Discover the Best Classical Music at 15 Summer Festivals 2023

For classical music and opera fans, we’re happy to report that our favorite summer festivals are almost here. We’ve rounded up 15 of the best classical music and opera festivals in Europe and America to put on your calendar now for summer 2023, including Tanglewood, the BBC Proms, Glyndebourne, Aspen, Vail, Santa Fe and more. And don’t wait too long – there’s huge demand for tickets to these beloved celebrations. So grab yours now!

what are the top opera and classical summer music festivals?

As you know, we love to bring you updates about the wave of fabulous, energy-filled music festivals that span the globe each summer. No matter what genre of music you listen to, there’s an all-star event that we know you’ll love – and there’s no telling where in the world it may be. Sounds like a culture-filled summer vacation may be in the making! 

As the temperatures begin to climb, we are thrilled to say that this season is shaping up to be one of the best we’ve seen in a long time. And if you’re a fan of classical music or opera, you’re in luck; fifteen of our favorite classical music festivals are back, and ready to dazzle you this summer. Here’s everything you need to know, including the 2023 programs for iconic summer classical music and opera festivals on both sides of the pond, like Tanglewood and Glyndebourne.

It’s going to be a magical summer!

15 top opera and classical music summer festivals in 2023

Here are all the festivals where you can enjoy classical music and opera this summer.

1. Glyndebourne

Glyndebourne Festival Opera, May 19th – August 27th, 2023. Held near Lewes in East Sussex under the supervision of the Christie family, this highly esteemed opera festival has taken place annually since 1934, except during the World War II years. It’s elegant, luxurious and very British. Glyndebourne is an English country house where performances were once held. Now, there is a free-standing opera house on its grounds. 

This year’s festival will include performances of Mozart’s Don Giovanni; Donizetti’s L’elisir d’amore; Poulenc’s Dialogue des Carmélites; Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream; Handel’s Semele, and to close the summer, Stravinsky’s The Rake’s Progress.

Performances start in the afternoon, and people arrive early, dressed in formal attire, for en plein air picnics on the extensive lawns. A long interval during the evening performances facilitates picnic dinners or a gourmet meal in one of the restaurants on the grounds. Stay at: The Grand Hotel Eastbourne or Gravetye Manor. Don’t miss: Booking your picnic table. You’ll be guaranteed protection from the elements, so that you can continue Glyndebourne’s picnicking tradition, rain or shine.

2. Ravinia

Ravinia, June 6th – September 10th, 2023.  North America’s oldest music festival will feature more than 100 performers in every genre: classical, pop, hip-hop, country, jazz, and more. The Chicago Symphony Orchestra will headline the festival as always, performing with guest conductors and soloists such as Mei-Ann Chen, Jeremy Denk, Jonathon Heyward, and Rufus Wainwright. Other 2023 highlights include performances from Lauryn Hill, Santana, John Legend and Charlie Puth. 

Stay at: The Four Seasons Chicago or The Ritz-Carlton Chicago. Don’t miss: The second annual Breaking Barriers Festival, which will celebrate the work of women composers and singer-songwriters from July 21st to 23rd. 

3.  the ojai music festival

The Ojai Music Festival, June 8th  – June 11th, 2023. Located just outside of Los Angles, this classical music festival returns for its 77th year. 

With Rhiannon Giddens in the newly appointed role of music director, this year’s program will include Gabriela Ortiz’s Liquid Borders, Carlos Simon’s Between Worlds, and a reimagining of Tan Dun’s Ghost Opera for pipa and string quartet. Stay at: The Ojai Valley Inn Don’t Miss: Omar’s Journey, a world premiere based on the opera Omar, by Giddens and Michael Abels.

4. tanglewood

Tanglewood, June 22nd – August 27th, 2023. The summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra since 1937, Tanglewood is quite similar in spirit to Glyndebourne – a serene country estate with ample room for strolling and picnics. As well as the Boston Symphony Orchestra and Boston Pops, the lineup includes a wide array of well-known popular artists, as well as some of the biggest names in jazz, folk, and classical music.

On the roster this year?  The Knights, Emerson String Quartet, Julia Bullock, Danish String Quartet, Bruce Liu, and many others. Stay at: Blantyre in Lenox, Massachusetts. Don’t miss: A peek behind the scenes – Saturday morning rehearsals are open to the public.

5. Bravo! Vail

The Bravo! Vail Music Festival, June 22nd – August 3rd, 2023. Every year, some of the world’s greatest orchestras make their summer home at Bravo! Vail. This year, hear the Rocky Mountains ignite with the music of  Academy of St. Martin in the Fields, Dallas Symphony Orchestra, The Philadelphia Orchestra, and the New York Philharmonic. 

Enjoy classical works, soulful jazz, and chamber music in unique venues throughout the valley. Stay at: The Ritz Carlton Vail Don’t Miss: An opportunity to go deep inside the music. On July 12th, Anne-Marie McDermott helps to break down Prokofiev’s Piano Sonata No. 6, illuminating its finest details for the audience.  

6. The Hollywood Bowl

The Hollywood Bowl, July 6th – September 20th, 2023:  Though the historic Los Angeles amphitheater is always alive with spectacular performances, their summer schedules are one of a kind. This year’s stretch of classical music kicks off just after Independence Day, with a performance of Mendelssohn’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, conducted by Gustavo Dudamel.

From there, July, August and September will be filled with the sounds of the LA Philharmonic, John Williams, Diana Krall, Joe Hisaishi, Andrea Bocelli, and many other all-star musicians in every genre of music. Stay at: Beverly Wilshire (a Four Seasons Hotel). Don’t miss: A very special celebration in honor of Quincy Jones’ 90th birthday.

7. Bard Music Festival and Summerscape

The Bard Music Festival and Summerscape, June 23rd – August 13th, 2023.  Held every summer at Bard College, about 90 miles north of New York City, Bard SummerScape features eight weeks of world-class opera, theater, and dance.

This year’s highlights include Henry VIII by Camille Saint-Saëns; an exploration of the life and work of symphonist Ralph Vaughan Williams; and the world premiere of Sufjan Stevens’ Illinois, with direction and choreography by Justin Peck and story by Peck and Jackie Sibblies Drury. Stay at: The Ritz Carlton Westchester. Don’t Miss: Drinks and dancing in the Spiegeltent.

8. The Aspen Music Festival

The Aspen Music Festival, June 29th – August 20th, 2023.  This summer’s festival will include performances by Aspen Chamber Symphony, Alexander Malofeev, the National Piping Centre of Scotland, Joyce Yang, Christian McBride, Edgar Meyer, and so many more. 

Stay at: The Little Nell or the St. Regis. Don’t miss: For one night only, a special performance by Broadway superstar Audra McDonald, accompanied by a full orchestra. Mark your calendars for August 3rd.

9. Santa Fe

The Santa Fe Opera Festival, June 30th – August 26th, 2023. Founded in 1957 by the Santa Fe Opera Company, this festival provides attendees with a fully immersive experience in a stunning location. 

This season will feature Tosca, The Flying Dutchman, Pelléas et Mélisande, Rusalka, and Orfeo.  Stay at: The Four Seasons Resort Rancho Encantado or the Rosewood Inn of the Anasazi. Don’t miss: The next generation, taking center stage with Apprentice Scenes; staged scenes from the opera’s singing and technical apprentices. 

10. Aix-en-Provence

Aix-en-Provence, July 4th – July 24th, 2023. The Festival International d’Art Lyrique d’Aix-en-Provence returns for its 75th anniversary. Devoted mainly to opera, the festival also includes concerts of orchestral, chamber, vocal and solo instrumental music. Performances are given in a variety of locations, including the Théâtre de l’Archevêché (in the courtyard of the former Archbishop’s palace). 

The Jeu de Paumes (a restored 18th century theatre). And the Théâtre du Grand Saint-Jean, on the grounds of a chateau. This year’s program opens with The Threepenny Opera, and includes Picture a Day Like This, Così Fan Tutte, and Otello, as well as others. Stay at: The Hotel Le Pigonnet. Don’t miss: The reopening of historic venue Stadium de Vitrolles, which has been closed to the public for the last several decades.  

11. Glimmerglass

Gimmerglass, July 7th -August 19th, 2023. The Glimmerglass Festival in upstate New York focuses on musical theater and opera. This year the program includes La Bohème, Candide, Romeo and Juliet, Rinaldo, and The Rip Van Winkles. Stay at: The Otesaga Hotel in Cooperstown. Don’t miss: The 2023 Gala, co-hosted by Rob Ainsley and Alyson Cambridge. 

This year the program includes The Sound of Music, Carmen, and a brand-new opera from Ken Ludwig, Tenor Overboard. Stay at: The Otesaga Hotel in Cooperstown. Don’t miss: A double bill of Taking Up Serpents by Kamala Sankaram and Jerre Dye; and Holy Ground by Damien Geter and Lila Palmer.

12. bbc proms

BBC Proms, July 14th – September 9th, 2023. The BBC Proms, founded over a century ago, is an eight-week classic music festival in Central London. Most performances take place in the Royal Albert Hall, with chamber music concerts occurring in Cadogan Hall. 

The full program will be announced on April 20th, with tickets going on sale on May 13th. Stay At: The Bulgari Hotel or The Goring. Don’t miss: A chance to pre-order your 2023 festival guide. 

13. The Salzburg Music Festival

The Salzburg Music Festival, July 20th – August 31, 2023. The Salzburg Music Festival is always home to a tremendous lineup of opera, drama, and music.

Highlights this summer include Verdi’s Macbeth and Falstaff, Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro, Gluck’s Orfeo ed Euridice, and performances by the Vienna Philharmonic. Stay at: The Goldener Hirsch Hotel. Don’t miss: Mozart Matinees, a Salzburg Music Festival classic. 

14. The Bayreuth Festival

Bayreuth Festival, July 24th – August 28th, 2023. Performances of operas by the 19th-century German composer Richard Wagner are presented here annually. Conceived of by the composer himself, this festival serves as the perfect showcase for his music. 

In a theater built specifically for these works, attendees can enjoy performances of Parsifal, Das Rheingold, Siegfried, Tristan un Isolde, as well as others by the beloved composer. Stay at: The Hotel Rheingold. Don’t miss: Festival Open Air, where attendees will be able to enjoy Bayreuth’s musical events in a summery picnic atmosphere for the very first time.

15. The Lucerne Summer Music Festival

Lucerne Summer Music Festival, August 8 – September 11, 2023. One of our favorite places in all of Switzerland is home to an international music festival. First held in 1938, when Toscanini directed a gala concert in front of Wagner’s home, the festival continues today with the 2023 theme “diversity.”

The program this summer will include more than 100 concerts over five weeks, with performances by Gloria Schultz, Tyshawn Sorey, and composer-in-residence Thomas Adès. Stay at: The Burgenstock Resort. Don’t miss: Programs devoted to showcasing the work of Black composers and of female conductors.

best classical music and opera festivals this summer 2023

Those are our picks for the best classical and opera summer music festivals in 2023, including Tanglewood, the BBC Proms, Glyndebourne, Aspen, Vail, Santa Fe and more. What do you say, dear reader? Which one of these is on your list this summer?