Since November 1, 2025, Daniel Hope has been steering the artistic future of the Menuhin Festival Gstaad as its intendant. With his first program, entitled Family Matters, he is deliberately building on the founding idea of the Festival: 70 years ago, Yehudi Menuhin brought friends and companions from all over the world to the picturesque village of Saanen in the Bernese Alps in a spirit of openness and unity. Hope is now carrying on this spirit. From July 16 to September 5, 2026, over 75 concerts will take place in the churches of Saanen and its neighboring villages of Zweisimmen, Lauenen, Gsteig, and Rougemont, as well as in the large Festival Tent in Gstaad. A pivotal innovation is The Summit, a forum for discussing future-oriented questions about music, culture, the economy, and society.
Family as a space for artistic resonance
Under the motto of Family Matters, Daniel Hope explores the many facets of family – the one we’re born into and the one we find in music and art throughout our lives. Closeness and distance, belonging and friction shape the program and reflect Menuhin’s belief that art connects people regardless of their origins and heritage. Thanks to his mother Eleanor, who was Menuhin’s manager, Hope himself has been part of the festival family since 1975 and a regular guest in Gstaad since his debut as a young violinist in 1992. “My first festival programme for summer 2026 focuses on togetherness – the encounters between generations, the friendships that emerge on and off stage, and the mutual sharing of experience and inspiration,” states Daniel Hope.
Big names – new perspectives
The programme brings together some of the most influential voices in the international classical music world: Zubin Mehta conducts in celebration of his 90th birthday. Pinchas Zukerman joins him in opening the festival. Further highlights include Jaap van Zweden and the Gstaad Festival Orchestra, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra under Vasily Petrenko, the Budapest Festival Orchestra under Iván Fischer, and the Royal Danish Orchestra. Other invited guests are Daniil Trifonov, Sir András Schiff, Khatia Buniatishvili, Thomas Hampson, Gabriela Montero, Julia Lezhneva, Maurice Steger, Steven Isserlis, Regula Mühlemann, Isata Kanneh-Mason, and many more. Under the new label Next Generation, Hope also presents outstanding young talents such as Edna Unseld, Maxim Lando, and Hayato Sumino.
The Gstaad Festival Orchestra – an ambassador for the festival
Since 2010, the Gstaad Festival Orchestra has served as the festival’s ambassador and resident ensemble for the Festival’s Conducting Academy. Chief Conductor Jaap van Zweden has extended his commitment for a further three years, reinforcing his long-standing relationship with the festival. Following an Asian tour in chamber-orchestra formation in November 2025, the orchestra’s 2026 schedule includes a production of Puccini’s La Bohème in Baden-Baden with Benjamin Bernheim, as well as several European tour dates in late September and early October. These performances will feature Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5 and Elgar’s Violin Concerto, Op. 61 with the full orchestra under the direction of Jaap van Zweden and Daniel Hope appearing as soloist.
New formats and expanded offerings
The Summit, which will take place on the weekend of July 24–26, 2026, will mark the first time a classical music festival hosts a dedicated forum for discussions about the future. The inaugural event is co-presented by Forbes Swiss. Leading figures from the worlds of music, culture, business, and society are expected to attend. After two days of panels, discussions, and selected concert formats, the weekend will end with a unique charity concert presented by David Garrett, who is inviting his Guarneri del Gesù Club to Gstaad.
The Discovery series will be expanded to offer interactive formats, workshops, and behind-the-scenes insights for children and adults alike. A special highlight for families is Peter and the Wolf, featuring the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra with Daniel Hope as narrator. New additions include the President’s Hikes – musically guided hikes with festival president Richard Müller – and a new film series at the Ciné Theatre Gstaad during the Festival, dedicated to the history of Menuhin and influential musical figures.
Menuhin Festival Academy – expanded support for young talents
The Menuhin Festival Academy for conducting, piano, voice, and strings will remain at the heart of the Festival’s commitment to nurturing young talent. Daniel Hope will personally assume leadership of the String Academy and continue Menuhin’s educational legacy: learning, performing, and growing within an inspiring community. “The Academy is a place where generations learn from each other – a living example of the motto Family Matters,” emphasises Daniel Hope.
Learn more here.