The Cleveland Orchestra announced its summer 2026 schedule on March 13, featuring programming at both Blossom Music Center and Severance Music Center. The season marks the 25th and final summer on the Cleveland podium for music director Franz Welser-Möst, who will conduct at each venue during the run.

The season opens with Independence Day weekend programming at Blossom. On July 3, conductor Edwin Outwater and tenor Limmie Pulliam will lead “America at 250,” drawing on works by Gershwin, Copland, and Bernstein, followed by fireworks. The Blossom Festival Band takes over on July 4 for traditional patriotic programming. “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets” screens with live orchestral accompaniment July 11-12, with conductor Brett Mitchell leading the score.

Guest conductor Semyon Bychkov, the incoming Paris Opera maestro, will lead classical programming in mid-July with works by Rachmaninoff, Shostakovich, Dvořák, and Brahms. Broadway performer Idina Menzel, known for her roles in “Wicked,” “Frozen,” and “Rent,” will appear July 26 at Blossom in a career-spanning concert. The season closes with three John Williams film score concerts in early September conducted by Sarah Hicks. Additional programming includes conductor Tabita Berglund’s Cleveland debut and August vocal performances.

Source: WKYC