Matinees

The early bird catches the worm: who isn’t familiar with this and similar sayings designed to encourage us to rise early? Yet there is a deeper truth to be found in this «early bird» and its ‘worm’. Anyone who has ever witnessed a sunrise over the castle grounds in Grafenegg will recognise the golden light that bathes the buildings and the landscape in a special glow, particularly on summer days. On festival Sundays from mid-August to early September, as the last drops of dew evaporate from the blades of grass in the morning, the first ensembles rehearse in the auditorium and prepare for their performance: since 2013, the matinees in Grafenegg have attracted those who wish to devote their late morning to music. With the concert starting at 11 am and finishing no later than 1 pm, it is the perfect opportunity to enjoy lunch afterwards, either on site or in the surrounding area.

In the anniversary year of 2026, Piotr Beczała, accompanied by Sarah Tysman on the piano, will perform heart-rending songs from his homeland and other countries in Eastern Europe; the Festival Strings Lucerne will perform, among other works, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s heavenly Concerto for Flute, Harp and Orchestra with the duo Karl-Heinz Schütz and Anneleen Lenaerts, members of the Vienna Philharmonic. Rudolf Buchbinder, Nikolaj Szeps-Znaider and Gautier Capuçon delve deep into the heavenly world of Franz Schubert with the Piano Trios in B flat major, D 898, and E flat major, D 929. To conclude the matinees, the world’s most famous cello ensemble will roam through music history in search of the finest music across all genres.