Juan Diego Flórez to Make HK Phil Debut in Opera Galas

The Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra will present two operatic evenings, featuring world-renowned tenor and Rolex Testimonee Juan Diego Flórez under the baton of distinguished conductor Michele Spotti, both making their HK Phil debuts. The concerts will be held in Hong Kong and Guangzhou on 22 and 24 October 2026 respectively. Tickets are available now.

Juan Diego Flórez Opera Gala (22 October, Hong Kong)

As one of the most recognised artists in opera today, Juan Diego Flórez has captivated audiences at The Metropolitan Opera, Teatro alla Scala, the Royal Opera House, and beyond. Renowned for his Bel Canto artistry, the Peruvian tenor is also the founder of Sinfonía por el Perú, a transformative initiative bringing music to underserved young people. A Rolex Testimonee since 2015, Flórez shares the brand's commitment to the transmission of artistic excellence to future generations.

Flórez's Hong Kong debut offers a rare opportunity to experience this world-class vocal powerhouse in arias by Rossini, Donizetti, Massenet and Verdi, among others. The concert will be conducted by Michele Spotti, Musical Director of Marseille's Opera House and Philharmonic Orchestra.

The Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra (HK Phil) is regarded as one of the leading orchestras in Asia. Presenting more than 150 concerts over a 44-week season, the HK Phil attracts more than 200,000 music lovers annually. The HK Phil won the prestigious UK classical music magazine Gramophone's 2019 Orchestra of the Year Award – the first orchestra in Asia to receive this accolade.

Tarmo Peltokoski starts his tenure as Music Director in the 2026/27 season. Currently, Long Yu serves as Principal Guest Conductor and Lio Kuokman is Resident Conductor.

The HK Phil has flourished in the last two decades under Jaap van Zweden (Music Director, 2012–2024) and Edo de Waart (Artistic Director and Chief Conductor, 2004–2012). The orchestra successfully completed a four-year journey through Wagner's Ring Cycle, performing and recording one opera from the cycle annually from 2015 to 2018. The concert performances were well received, and the live Naxos recordings were praised by critics, and garnered the Gramophone Orchestra of the Year Award 2019. Other recent recording projects include Mahler's Symphony no. 10, Shostakovich's Symphony no. 10, and Tchaikovsky's Symphony no. 6 and Piano Concerto no. 1. The HK Phil released its debut album on Deutsche Grammophon in March 2026, featuring Richard Wagner's The Ring – An Orchestral Adventure (arranged by Henk de Vlieger), conducted by Tarmo Peltokoski. This landmark collaboration with the world's most historic classical label marks a new chapter in the HK Phil's international recording profile.

The HK Phil has toured extensively across the Chinese Mainland. The orchestra undertook a major tour in 2017 to Seoul, Osaka, Singapore, Melbourne and Sydney in celebration of the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. The HK Phil toured Europe, Asia, and the Chinese Mainland, performing in 22 cities across ten countries in its 50th anniversary. In the 2026/27 season, the orchestra will perform in Europe and the Chinese Mainland again.

Conductors and soloists who have recently performed with the orchestra include Stéphane Denève, Christoph Eschenbach, Daniel Gatti, Daniel Harding, Pietari Inkinen, Paavo Järvi, Andrés Orozco-Estrada, Vasily Petrenko, Emanuel Ax, Joshua Bell, Ning Feng, Mao Fujita, Jonas Kaufmann, Lang Lang, Leonidas Kavakos, Olivier Latry, Yo-Yo Ma, Anne-Sophie Mutter, Aristo Sham, and Akiko Suwanai. The HK Phil promotes the work of Hong Kong and Chinese composers through an active commissioning programme, and it has released recordings on the Naxos label featuring Tan Dun and Bright Sheng, each conducting their own compositions. 

The HK Phil runs diverse education and community programmes in schools and outdoor spaces, bringing music into the hearts of tens of thousands of children and families every year.