Our 2016 - 2017 classical music and opera festival guide is the perfect place to find listings from some of the best festivals in the UK, Europe and around the world. Whether you're looking for big festivals like the BBC Proms, opera festivals in beautiful castles or small and intimate chamber music festivals - we've got them all!
FEATURED FESTIVALS
Festival d'Aix-en-Provence
July 3 - 22 2017
July 3 - 22 2017
Glyndebourne Festival
May 20 - Aug. 26 2017
May 20 - Aug. 26 2017
Savonlinna Opera Festival
July 7 - Aug. 4 2017
July 7 - Aug. 4 2017
Holland Festival
June 3 - 25 2017
June 3 - 25 2017
BRQ Vantaa Festival
August 6 - 13 2017
August 6 - 13 2017
Looking for a new destination?
Click to find your perfect festival
Click to find your perfect festival
ARTICLES
Travels: the 2017 BRQ Vantaa Festival
Markku Luolajan-Mikkola, Artistic Director of BRQ Vantaa Festival, gives us a taste of the 2017 Festival; David gives you a taste of travelling to Vantaa and Helsinki.
“Unusual": the 45th Istanbul Music Festival
Now in its 45th year, the Istanbul Music Festival embraces and celebrates an extraordinary city, bringing together Turkey’s musical heritage with music from around the world.
Guide to Opera Festivals 2017
Opera with the stars or under the stars? Country house picnics or rare repertoire in smaller venues? Our 2017 opera festivals guide has something for everyone!
Giovanni Antonini takes the reins at Wratislavia Cantans Festival
Giovanni Antonini's latest challenge is the Artistic Directorship of the Wratislavia Cantans Festival in Wrocław Poland, intending to raise its profile on the European scene.
BA…CHopin and his Europe international festival 2017
For nearly three weeks in August, renowned international performers and rising stars take to the stage to play the music of Bach and Chopin, and much, much more in this the thirteenth edition of the Chopin and his Europe International Festival, presented by the Fryderyk Chopin Institute in Warsaw.
Jonathan Crow takes the reins in Toronto
This year’s edition of the Toronto Summer Music (TSM) marks two milestones: along with a celebration of Canada’s Sesquicentennial, it will inaugurate Jonathan Crow’s tenure as new Artistic Director. Crow, 40, is an internationally acclaimed violinist who has served as concertmaster of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra since 2011.
Click here to read more postcards from around the world
Postcard from Wrocław
The hardest task facing foreign visitors to the fascinating Polish city of Wrocław is how to pronounce it.
Postcard from Valldemossa, Majorca
The site of Chopin and George Sand's unhappy winter – still containing Chopin's Pleyel "pianino" – makes for a delightful short visit.
Postcard from Dublin
Situated on the sea, Dublin has a rich cultural past and a lively social scene making for a very pleasant visitation. Just don't forget to pack the umbrella!
REVIEWS
Amsterdam
Funeral fun with Franui at the Holland Festival
Half-arty, half-folky, this collaboration between bass-baritone Florian Boesch and the East Tyrolean ensemble Franui was an entertaining mixed bag.
Alresford
A striking Carmen at Grange Festival
Sex and violence bubbles beneath the surface in this near-faultless staging of Carmen.
Boston
BEMF presents La serva padrona and Livietta e Tracollo
A riotous double bill of Pergolesi at the Boston Early Music Festival.
Salzburg
Cecilia Bartoli debuts La donna del lago at the Whitsun Salzburg Festival
Bartoli shines in another Rossini role supported by an uneven cast.
Istanbul
Glass' Eleventh given Turkish première
Philip Glass' Eleventh Symphony, given its Turkish première at the Istanbul Music Festival, returns to his signature repetitive style.
Boston
Handel’s La Resurrezione brought blazingly to life
Handel's La Resurrezione, anchored the Boston Early Music Festival’s Thursday programs in a dramatic reading by many of the same forces performing Campra’s La Carnaval de Venise.
MORE FESTIVALS
Top festivals
BBC PromsBeethovenfest BonnBRQ Vantaa FestivalCheltenham Music FestivalChopin and His EuropeFestival D'Aix en ProvenceI Suoni delle Dolomiti – Sounds of the DolomitesInnsbruck Festival of Early MusicKilkenny Arts FestivalKomische Oper FestivalKorsholm Music FestivalMozartwoche SalzburgRobeco SummerNightsSeattle Chamber Music Society Summer FestivalSt Albans International Organ FestivalStyriarte Festival GrazSuntory Hall Chamber Music GardenToronto Summer Music FestivalValletta International Baroque FestivalWest Cork Chamber Music FestivalWratislavia Cantans
250,000 classical music and opera lovers visit Bachtrack each month. Interested in advertising your festival here? Contact us for more information