De Doelen kicks off the 2025-2026 cultural season
De Doelen kicks off the 2025-2026 cultural season with a broad program ranging from top international orchestras to pop icons and jazz legends. The new season at de Doelen promises to be grand, innovative, and diverse. With a program that ranges from top international orchestras to pop icons and from groundbreaking artists to emerging talent, the Rotterdam cultural center opens the 2025/2026 season.
As a cultural icon in the heart of the city, de Doelen is fully committed to diversity, innovation, and connection this year. The Main Hall will feature leading names in international classical music: Utopia Orchestra conducted by Teodor Currentzis, Baroque ensemble il Pomo d’oro with soprano Anna Prohaska, the Belgian Vox Luminis, and the innovative Aurora Orchestra with Stravinsky's Sacre. Star celist Alisa Weilerstein will also make her Rotterdam debut with her acclaimed solo program, Fragments.
This year, de Doelen is also presenting other perspectives across its classical music program, exploring how classical heritage can transform through new stories and contemporary contexts. This season features two editions: Roots, exploring themes of identity and diaspora with James & Djuwa, Pavel & Samson, and Karim Sulayman & Sean Shibe, and Young Female Leads, featuring a diverse generation of young women, including Elisabeth Hetherington, Diamanda La Berge Dramm, Anna Lapwood, HerEnsemble, and Brìghde Chaimbeul, who challenge classical conventions and make forgotten voices heard.
In addition to the classical music program, de Doelen is also hosting major pop and crossover concerts this season. Singer Wende, pop icon Kim Wilde, and singer-songwriter Thomas Azier will take the stage, alongside high-profile productions such as the anniversary concert celebrating 50 years of Surinamese independence and the futuristic gospel sounds of The Space Choir.
The jazz and world music program features surprising performances by artists including Tunisian oud virtuoso Dhafer Youssef, the American collective Kneebody, and the French quartet Les Egarés. Science journalist Diederik Jekel will also be featured in a program that brings together music and science.
Janneke Staarink: “For sixty years, de Doelen has stood for international allure and local roots. This season, we demonstrate the breadth and diversity of our role in the city. From world-renowned orchestras to Rotterdam-based artists, and from pop to experimental.”
The new season marks the prelude to a special anniversary year in 2026, when de Doelen will celebrate its sixtieth anniversary.
