Founded in 1935 as the Orchestra della Radio Svizzera Italiana, the OSI – Orchestra della Svizzera Italiana – has established itself as a leading musical institution, acclaimed by audiences and critics alike in Europe’s major theatres and concert halls, including the Golden Hall of the Musikverein in Vienna, the Berlin Philharmonie and the Grosses Festspielhaus in Salzburg.
A season “With folklore” and prestigious collaborations
The 2025/26 season, entitled “With Folklore”, promises to explore the influence of folk music on the classical repertoire, offering a fascinating thread through works by composers such as Bartók, Dvořák, de Falla, Kodály and Ligeti. OSI is renowned for its collaborations with internationally renowned conductors and soloists. The Principal Guest Conductor since 2022 is Krzysztof Urbański, while the Principal Conductor since 2015 is Markus Poschner, who will conclude his tenure in June 2025.
Among the prominent names who will perform with the Orchestra della Svizzera Italiana next season are Martha Argerich, with whom the OSI has had a privileged relationship for over twenty years, and Charles Dutoit, with whom a closer collaboration is planned, culminating in a “journey with Dutoit” that will see him as the protagonist of various events and a tour in Spain. Sol Gabetta, who inaugurated the festival Presence, will open the “OSI at LAC” season on October 2, 2025. Other notable artists include Julian Rachlin, Vilde Frang, Benjamin Grosvenor, Baiba Skride, Veronika Eberle, Antoine Tamestit, Giovanni Sollima, and Robert Treviño. The season will also feature young talents such as percussionist Vivi Vassileva and pianist Roman Borisov.
The three main seasons and an innovative format
The Orchestra della Svizzera italiana, as the resident orchestra at LAC Lugano Arte e Cultura, is the protagonist of three main seasons in Lugano. “OSI al LAC” takes place from autumn to spring in the Sala Teatro of the LAC, “OSI in Auditorio” takes place in the Orchestra’s historic home, the Auditorio Stelio Molo RSI in Lugano Besso, and “OSI a Pentecoste” is a recent addition, introduced in June 2025, with the aim of creating a fixed appointment on a weekend of particular interest to the international public.
These seasons are accompanied by the innovative format “be connected”, now in its fourth edition. This initiative aims to arouse curiosity and bring new audiences closer to classical music, breaking down prejudices and making the Orchestra's identity known throughout Italian-speaking Switzerland through experimentation, interdisciplinarity and involvement of all age groups. The “be connected” events include “Lunch with OSI”, rehearsal concerts during the lunch break, and the traditional concerts for schools and families.
Orchestra della Svizzera Italiana: international tours and recording and social commitment
The 2025/26 season will see the Orchestra della Svizzera italiana engaged in prestigious international tours. On March 2, 2026, the OSI will return to the Musikverein in Vienna, before continuing on to tour Spain from March 16 to 20, visiting Barcelona, Zaragoza, Madrid and Alicante, with Martha Argerich and Charles Dutoit. In February 2026, the OSI will perform for the first time at the Konzerthalle Andermatt with violist Antoine Tamestit.
The OSI's recording activity is equally intense, in collaboration with the Italian-language Swiss Radio and Television (RSI). After winning the prestigious international ICMA award in 2018 for the Complete Brahms Symphonies, the OSI and Poschner obtained a second ICMA in January 2025 for a CD dedicated to works by Paul Hindemith and Alfred Schnittke. The recording production also includes a series of CDs dedicated to unpublished works by Rossini, Symphonies No. 5 and 6 by Tchaikovsky, and a forthcoming LP with the Manfred by Tchaikovsky. The orchestra is also involved in opera and ballet co-productions with the LAC and international partners.
A fundamental aspect of the OSI's activity is its extraordinary commitment to young people: approximately 10.000 children each year attend concert-shows designed especially for them. The OSI collaborates closely with the University School of Music of the Conservatory of Italian Switzerland for the musical education of young people.
Practical news and sustainability
The 2025/26 season introduces some important practical changes. The start time of the concerts of the three main seasons has been brought forward by half an hour, from 20:30 p.m. to 20:00 p.m. starting from 2 October 2025 (with the exception of the “Sollima a 360°!” concert on Saturday afternoon). Furthermore, starting from February 2026, the Auditorio Stelio Molo will close for approximately two years to allow for the construction of the Città della Musica in Lugano-Besso. The orchestra will temporarily move to the Sala eventi Docks Lugano for rehearsals.
The Orchestra della Svizzera italiana is increasingly focusing on sustainability. Since 2024, a partnership has been in place with the SBB and the Comunità Arcobaleno, which allows anyone who purchases a season ticket or a single ticket for concerts in the main seasons to use public transport within the Arcobaleno fare community free of charge. From 2 October 2025, a digital alternative to the paper programme will be offered, with a small fee required for the printed version.
OSI thanks all its supporters, including the Republic and Canton of Ticino – Swisslos Fund, the City of Lugano, the ERSL Municipalities, the Association of Friends of OSI (AOSI), the main sponsor BancaStato and the Canton of Grisons, as well as partners such as RSI, LAC, SUPSI, CSI and Locarno Film Festival.
