Elbphilharmonie hosts Reflektor from 25 to 29 November

A five-day Reflektor festival will take place at the Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg from 25 to 29 November 2026. American artist Rhiannon Giddens curates the programme, which brings together concerts, a talk and performances exploring folk music, history and global musical traditions.

Reflektor brings Rhiannon Giddens to Hamburg

The festival begins on 25 November 2026 in the Recital Hall with Giddens and Francesco Turrisi performing When I Am Laid in Earth. The operator's festival programme lists further events through 29 November, including Giddens's Juba Zinga Jubilee on 26 November and Omar and Lucy with Turrisi and members of the Silkroad Ensemble on 27 November.

The final weekend broadens the programme beyond the main concert format. Saturday includes Mayrig - Mother and The People Could Fly, while Sunday offers Creole and Cajun music from Louisiana, a performance by Seckou Keita and Silkroad Ensemble featuring Giddens in the Grand Hall. The operator describes the festival as a five-day exploration of African roots in American culture.

How the festival uses the Elbphilharmonie

Reflektor moves between the building's different performance spaces rather than concentrating on one auditorium. Events listed for the period include the Recital Hall, the smaller hall, the Grand Hall and Kaistudio 1, giving the programme a clear connection to the venue's varied interior.

The concert venue stands in Hamburg's port and was designed by Herzog & de Meuron above a former brick warehouse. It first opened in 2017 and contains two concert halls, a public viewing area called the Plaza, a hotel, cafes, restaurants and a car park, according to the official architecture press kit. That combination of historic warehouse base and contemporary glass structure places Giddens's programme inside a building designed to connect Hamburg's port setting with international music.

The Plaza is a public viewing area with views across the port and the city. At 37 metres above ground, it provides a separate architectural element for visitors who are coming to Hamburg for the concerts and want to experience the building beyond the performance spaces.

Reflektor schedule spans four performance spaces

The programme links artists and subjects across several formats. Alongside the concert dates, a talk with Kristina Gaddy and Giddens is listed for 27 November in Kaistudio 1, while the closing concert on 29 November brings the Silkroad Ensemble to the Grand Hall for Sanctuary.

This structure makes the festival more than a single headline performance. It places Giddens's work as singer, banjo player, composer and curator across rooms with different capacities and functions, while keeping every listed event inside the Elbphilharmonie complex in Hamburg.

Visiting Elbphilharmonie: what travellers from Western Europe should know

• Reflektor runs at the Elbphilharmonie from 25 to 29 November 2026, with events scheduled in the Recital Hall, smaller hall, Grand Hall and Kaistudio 1.
• The programme includes concerts, a talk and performances by Rhiannon Giddens, Francesco Turrisi, the Silkroad Ensemble and other named artists; individual event access should be checked with the organiser.
• The venue is in the port of Hamburg, Germany, above a former brick warehouse designed as part of the building by Herzog & de Meuron.
• The public Plaza stands 37 metres above ground and provides views over Hamburg's port and city.

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Frequently asked questions about Elbphilharmonie

When does Reflektor take place at the Elbphilharmonie?

Reflektor takes place from 25 to 29 November 2026. Rhiannon Giddens curates the five-day festival.

What is the Elbphilharmonie?

It is a concert venue in Hamburg's port, designed by Herzog & de Meuron above a former brick warehouse and opened in 2017.

Where is the Elbphilharmonie and how do you get there?

The venue is in Hamburg's port district in Germany. Its public Plaza offers views over the port and city from 37 metres above ground.