Welser-Möst and The Cleveland Orchestra take “Jupiter,” Shostakovich, and Verdi Requiem on tour

A January run links Cleveland, New York, and Miami with programs centered on late Mozart and large-scale drama

The Cleveland Orchestra, led by music director Franz Welser-Möst, is set to bring a pair of contrasting programs to audiences in Cleveland and on the road in late January 2026, combining Mozart’s final symphony with Shostakovich’s political-era Eleventh and, in a separate offering, Verdi’s Requiem with chorus and international vocal soloists.

The tour itinerary includes two nights at Carnegie Hall in New York City: Verdi’s Requiem on Tuesday, January 20, 2026, followed by Mozart’s Symphony No. 41 (“Jupiter”) paired with Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 11 (“The Year 1905”) on Wednesday, January 21. The Orchestra then continues to South Florida for performances at the Adrienne Arsht Center in Miami on January 23–24 with Verdi’s Requiem.

Programs built around finales: Mozart’s last symphony and Shostakovich’s “1905”

The Mozart–Shostakovich program pairs two works shaped by culmination and historical weight. Mozart’s Symphony No. 41, completed in 1788, is his last symphony and is widely known for its expansive finale and contrapuntal writing. Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 11, completed in 1957, carries the subtitle “The Year 1905” and draws on revolutionary-era songs in a narrative design that follows public unrest and violent repression.

That pairing also appears on the Orchestra’s 2025–26 season schedule in Cleveland, placing Severance Music Center performances in early January in proximity to the Carnegie Hall engagement later in the month.

Verdi’s Requiem: chorus-led scale and a four-soloist lineup

Verdi’s Requiem anchors the other major strand of the trip. The Carnegie Hall performance on January 20 features soprano Asmik Grigorian, mezzo-soprano Deniz Uzun, tenor Joshua Guerrero, and bass Tareq Nazmi, joining The Cleveland Orchestra and The Cleveland Orchestra Chorus under Welser-Möst. The Miami performances on January 23–24 list the same soloists and chorus for Verdi’s score.

The work’s format—large orchestra, prominent chorus writing, and operatic-style solo quartets—puts significant demands on ensemble coordination, particularly in the contrast between the hushed opening pages and the forceful “Dies irae” sequences that recur across the piece.

Key dates and venues

• Jan. 20, 2026: Verdi Requiem, Carnegie Hall (New York), Welser-Möst conducting; The Cleveland Orchestra Chorus and four soloists
• Jan. 21, 2026: Mozart Symphony No. 41 (“Jupiter”) and Shostakovich Symphony No. 11 (“The Year 1905”), Carnegie Hall (New York)
• Jan. 23–24, 2026: Verdi Requiem, Adrienne Arsht Center (Miami)

The tour’s two pillars—Mozart’s late-Classical summation and Verdi’s choral monument—frame a January schedule that moves from Cleveland’s home season into prominent national venues.