Producing a run of 89 seasons is not a simple feat in a country as complex as Israel, but the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra will mark that achievement on October 5 at the Charles Bronfman Auditorium in Tel Aviv.
The orchestra was founded in 1936 by renowned violinist Bronislaw Huberman, who persuaded 75 musicians from major European orchestras to immigrate to what was then known as a dusty, primitive Palestine and create the basis for its classical musical culture.
From 1940-1943, the orchestra extended its hand to its Arab neighbors and toured Egypt with Huberman as violin soloist with conductors such as the legendary Arturo Toscanini and Bernardino Molinari.
Nevertheless, after the State of Israel was born in 1948, the orchestra changed its name to the Israel Philharmonic, and pan-Arab friendship was put on hold. The neighboring Arab countries attacked, Jerusalem was besieged, and the orchestra was faced with the quandary of how to continue bringing music to the public in Jerusalem.
They solved the problem by traveling in groups of armored caravans to reduce injuries in case of an attack. The country needed music, and the IPO management decided that live music was vital in raising the morale of soldiers and civilians.
“And this belief remains to this day,” IPO Secretary-General Yair Mashiach tells The Jerusalem Post.
He explained how this season will highlight the excellence of the orchestra, the diversity and joy of live music, and pay tribute to the resilience and allegiance of its members, the artists, and its public.
“Our programs feature the world’s top conductors,” continues Mashiach. “Such as Maestro Lahav Shani [music director of the IPO], Zubin Mehta [music director emeritus of the IPO], and Vasily Petrenko, Russian-born British music director of the Royal Orchestra and true friend and yearly guest of the IPO.”
The season opens with Shani on the podium for six concerts with legendary piano soloist Yefim Bronfman, regarded as one of the top virtuoso pianists of the day, who will perform Piano Concerto No. 5 (Emperor) by Ludwig van Beethoven.
In January, Mehta will lead the IPO, the Israel Opera Chorus, and a star-studded cast of eight singers in seven performances of Aida ( in concert form) in Tel Aviv and Haifa, with soprano Zarina Abaeva as Aida and tenor Fabio Sartori as Radames.
In March, Shani will conduct Mahler Symphony No. 5 in a program with acclaimed violin soloist Anne-Sophie Mutter, who will perform the Beethoven Violin Concerto, and in early June, lauded and award-winning pianist Jean-Yves Thibaudet will perform Piano Concerto No. 5 (Egyptian) by Camille Saint-Saëns with Maestro Ingo Metzmacher.
In July, Shani will conduct and direct a special performance with noted pianist Rudolf Buchbinder performing Piano Concerto No.2 by Johannes Brahms, in a program that features the (semi-staged) opera Bluebeard’s Castle by Béla Bartók with soloists baritone Matthias Goerne and mezzo-soprano Dorottya Láng.
Classical and Romantic repertoire expected in IPO's concerts
THE IPO’S 89th season concerts will be replete with works of the most beloved examples of Classical and Romantic repertoire. Starting the season with Tchaikovsky Symphonies 4 and 6, the IPO’s later programs will include Symphony No. 9 by Franz Schubert (The Great), Symphonies 5 and 6 by Ludwig van Beethoven, Schumann’s Symphony No. 3 (The Rhenish) led by conductor Susanna Mälkki, and Symphony No.9 by Anton Dvorak (From the New World).
There will be programs featuring vocal works with the Israel Opera Chorus and the Guy Bertini Israel Choir, and an evening of tributes to jazz greats Duke Ellington, Count Basie, and George Gershwin performed by the Israel Jazz Orchestra. A special concert in January 2026, celebrating America’s 250th birthday, will be conducted by Gemma New, who makes her debut performance with the IPO, and violinist Vadim Gluzman as soloist.
Mashiach points out that this season will also bring exciting first IPO appearances of conductors Joshua Weilerstein, Jonathon Heyward, and Daniel Cohen, as well as debut performances by soloists Jean-Guihen Queyras, cellist-violist Antoine Tamestit, pianist Makoto Ozone, saxophonist Ron Shani, and several of the soloists appearing in the two operas of the season.
In addition, there are concerts with the works of Israeli composers, including Shulamit Ran, Paul Ben-Haim, Noam Sheriff, and a newly commissioned work by Talia Amar. Tal Varon’s Coming Home will make its premiere with the orchestra, as well as first-time IPO performances of Count Basie’s Two Franks, Poulenc’s Gloria, John Adams’s Trinity, and Ginastera’s Concierto Argentino.
After the initial performances of the IPO season in Israel, the orchestra will travel to New York City during October and have the distinction of opening the concert season at Carnegie Hall in three concerts led by Shani with solo pianist Bronfman and solo flutist Guy Eshed, principal flutist of the IPO.
“The 2025-26 IPO concert season is brimming with exciting concerts,” says Mashiach, “and each is filled with diversity and excellence. We will have five Super Music concerts for Kids, IPO in Jeans, and Intermezzo concerts featuring fine lecturers. Even though our country’s security situation may be in flux, we will make every effort to continue the season and perform our concerts even if it requires adjustments in our programs. Our commitment is to persevere and contribute, in our modest way, to the rich cultural life of Israel and the resilience of the Israeli public.”
For ticket information: ipo.co.il or *3766