Fantasie & Mut | Kronberg Festival 2026 „Courage!“

With “Fantasie & Mut,” the 2026 Kronberg Festival kicks off just as it should: with an artist whose presence radiates far beyond the concert hall.

Gabriela Montero is one of the most extraordinary pianists of our time. As a brilliant interpreter and celebrated improviser, she captivates audiences worldwide—and for many years, she has also been a vocal advocate for democracy, human rights, and freedom in her home country of Venezuela. For this extraordinary artistic and social commitment, she is receiving the Pablo Casals Award for a Better World.

The program reflects this commitment in a striking way. Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 24 is among his most expressive and, at the same time, most enigmatic works. Kurt Weill’s Second Symphony was composed in exile after the Jewish composer was forced to flee the Nazis. It tells of loss and new beginnings—and of the strength to carry on despite everything.

Together with the hr Symphony Orchestra, conducted by François Leleux, Gabriela Montero will open the Kronberg Festival with a concert that brings the spirit of “Courage!” to life: as imagination, resolve, and the courage to take on responsibility.

Learn more about the Kronberg Festival and the concert.