman as one of the world’s foremost experts on Baroque music. On October 18, Art Center Incheon will also host a can’t-miss performance of Handel’s opera “Rinaldo” by the English Concert, a leading British early music ensemble.

In October and November, Seoul transforms into a city rivaling European classical music capitals like Berlin or Vienna, as world-class conductors and orchestras make back-to-back appearances.

In October, superstar conductor Gustavo Dudamel and one of the most respected conductors, Semyon Bychkov, will visit Korea, leading the Los Angeles Philharmonic and the Czech Philharmonic, respectively. The LA Phil will perform Mahler’s Symphony No. 2 at Seoul Arts Center on October 21 and Stravinsky’s The Firebird the following day. The Czech Phil will present Smetana’s symphonic poem My Country on October 28 at Seoul Arts Center, followed by Dvořák’s Cello Concerto (featuring soloist Han Jae-min) and Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 5 on October 29 at Lotte Concert Hall.

November brings visits from three of the world’s top orchestras: the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra (RCO), the Berlin Philharmonic (BPO), and the Vienna Philharmonic (VPO). It is rare for these three ensembles to appear in the same city in such close succession, outside of the annual Lucerne Festival.

The RCO will perform Brahms’ Piano Concerto No. 1 (with Kirill Gerstein) and Bartók’s Concerto for Orchestra on November 5 at Seoul Arts Center, and Bruch’s Violin Concerto (featuring Daniel Lozakovich) and Mahler’s Symphony No. 5 on November 6 at Lotte Concert Hall. The BPO will perform Schumann’s Piano Concerto (with Kim Sun-wook) and Brahms’ Symphony No. 1 on November 7 and 9, and Bartók’s Suite from The Miraculous Mandarin and Stravinsky’s Petrushka on November 8, all at Seoul Arts Center. The VPO will perform Schumann’s Symphony No. 3 and Brahms’ Symphony No. 4 on November 19 at Seoul Arts Center, followed by Bruckner’s Symphony No. 5 the next day. Highlights include the “conductor showdown” featuring Klaus Mäkelä, the RCO’s next chief conductor; Kirill Petrenko, the BPO’s principal conductor; and Christian Thielemann, the first conductor to record all of Bruckner’s symphonies with the VPO.

From December 4 to 7, the National Opera Company of Korea will stage Wagner’s Tristan und Isolde at Seoul Arts Center Opera House. While the Seoul Philharmonic previously performed a concert version of the work in 2012, this will be the first full staging of the opera at an opera house in Korea. Of particular note is conductor Jaap van Zweden, known as a Wagner specialist, who will lead the orchestra. Zweden, celebrated for his “muscular sound,” recorded the complete Ring Cycle with the Hong Kong Philharmonic during his tenure as music director from 2015 to 2018, earning widespread critical acclaim. Thanks to this achievement, the Hong Kong Philharmonic was named Orchestra of the Year in 2019 by Gramophone magazine.

※This article was translated by an AI tool and edited by a professional translator.