his summer, the Zurich Opera House, in partnership with Zurich Insurance, expanded its beloved “Opernhaus für alle” (Opera House for Everyone) into a three-day open-air festival, bringing opera, ballet, and classical music to the heart of the city—completely free of charge.
Despite soaring temperatures and rain just before Sunday’s concert, around 15,000 visitors attended the weekend’s events, highlighting the festival’s growing popularity. Thanks to comprehensive safety measures, all performances took place as planned.
The festival opened on Friday with a live screening of Romeo and Juliet, choreographed by Ballet Director Cathy Marston. On Saturday, audiences gathered to enjoy a live broadcast of Richard Wagner’s Tannhäuser, followed by a spectacular finale on Sunday featuring the Orchestra of the Zurich Opera House under the direction of General Music Director Gianandrea Noseda. The program included Antonín Dvořák’s celebrated Symphony No. 9 “From the New World”alongside operatic highlights performed by internationally acclaimed tenor Benjamin Bernheim.
One of the weekend’s standout moments came before the final concert, when the newly established Children’s Opera Orchestra—made up of more than 80 talented musicians aged 8 to 15—delighted the audience with an inspiring performance.
Throughout the festival, presenters Gülsha Adilji and Tama Vakeesan guided visitors through the program with interviews, behind-the-scenes insights, and engaging commentary, creating an accessible experience for both longtime opera lovers and first-time visitors.
By extending the event to three days, the Zurich Opera House successfully showcased the breadth of its artistic program while making world-class cultural performances accessible to an even wider audience, further cementing “Opernhaus für alle” as one of Switzerland’s most celebrated free cultural events.
Photos: Opera House Zurich Admill Kuyler
