Gustav Mahler Music Weeks
The major classical music festival dedicated to Mahler in the places where he composed
About Gustav Mahler Music Weeks
A festival in Mahler's footsteps
The Gustav Mahler Music Weeks (Gustav Mahler Musikwochen) are among the most important classical music festivals in South Tyrol, held in Dobbiaco/Toblach, in the Upper Puster Valley, Bolzano province, in the Trentino-Alto Adige region. The festival celebrates the profound bond between the Austrian composer and these mountains: Gustav Mahler spent his summers in Dobbiaco from 1908 to 1910, staying in the hamlet of Carbonin Vecchia (Altschluderbach), where he completed fundamental works such as Das Lied von der Erde, the Ninth Symphony, and the unfinished Tenth in his small composing hut (Komponierhäuschen).
History and Venue
Founded in 1981, the festival is organized by the Grand Hotel Cultural Centre of Dobbiaco (Kulturzentrum Toblach) and is centered in the grand Gustav-Mahler-Saal, a concert hall housed in the former Grand Hotel, one of the most famous hotels in the Dolomites during the turn of the 20th century. Alongside major symphonic concerts, the event features a rich side program: chamber music, an international symposium by the Gustav Mahler Research Centre of Innsbruck-Dobbiaco, lectures, excursions to Mahler-related sites, and high-altitude concerts in the heart of the UNESCO World Heritage Dolomites.
Orchestras and Great Performers
Each edition brings top-tier orchestras and soloists from across Europe to the Dobbiaco stage, alongside young talents and emerging ensembles. A special role is entrusted to the Mahler Orchestra of Dobbiaco and youth orchestras, reflecting the festival's commitment to nurturing new generations of musicians. The repertoire naturally revolves around Mahler's symphonies and Lieder, placed in dialogue with Beethoven, Brahms, Sibelius, and the great masters of European symphonism.
More Than Just Concerts
The Music Weeks are also an opportunity to explore the Upper Puster Valley: excursions to Mahler's composing hut, meetings with writers, philosophers, and mountaineers, and concerts in nature make the festival a well-rounded cultural event, blending high-level music with the Dolomite landscape. For enthusiasts and tourists visiting the Puster Valley in summer, the festival is an unmissable highlight of the Trentino-Alto Adige cultural calendar.
Gustav Mahler Music Weeks — edition 2026
2026 Edition: 'The Beginning'
The 45th edition of the Gustav Mahler Music Weeks is held in Dobbiaco from July 11th to September 5th, 2026, and is dedicated to the theme 'The Beginning' (Der Anfang). Alongside the long-standing artistic director Josef Lanz, Dirk Kaftan makes his debut, tasked with strengthening the event's international orientation and focus on young talent.
Concerts and Orchestras
The opening concert on July 11th features the Deutsche Staatsphilharmonie Rheinland-Pfalz performing Mahler's Seventh Symphony. Highlights include a comparison between the First Symphonies of Beethoven and Mahler (July 17th and 18th) and the return of the Haydn Orchestra of Bolzano and Trento on July 21st, conducted by Michele Mariotti, featuring Mahler's Fourth Symphony. The orchestra in residence is the Beethoven Orchester Bonn. Announced soloists and ensembles include Jonian Ilias Kadesha (violin), Hasmik Torosyan (soprano), Valentin Magyar (piano), the Trio Orelon, and the Gustav Mahler Youth Orchestra.
Meetings and Special Events
The program complements the concerts with an international symposium by the Gustav Mahler Research Centre on the theme of humor in Mahler, as well as lectures and special encounters: philosopher Massimo Cacciari is a guest on July 18th, while on July 19th, the festival invites the public to an altitude of over 2,000 meters for a meeting with mountaineer Reinhold Messner. Excursions to Mahler's composing hut and mountain concerts are also on the schedule.
Programme Gustav Mahler Music Weeks 2026
- July 11th – Opening concert: Deutsche Staatsphilharmonie Rheinland-Pfalz, Mahler Symphony No. 7
- July 13th – Chamber music (Grieg, Maier, Brahms)
- July 15th – Chamber music (Bartók, Franck)
- July 17th-18th – The First Symphonies of Beethoven and Mahler compared
- July 18th – Lecture by Massimo Cacciari
- July 19th – Meeting with Reinhold Messner and high-altitude concert (Beethoven 'Pastoral' and Mahler's Adagietto)
- July 21st – Haydn Orchestra of Bolzano and Trento, cond. Michele Mariotti, Mahler Symphony No. 4
- Beethoven Orchester Bonn (orchestra in residence), Gustav Mahler Youth Orchestra, and Mahler Orchestra of Dobbiaco in various performances until September 5th
Highlights Gustav Mahler Music Weeks 2026
Prices Gustav Mahler Music Weeks 2026
Practical information — Gustav Mahler Music Weeks
Location
Concerts are primarily held in the Gustav-Mahler-Saal of the Grand Hotel Cultural Centre in Dobbiaco/Toblach (39034), in the Upper Puster Valley, Bolzano province. Some special events take place at high altitude or at sites associated with Mahler.
Tickets
Tickets are available for purchase online via the ticket.bz.it circuit and at the Cultural Centre. Many concerts sell out well in advance; booking is recommended.
Getting There
Dobbiaco can be reached by car via the SS49 Pusteria road and by train via the Puster Valley railway line (Dobbiaco station). The nearest airport is in Innsbruck; in Italy, Venice and Verona are the main gateways.
Contacts
Grand Hotel Cultural Centre Dobbiaco – tel. +39 0474 976151 – [email protected] – www.gustav-mahler.it
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Where does it take place — Gustav Mahler Music Weeks
Centro Culturale Grand Hotel Dobbiaco – Gustav-Mahler-Saal