Seoul Philharmonic unveils 2027 season on 'freedom' for Beethoven's 200th anniversary

The Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra presented its 2027 season at a press conference at the Sejong Center in Seoul on 19 October, with 'freedom' as the theme. Chief executive Jeong Jae-wal (정재왈) and music director Jaap van Zweden attended. Jeong said the keyword came from Beethoven, whose 200th death anniversary falls next year. The season begins in January with a New Year concert with violinist Hima(ri) and ends in December with Beethoven's Symphony No. 9, with 24 programmes in 42 performances in all. [ 1 , 3 , 5 , 8 , 11 ]

Beethoven is the centre of the programme. Fidelio, his only opera, will be given in concert form on 1-2 October at the Seoul Arts Center, with sopranos Jennifer Holloway and Hwang Su-mi (황수미), tenor Simon O'Neill and baritone Lee Dong-hwan (이동환). The orchestra will also play Symphonies Nos. 3, 5, 7 and 9, and violinist Augustin Hadelich will play the Violin Concerto in May. All five Chamber Classics concerts will be Beethoven works, with performers including cellist Alban Gerhardt, violinist James Ehnes and violist Tabea Zimmermann. [ 1 , 4 , 7 , 8 , 11 ]

Pianist Seong-jin Cho will play the Asian premiere of composer Shin Dong-hoon's (신동훈) piano concerto on 24-25 June, his first regular-concert appearance with the orchestra in 11 years; the last was in 2016. Outlets say the work was premiered with the London Symphony Orchestra last November. Shin is the orchestra's 'Musician of the Year' for 2027-2028, a title revived after five years, and a composition fellowship for domestic composers will run alongside. Jeong said the emphasis is on nurturing domestic composers and giving them continuing opportunities. [ 1 , 3 , 4 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 11 ]

In May the orchestra will open the Prague Spring International Music Festival, which several outlets describe as a first for a non-European orchestra, playing Smetana's 'Ma Vlast'. Van Zweden has not conducted the work before. Newsis gave the dates as 12-13 May, while Seoul Economic Daily gave 12 May and added Seoul performances of the work on 22-23 April. [ 2 , 3 , 5 , 7 ]

The orchestra will perform Mahler's Symphony No. 5, Fidelio and Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 three times each. Jeong said the orchestra wants to check whether classical audiences are actually growing and will consider more performances if the results are good. Dong-A Ilbo and Kukmin Ilbo describe this as a first among domestic orchestras, while Asia Economy says it is the first time the Seoul Philharmonic has given the same programme three times. [ 3 , 6 , 7 , 11 ]

Van Zweden, who took up the post in 2024, said freedom does not come by itself but through practice that digs into the music. He said the players have become better at listening to one another since he took office. The Mahler symphony project that began in 2024 continues, with Symphony No. 5 in March and No. 3 in November, both to be recorded live. [ 2 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 ]