Laura Lahoud, Vice President of the Al-Bustan Festival and Tourism Minister, at the press conference presenting the 32nd edition of the festival, held under the theme "Family & Friends." (Credit: Nabil Ismail)
There are times in our lives that feel almost irrevocable. They return tirelessly, sweeping away the weariness built up over the years, fueled by a lack of hope or prospects.
They are also points of reference, that little nest we cling to when everything falls apart — often with family and friends.
A familiar, reassuring refuge, where one returns when the outside world falters. This year, the festival has chosen to make this the very heart of its message.
From Feb. 24 to March 22, 2026, under the guidance of Vice-President and Tourism Minister Laura Lahoud, the Al-Bustan Festival returns with an edition themed “Family & Friends.”
It's a subject that goes beyond the poster to become a way of thinking about music: as heritage, as transmission, as a dialogue between close ones — be they united by blood, friendship, or years of sharing the stage.
Lahoud said the festival taught her discipline and how to build trust with the public — a valuable tool in her current roles — while also giving special thanks to her mother, Myrna Boustani, the festival's founder, before offering her “a smile of love.”
“This major classical music festival puts Lebanon on the global cultural map, and the theme of this 32nd edition is reminiscent of evenings we spend here,” added Lahoud, recalling that last year’s theme, “A New Dawn,” in reference to the new government and reforms.
Gianluca Marciano, the festival’s artistic director, emphasized the spirit of artistic family within this year’s programming.
Georges Khabbaz, member of the executive committee, reminded that Lebanon, despite its small size, can take pride in significantly enriching the global artistic scene.
Dr. Georges Haddad, also a committee member, stressed that music, like family, brings people together.
As for Culture Minister Ghassan Salameh, he praised the diversity of the programming and eloquently spoke, in Arabic, of this festival which, among so many summer festivals, is the only one to choose winter to bring warmth to people’s hearts.
From the opening evenings, the intention is clear. On stage, the Khalifeh Trio engages in a dialogue with piano and cello breathing as one, accompanied by Charbel Rouhana on oud, for moments of shared musical complicity.
The program blends iconic works, premieres, and tributes, up to the "Requiem for Beirut," which resonates as a shared memory. Here, extended family is not a concept — it is a musical reality.
The festival then unfolds in successive touches, alternating between major works and more intimate formats, always centered on this idea of transmission. At Bustan, the Youth Orchestra of Yerevan accompanies the Choi sisters.
Hayoung won First Prize at the 2022 Queen Elisabeth Cello Competition, while SongHa Choi won First Prize at the 2024 Queen Elisabeth Violin Competition. They will play Brahms’ "Double Concerto" before moving on to Beethoven’s most popular symphony, the "Fifth," conducted by Sergey Smbatyan.
A few days later, the thread continues with Bach’s "Goldberg Variations," presented in a trio version by Renaud Capuçon, Paul Zientara and Krzysztof Michalski.
Capuçon continues this journey alongside French pianist Guillaume Bellom in Brahms’ sonatas for violin and piano. Schubert, for his part, becomes a true family affair with the Moreau Trio: Jeremie, Edgar, and David Moreau gather around two of the composer’s great trios, embodying this idea of music passed down within a family.
In this same spirit of close transmission, the festival also welcomes cellist Victor Julien-Laferriere with his sister, violinist Alice Julien-Laferriere, for a chamber music concert at the Emile Boustani Auditorium.
A fraternal dialogue where precision and mutual listening truly embody the meaning of playing as a family.
Duos, opera and singular concerts
The Geniušas duo — Lukas and Anna — continues this exploration with two pianos, four hands, from Schubert to Rachmaninov, in a conjugal exchange based on instinctive understanding.
Opera is no exception to this collective approach, with Puccini’s "Gianni Schicchi" performed by an international cast and the Young Orchestra of Yerevan, conducted by Marciano.
The same standard carries through Dvořák’s "Stabat Mater," presented at Saint Joseph Church in Monnot with soloists, orchestra, and the choir of Notre Dame University (NDU), coming together in an atmosphere conducive to reflection and sharing.
Among the unique events of this edition is the Hermès Trio, featuring Ginevra Bassetti, Francesca Giglio, and Greta Maria Lobefaro, winners of several awards.
Supported by the Italian embassy and Cultural Institute in Beirut, the concert is free with reservation, reflecting the festival’s aim to broaden access without sacrificing artistic quality.
The Al-Bustan Festival also cultivates elective affinities and musical friendships: dialogues between classical and popular repertoires with the Ayoub sisters, an immersion in Macedonian music reinvented by Simon Trpčeski and his collaborators, a tango evening with the bandoneon of Mario Stefano Pietrodarchi — a festival regular — combining music and dance, and sibling jazz with Julian and James Joseph.
Conferences, masterclasses, and special meetings continue this discussion of transmission and sharing, before the voice of Jahida Wehbeh closes the festival.
Drawing on the words of Mahmoud Darwish, Gibran Khalil Gibran, or Talal Haidar, she delivers a finale in which poetry and music come together, like one last family reunion.
The festival's mission is to remain accessible to all, especially young people, as emphasized by Hala Khazen, member of the executive committee, who thanked every partner and embassy that made the festival possible.
Ticket prices range from $20 to $70, with a student price set at $20.
The theme of the Al-Bustan Festival, “Family & Friends,” is not just a slogan — it also pays tribute to the many partner organizations and friendly embassies that support this annual event. It's a way of inhabiting music and reminding us, season after season, that art is first and foremost a story of unity and connection.
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