Hapag-Lloyd Cruises is introducing Curated Concerts, a new concept for classical music enthusiasts. Three special cruises are planned for 2027, each curated by a leading musician. Pianist Alexander Krichel, clarinettist David Orlowsky and soprano Shira Patchornik will each take charge of one cruise and shape its musical programme.
The new format combines concerts on board with a special performance ashore. Each cruise features two concerts on board and a third at an exceptional venue along the itinerary. Rather than relying solely on traditional concert halls, the programme takes music to historic buildings, distinctive architectural settings and locations with a strong connection to the destination.
The idea is to make classical music part of the journey itself. The music reflects the itinerary and its surroundings, while the participating artists choose their own repertoire and musical partners.
Intimate Ships, International Artists
Curated Concerts will be offered aboard EUROPA and EUROPA 2. With maximum capacities of 400 and 500 guests respectively, the two ships provide an intimate setting for the cultural programme.
Classical music has long been part of Hapag-Lloyd Cruises’ cultural offering, including through the Ocean Sun Festival. Curated Concerts takes that approach in a new direction. The musicians remain on board for several days, allowing guests to encounter them beyond their performances.
That personal element is central to the concept. The artists curate their own programmes, choose their musical partners and bring different forms of music together.
Melodramas Between the Baltic Sea and Island Worlds: Curated Concerts on EUROPA
The first cruise heads across the Baltic towards Sweden. Pianist Alexander Krichel and actor Sabin Tambrea take centre stage, exploring the rarely performed art of melodrama, in which spoken text and music interact on equal terms.
One of the highlights is a concert at Stockholm’s Eric Ericson Hall. The combination of piano and spoken word brings classical music closer to theatre and offers a different perspective on the repertoire.
Krichel is known for his technically precise yet highly expressive style of piano playing, with a particular affinity for the Romantic repertoire. Tambrea, one of the distinctive actors of his generation, adds a strong theatrical dimension to the programme.
Aboard EUROPA, this combination is developed further through a series of chamber music performances. The cruise follows the Baltic coast and Swedish archipelagos.
Cruise MS EUROPA (EUR2713): Summertime Baltic breeze, 18 July to 30 July 2027, from Hamburg to Kiel, 12 days. Bookable in the PLATINUM fare from €6,620 per person based on double occupancy, including an early booking discount valid until 31 October 2026. Travel packages to and from the departure and arrival points are not included.
Vast Nordic Worlds and New Acoustic Spaces in the Arctic Cathedral: Curated Concerts on EUROPA 2
The second Curated Concerts voyage travels from Hamburg along the Norwegian coast towards the North Cape. Here, the landscape itself becomes part of the musical experience, with the light, vastness and atmosphere of the far north providing a natural backdrop.
The musical highlight comes in Tromsø, where a concert will take place in the Arctic Cathedral. Clarinetist David Orlowsky will perform with a female vocal ensemble, presenting a special arrangement created for the occasion that reflects his musical versatility.
Orlowsky moves between classical chamber music and contemporary interpretations and is known for developing his own distinctive musical language. The architecture and acoustics of the Arctic Cathedral add another dimension to the performance, bringing music, space and the Nordic landscape together.
Aboard EUROPA 2, the programme continues with several musical guests. Each brings a different instrument and artistic discipline, creating a broad range of sounds throughout the cruise.
Cruise MS EUROPA 2 (EUX2716): Norway’s natural wonders, 28 August to 12 September 2027, from Hamburg to Kiel, 12 days. Bookable in the PLATINUM fare from €8,490 per person based on double occupancy, including an early booking discount valid until 31 October 2026. Travel packages to and from the departure and arrival points are not included.
Baroque Voices Between Stockholm and the Baltic Sea: Curated Concerts on EUROPA
The third cruise focuses on vocal and chamber music, with a repertoire ranging from the Baroque era to contemporary works. The journey begins with a concert at Stockholm’s Ulriksdal Palace Theatre.
Soprano Shira Patchornik travels with her trio Cyrene and lutenist Elias Conrad. Together, they present a programme combining historical musical traditions with their own arrangements.
Patchornik is one of the leading voices on the international Baroque scene and won an OPUS Klassik award in 2026. Her repertoire ranges from Monteverdi to Mozart, while also encompassing Romantic works and opera. During the cruise, her voice will be heard in a variety of settings, from solo performances to chamber music and ensemble formats.
Aboard EUROPA, the programme expands into chamber music and opera, bringing voice and instruments together in different combinations.
Cruise MS EUROPA (EUR2717): Mare Balticum: tradition meets modernity, 30 August to 10 September 2027, from Hamburg to Kiel, 11 days. Bookable in the PLATINUM fare from €5,590 per person based on double occupancy, including an early booking discount valid until 31 October 2026. Travel packages to and from the departure and arrival points are not included.
Classical Music as Part of the Journey
With Curated Concerts, Hapag-Lloyd Cruises is taking an approach in which the concerts are closely connected to the cruise itself. The destinations, venues and musical programmes are designed to complement one another.
The three cruises demonstrate how varied that approach can be. On the Baltic, music and spoken word come together; in Tromsø, the Arctic Cathedral provides the setting for a concert; and around Stockholm, the programme explores vocal music from the Baroque era to the present day.
For Hapag-Lloyd Cruises, Curated Concerts adds a new dimension to its existing cultural programme. For guests, it offers the opportunity to spend several days with the same artists and their music, both on board and at distinctive venues along the itinerary.
Photo credit Hapag-Lloyd Cruises
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