The internationally recognized American conductor has been music director of the Royal Opera in Stockholm since 2021 and court conductor since 2022, appointed by the king.
With its 500-year history, the Royal Swedish Orchestra is one of the world's oldest orchestras.
It's such a long time that it's hard to take in, and it's an honor to conduct it. I was recently at the Staatskapelle in Berlin conducting. They were very proud of their 470-year-old orchestra. "It's nothing against mine," I said, Alan Gilbert says with a laugh.
European tour
The Royal Orchestra is responsible for the music at operas, ballets and concerts. But this year, the orchestra - usually a supporting presence in the pit - will be put in the spotlight.
The anniversary year begins this weekend with two concerts on the Opera's main stage. This will be followed by a series of concerts at home, as well as a smaller European tour for the 105-piece orchestra.
We are constantly trying to improve and, in my opinion, we are playing better than ever, so I look forward to sharing what we do with the audience in other places as well, Gilbert says.
A new chapter awaits
The 500th anniversary coincides with the Royal Swedish Opera closing for an extensive renovation in early 2027, which is expected to last five years. The Gasometer in Norra Djurgårdsstaden will serve as the new temporary home.
A "huge break", according to Alan Gilbert, who recently extended his contract with the Opera until the end of 2029 and he emphasizes the importance of continuity in times of change.
Our time away from the Opera will be an adventure - no one knows exactly how it will go, but I am very excited about the future.
The Royal Court Chapel dates back to 1526, when Gustav Vasa employed immigrant fiddlers - "pipe players and trumpeters" - and established a court orchestra.
The Royal Orchestra is usually considered the world's second-oldest orchestra still in operation, after the Danish National Orchestra, founded in 1448.
Since the Royal Swedish Opera was founded in 1773, the orchestra has been responsible for the music for the various art forms of opera.
With its 105 musicians from around ten countries, the Royal Orchestra is one of Sweden's largest orchestras.
Jubilee year 2026 - selected events:
January 17 and 18: Anniversary concert on the Opera's main stage with Beethoven's Ninth Symphony and the newly written piece "Time Weave" by the court orchestra's violist Torbjörn Helander.
March 26: "The Unbearable Lightness of Being" in the Opera House’s Gold Foyer.
May 14: Family concert on the Opera's main stage.
August: European tour with concerts in the Netherlands, Spain and Germany, concluding at the Stockholm Opera House, with Nina Stemme as vocal soloist.
September 25 and 26: Stravinsky's "The Rite of Spring" at the Opera.
November 21 and 26: "From Gershwin to Bernstein" - a tribute to American classical music - on the Opera's main stage.
Source: Royal Swedish Opera
