Internationally renowned conductor Tugan Sokhiev divides his time between the symphonic and lyric repertoire, guest conducting the most prestigious orchestras around the world.Tugan Sokhiev enjoys close and privileged relationships with orchestras such as the Vienna, Berlin and Munich Philharmonic orchestras, the orchestras of the Dresden and Berlin Staatskapelle, the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra and the Gewandhausorchester Leipzig. Outside Europe, he is invited to conduct the finest U.S. orchestras, including the New York Philharmonic, Philadelphia Orchestra and the Boston and Chicago Symphony Orchestras and spends several weeks each season with the NHK Symphony Orchestra.

In recent seasons Mo. Sokhiev has conducted a new production of Iolanta at the Vienna Staatsoper, given tours with the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra (Asia), the Munich Philharmonic (Asia and Europe), and the Staatskapelle Dresden (Europe), as well as conducting the highly popular Silvesterkonzert der Staatskapelle Dresden and, in June 2025, the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra’s celebrated Sommernachtskonzert in the Schönbrunn Palace. He also conducted several highly acclaimed concerts of the Philharmonic Brass, the elite brass ensemble made up of members of the Berlin and Vienna Philharmonic Orchestras & Friends.

Tugan Sokhiev begins the 2025/26 season conducting the Vienna Philharmonic once more, with concerts in Vienna, Bratislava, Hamburg and Luxembourg, and rejoins the orchestra in October for their gala concert on the occasion of the 200th birthday of Johann Strauss II. Further highlights of the season include concerts with the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra both in Berlin and at the Salzburg Festival, where he will also conduct the Berlin Philharmonic’s Be Phil project. He will also make his debut with the Cleveland Orchestra, conduct a new production of Tannhäuser at the Zurich Opera and return to the Philharmonique de Radio France, Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, Luxembourg Philharmonic Orchestra and the Orchestra dell'Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia.

As Music Director of the Orchestre National du Capitole de Toulouse from 2008 to 2022, Tugan Sokhiev headed numerous successful concert seasons, including several world premieres and a significant number of tours abroad, propelling the orchestra to international prominence. Passionate about his work with singers, from 2014 to 2022 he was Music Director and Chief Conductor of the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow.

Tugan Sokhiev’s discography includes many recordings with the Orchestre national du Capitole de Toulouse on Naïve and Warner Classics, winning the Diapason d'Or in 2020. His recordings with the Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, where he was Principal Conductor from 2012 to 2016 are available on Sony Classical. He collaborated with EuroArts on a series of DVDs with the Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, Orchestre National du Capitole de Toulouse and also with the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, which features many of his concerts on its prestigious Digital Concert Hall.

Lang Lang

Very few artists can claim to have the same profound impact on the world of music as Lang Lang has had. As a pianist, educator and philanthropist, as well as an influential ambassador for the arts, Lang Lang has fully embraced new technology and innovation, leading the way in bringing classical music into the 21st century. Equally happy playing for billions of viewers at the 2008 Olympic Opening Ceremony in Beijing or just for a few hundred children in the public schools, Lang Lang is a master of communicating through music. Gifted with unique artistic and communicative skills, Lang Lang unites excellence and accessibility unlike anyone else, and builds bridges between Eastern and Western culture.

Wiener Philharmoniker

On March 28, 1842 Otto Nicolai conducted a “grand concert” that was performed by all the members of the Royal and Imperial Court Opera. This “Philharmonic Academy” is rightly considered to be the birth of the Wiener Philharmoniker, since, for the first time, all the principles of the “philharmonic idea” were realized: only members of the orchestra of the Vienna State Opera (formerly Court Opera) are eligible to become members of the Wiener Philharmoniker; the orchestral has artistic, organizational and financial independence; all decisions are reached in a democratic way; and the actual administration is carried out by a twelve-member, democratically elected committee.

After twelve years of stagnation, the Wiener Philharmoniker gave its first subscription concert on January 15, 1860 under the direction of the opera director, Carl Eckert. The philharmonic concerts have continued, without interruption, ever since.

The only basic change took place in 1933 when a series of guest conductors replaced the system of choosing a conductor for a whole season. After Otto Dessoff systematically expanded the repertoire, Hans Richter, the legendary conductor of the Bayreuth premiere of Wagner’s Ring der Nibelungen, succeeded in establishing the ensemble’s worldwide reputation and incomparable tradition. Encounters with Wagner, Verdi, Bruckner, Brahms, Liszt and others, either as conductor or soloist, further enhanced this reputation. Gustav Mahler led the first concert of the orchestra outside of Austria, at the Paris World’s Fair of 1900. Working together with Arturo Toscanini in the years 1933 −37 was another highlight. The close relationship with Richard Strauss was of great importance as far as music history was concerned. Between 1906 and 1944, he conducted numerous performances around the world and was bound with the orchestra in a sincere friendship.

At the beginning of World War II, the National Socialists immediately dismissed all Jewish artists from the Vienna State Opera. Only the intervention of Wilhelm Furtwängler brought the cancellation of an order to dissolve the philharmonic association. He also saved the “half-Jews” and relatives of Jews from dismissal. The orchestra, however, mourned the deaths of six of its Jewish members who were murdered in concentration camps and that of a young violinist who was killed on the eastern front.

After the second World War, the Wiener Philharmoniker revived its connections to all major conductors. Collaboration with honorary conductors Karl Böhm and Herbert von Karajan, as well as honorary member Leonard Bernstein, hold special significance in the more recent history of the orchestra.