The Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia has just revealed all the 2025–26 season dates. Truth to be told, it is nothing short of astonishing.
Thus, the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia is bringing a roster of high-wattage conductors. Alongside them are iconic works and bold artistic choices. The Rome-based opera chamber is making a clear destination for this season to thrill both the purists and the curious.
High Drama with Wagner, Mahler, and Verdi
Daniel Harding returns to Rome with serious firepower, kicking off with a fully staged take on Wagner’s Die Walküre. Vincent Huguet will direct the work. Expect thunder and heartbreak in equal measure, with a cast that includes Wagner heavyweights Michael Volle, Miina-Liisa Värelä, Vida Miknevičiūtė, and Okka von der Damerau. (Oct. 23–27, 2025)
Harding later turns to Mahler’s emotionally towering Symphony No. 3, featuring the lush mezzo of Wiebke Lehmkuhl (Dec. 18–20, 2025). Thus, he wraps the season with a Strauss-Vacchi program spotlighting soprano Corinne Winters (May 14–16, 2026). He’ll also dig into Haydn’s oratorio Die Schöpfung alongside vocal stars Katharina Konradi, Andrew Staples, and Michael Nagy (Feb. 26–28, 2026).
On the Verdi front, Myung-Whun Chung leads a sure-to-be-intense Requiem with Ailyn Pérez, Ekaterina Semenchuk, René Barbera, and Roberto Tagliavini at the helm. A high-stakes interpretation of sacred drama. (Apr. 23–26, 2026)
Sonic Adventures: Adams, Shostakovich & Berlioz
American icon John Adams will take the stage for a self-curated set featuring scenes from his own Nixon in China. Plus, his zippy orchestral hit Short Ride in a Fast Machine. The program also includes Copland’s cinematic Billy the Kid Suite—a nod to Americana at its most rhythmically wild. (Nov. 6–8, 2025)
Teodor Currentzis, the charismatic disruptor of the classical world, brings raw power and deep gravitas to Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 13, “Babi Yar.” Currentzis is bringing a chilling meditation on oppression and memory. (March 5–7, 2026)
Charles Dutoit closes the season with Berlioz’s massive, hallucinatory La Damnation de Faust. The audience will see tenor Julien Dran and bass John Relyea starring. (June 11–15, 2026)
Choral Giants, Baroque Gems & Star Recitals
Antonio Pappano may mark his final season as Music Director with Mass No. 3 “Grosse Messe.” Alongside it, Mozart’s ever-epic Jupiter Symphony with vocal talent, including Natalya Romaniw and Giorgi Manoshvili. (Oct. 30–Nov. 2, 2025)
Meanwhile, Rinaldo Alessandrini leads a dream team through Vivaldi and Bach. Soloists include Sara Mingardo, Silvia Frigato, and Lisandro Abadie. (Jan. 15–17, 2026)
Riccardo Minasi steps in to conduct Bach’s St. Matthew Passion with a high-caliber ensemble led by Cody Quattlebaum, James Gilchrist, and Jane Archibald. (Apr. 2–4, 2026)
Also worth noting: Alexander Soddy brings a refined Franco-centric program of Fauré and Ravel with soprano Golda Schultz and baritone Mikhail Timoshenko. (Feb. 12–14, 2026)
Chamber Music & Recital Highlights
The season also has some deeply curated chamber and vocal offerings, leaning into the intimate and expressive. Giulio Prandi leads the Coro dell’Accademia and Accademia Ghislieri in a rare program of Alessandro Scarlatti. (Nov. 26, 2025)
For fans of sacred baroque, Christophe Rousset conducts Handel’s Messiah with the Monteverdi Choir and English Baroque Soloists. The soloist lineup includes Sarah Connolly and Andrew Staples—a can’t-miss event. (Dec. 14, 2025)
Soprano Rosa Feola explores 18th-century operatic terrain with Son Regina e son amante, a tour through Piccinni’s Italy and France, backed by Antonio Florio and Cappella Neapolitan. (Jan. 7, 2026)
Finally, Asmik Grigorian delivers her emotional and powerful voice with pianist Lukas Geniušas for a recital of the Russian soul: expect heart-wrenching Tchaikovsky and Rachmaninoff. (Feb. 11, 2026)
What It All Means
The Accademia di Santa Cecilia is sending a clear message with this lineup: Rome remains a vital hub in the classical music universe. From operatic blockbusters and provocative 20th-century works to pristine baroque interpretations and superstar soloists, the 2025–26 season offers a rare mix of weight, edge, and beauty.
Whether you’re a die-hard Mahler head, a Handel purist, or just looking for your next musical obsession, this season has your name on it.