As a member you are close up.
From Friday, 17 to Sunday, 19 April 2026, Zurich will become a meeting place for young culture enthusiasts. In collaboration with the Young Friends of the Opera and Ballet of Zurich Opera House, klubZ of the Tonhalle Zurich, and the Young Friends of the Kunsthaus Zurich, young members aged 27 to 35 can look forward to a city-wide cultural weekend. The focus is on exchange, connection, and shared cultural experiences.
In March 2027, Zurich Opera House will make its debut in the United States, bringing Richard Wagner’s “Der Ring des Nibelungen” to one of the world’s most prestigious concert halls. The complete “Ring” cycle will be performed in concert form at Carnegie Hall for the first time in the venue’s history. From 18 to 23 March 2027, the Orchestra of the Zurich Opera House will make its New York debut with the four-part “Ring” cycle. The performances will be conducted by Gianandrea Noseda, General Music Director of Zurich Opera House. The Italian-born conductor leads Wagner’s tetralogy with an outstanding international cast assembled especially for this concert series.
The Zurich Opera House has been named “Opera House of the Year 2025”. The renowned magazine “Opernwelt” awarded the house this prestigious title in its annual critics’ survey. The award recognizes the thirteen-year tenure of Andreas Homoki, guided by the credo: quality through intensive rehearsal work, artistic responsibility, and sustainable ensemble cultivation. In addition to its artistic excellence, the Zurich Opera House also impresses economically: with a self-financing ratio of around 33% and an occupancy rate of over 90%, it ranks among the most successful opera houses in Europe. The award also marks the beginning of a new artistic phase under General Director Matthias Schulz. Building on the house’s strengths, he will further develop it with artistic integrity, openness, and the courage to explore new perspectives – navigating the balance between tradition and renewal, excellence and experimentation.
This season, the Friends of the Opera offered special children’s events for the first time on selected dates. On 8 November 2025, members had the opportunity to bring their children, grandchildren or godchildren to a rehearsal of the new family opera «Hänsel und Gretel». In the 2026 calendar year, we will invite the young guests of our members on 21 May to attend the dress rehearsal of the newly founded Children’s Opera Orchestra under the direction of Gianandrea Noseda.
Since this season, the Zurich Opera House has been a member of «FEDORA» – a European platform that promotes innovation in opera and ballet and cultivates an international network within the opera and dance world. What does this mean for us, the members of the «Friends of the Zurich Opera» from the Patron level and up? You will now benefit from simplified access to tickets at all partner institutions – both nationally and internationally. To make use of this benefit, please contact our office directly at info@opernfreunde.ch. You will then be connected with the appropriate contact person on site.
We were delighted to welcome all members to the annual general meeting on Monday, 17 November 2025, at 18.00. The evening took place on the main stage of the opera house. Afterwards, we looked forward to a special workshop concert, where the young talents of the International Opera Studio introduced themselves exclusively to the Friends of the Opera for the first time.
We are continuing to grow our community of opera lovers aged between 27 and 35. Young members meet like-minded people. Events specially designed for young audiences offer not only the enjoyment of opera and behind-the-scenes insights, but also plenty of time for networking. This season, together with young ballet enthusiasts, we visited the Tonhalle’s young friends’ circle, klubZ. The joint event took place on 10 December 2025 at the Tonhalle. In addition to attending the concert, the program also included a meet & greet with conductor Thomas Guggeis. In April 2026, a Youth Summit will take place, featuring various program elements and young friends’ circles.
The «American Friends of the Zurich Opera House» (AFZOH) were founded in December 2024. The AFZOH serve the liaison between the Zurich Opera House (opera, ballet, orchestra) and its American friends. Thereby providing its supporters with exclusive access to tickets, services and high-class events related to the Zurich Opera House.
As an opera enthusiast, your commitment and support help shape our association, the Friends of the Zurich Opera. What we care about should be allowed to flourish. Invite a new member to join – as a thank-you, you’ll enjoy the benefits of the next membership level for one season. Tip: Recommend the Friends’ Association now and enjoy even more exclusive events and benefits!
The Friends Circle is also jumping on the digital bandwagon! You can find all your personal Friends Circle events for the entire season in your Opera House app. Download, log in, and register – it’s that easy! Need help? The office is happy to assist you.
On the weekend of August 30, 2025, the board and a group of 25 members accompanied the orchestra and choir of the Zurich Opera to a concert at the prestigious Gstaad Menuhin Festival. The program featured Verdi’s impressive Messa da Requiem. The participants enjoyed meeting Matthias Schulz, Gianandrea Noseda, and the soloists, as well as a varied supporting program with fine cuisine and ample time for personal conversations. With this trip, the Friends’ Association was able to contribute to the orchestra’s international touring activities. The Zurich Opera Orchestra will embark on a European tour in March 2026.
With the grand opening event «24h Opernhaus», the 2025/26 season was officially launched. In addition to a song recital by mezzo-soprano Elīna Garanča – accompanied on the piano by Artistic Director Matthias Schulz himself – numerous new formats were introduced. For the first time, the opera house was open to the public continuously for 24 hours. We were delighted to see so many familiar faces from the Friends’ Circle at the event.
Vom Freitag, 17. bis Sonntag, 19. April 2026 wird Zürich zum Treffpunkt junger Kulturbegeisterter.
The office will be happy to assist you with any questions or requests you may have.
For any questions or requests regarding the Zurich Opera House and your membership, the Friends Office is happy to assist you. Katherine Waldvogel and Corinne Amsler look forward to hearing from you: info@opernfreunde.ch or T +41 (0)44 268 66 39
The association aims to foster understanding and enjoyment of opera and ballet, offering its approximately 1,300 members direct access to the Zurich Opera House. Since 1960, the Friends’ Circle has supported the efforts of those involved in the creation and performance of opera, as well as the International Opera Studio.
