City focus: Stockholm!
It is considered the cultural heart of Scandinavia - a city of music that is characterised by both classical tradition and globally successful pop culture. Since its foundation in the 13th century, Stockholm has attracted artists from all over the world: Queen Kristina made her court the centre of European music in the 17th century, Johan Helmich Roman shaped the Baroque period as the "Swedish Händel", opera life experienced a boom under Gustav III at the end of the 18th century and composers such as Franz Berwald, Wilhelm Stenhammar and Allan Pettersson later created the unmistakable Swedish sound, inspired by melancholy, nature and the Nordic expanse. In the 20th century, bands such as ABBA and Roxette conquered pop music and finally turned Stockholm into a global music metropolis.
The SHMF 2026 focuses on this diversity and spans a broad spectrum in over 85 concerts: from symphony, chamber and choral concerts to folk and pop evenings, from baroque works such as the "Düben Collection" and the "Drottningholms-musiken" to contemporary works by Britta Byström and Joel Lyssarides, from courtly elegance to driving rhythms. In Stockholm, musical history and the present come together in a unique way.
Outstanding ensembles and artists have been invited as musical ambassadors of Stockholm, including Stockholm Chamber Brass, the Swedish Radio Choir, the Royal Swedish Orchestra, the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra, the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra, the Swedish Chamber Orchestra, the A-c Orchestra and the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra, the Swedish Chamber Orchestra, the a cappella ensembles Ringmasters, The Real Group and Kraja, the Lena Jonsson Trio, the opera singers Anne Sofie von Otter and Nina Stemme, the clarinettists Martin Fröst and Magnus Holmander, the trumpeter Håkan Hardenberger and the violinist Johan Dalene.
In addition, trombonist and singer Nils Landgren, who celebrates his 70th birthday in 2026, will perform a series of concerts: in his debut with the festival orchestra, symphonic sounds meet flowing jazz melodies in Vincent Peirani's "Time Reflexions". In a programme with violinist Daniel Hope, Nils Landgren spans a wide range from Bach's masterpieces to Sting's timeless songs. In "Sonnets of Darkness and Love" by Swedish composer Sven-David Sandström, he can be heard in a dual role as trombonist and singer with the Swedish Radio Choir. And together with the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra and a band of friends, Nils Landgren presents his album "Love of my life" with touching original compositions and songs by Cat Stevens, Leonard Bernstein, Kurt Weill, Joe Sample and Ida Sand.
Roxette, one of Sweden's most successful bands, will be coming to the festival with songs such as "The Look", "Listen to Your Heart", "Joyride" and "It Must Have Been Love", which characterised the soundtrack of the 1990s. Following the death of singer Marie Fredriksson in 2019, founder Per Gessle has been continuing Roxette's musical legacy together with Lena Philipsson since the beginning of 2025, giving the powerful ballads and anthemic pop songs a new lease of life.
In addition, several artists will dedicate themselves to ABBA's immortal hits: saxophonist Asya Fateyeva and lautten compagney BERLIN will fuse the melodies of Jean-Philippe Rameau and ABBA. On two further evenings under the motto "Abba now!", the music of the Swedish group will be transformed into a musical-cabaret spectacle. A highlight will be the musical "Chess" by ABBA members Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus, presented in concert by a renowned ensemble of soloists, The Danish Philharmonic and the festival choir.