Serving as hosts on board, musicians Alexander Krichel, David Orlowsky, and Shira Patchornik will be responsible for designing their own musical cruises, conceived from a deeply personal perspective. With CURATED CONCERTS, Hapag-Lloyd Cruises is expanding its cultural offerings with a new and exclusive concert format that brings classical music to innovative dramatic concepts both on board and ashore.
Tailored to each artist’s musical style and instrument, these voyages combine performances, emotionally charged musical narratives, and extraordinary destinations along the route. Drawing on the company’s extensive experience in curating classical music at sea—forged, among other projects, through the Ocean Sun Festival—this new format brings chamber music to passengers year-round aboard its two luxury ships, the EUROPA and the EUROPA 2.
Throughout 2027, the new CURATED CONCERTS format will combine two onboard concerts with a special concert ashore on each of the three selected cruises, each centered on a prominent artistic figure. Each artist will develop the musical concept alongside their collaborators, giving each program its own dramatic identity.
The combination of exceptional music, carefully designed itineraries, and unique venues gives rise to musical experiences that deliberately break away from traditional concert formats. Many of the venues chosen are not conventional auditoriums, but rather places with their own history, distinctive architecture, and close ties to the region in which they are located.
EUROPA and EUROPA 2: Highbrow Cultural Experiences on the High Seas
This new classical music format reflects the high artistic standards that characterize the cultural programming on Hapag-Lloyd Cruises' two luxury ships.
The EUROPA and the EUROPA 2 offer top-quality cruises featuring exceptional service, a diverse culinary selection, and exclusive itineraries around the world. Their size and intimate atmosphere create the ideal setting for high-caliber cultural experiences.
With a maximum of 400 passengers on the EUROPA and 500 on the EUROPA 2, an unusual closeness between artists and the audience is fostered—something that is difficult to achieve in a traditional concert hall. Both ships feature a world-class cultural program.
The small number of guests creates a particularly intimate atmosphere, where artists and passengers interact as equals. Each year, approximately 1,800 artists perform on board, accompanying travelers for several days and sharing with them not only the stage but also informal get-togethers, creating a much more intimate and memorable musical experience.
With CURATED CONCERTS, the focus is on each artist’s personal style; they select the repertoire and guest musicians and design experiences that allow passengers to immerse themselves in their creative world.
Melodramas Set Between the Baltic Sea and the Swedish Archipelagos
From the light of the Baltic Sea to the Swedish archipelagos, this cruise combines pianistic mastery with literary expression. One of the highlights will be the concert at the Eric Ericson Hall in Stockholm.
In this program, pianist Alexander Krichel and actor Sabin Tambrea revisit the rarely seen genre of melodrama from a contemporary perspective, in which music and words engage in a dialogue on equal terms.
A multiple award winner, Krichel is known for his technically flawless and deeply narrative pianistic style, particularly in the Romantic repertoire. Tambrea, one of the most prominent actors of his generation, brings an intense stage presence that places the performance somewhere between a concert and a play.
This interaction can also be enjoyed aboard the EUROPA, during chamber music concerts that unfold in step with the itinerary through the Baltic Sea.
"Summer Breeze on the Baltic" Cruise – MS EUROPA. July 18–30, 2027. From Hamburg to Kiel – 12 days
The vast Nordic landscapes and the acoustics of the Arctic Cathedral
This cruise travels along the Norwegian coast from Hamburg to North Cape, passing through landscapes whose very nature becomes a sonic experience. The highlight will be the concert at the Arctic Cathedral in Tromsø, where clarinetist David Orlowsky will perform alongside an all-female vocal ensemble, presenting a program created especially for the occasion.
Considered one of the most outstanding clarinetists of his generation, Orlowsky combines classical chamber music with contemporary performances, developing a musical language of his own that transcends traditional genres.
The Arctic Cathedral’s extraordinary acoustics enhance the interplay between music, architecture, and the Nordic landscape, creating a unique experience. On board, you’ll be joined by other world-class musicians, offering passengers an innovative soundscape.
Cruise: Norway's Natural Wonders – MS EUROPA 2. August 28–September 12, 2027. From Hamburg to Kiel – 12 days
Baroque Voices Between Stockholm and the Baltic Sea
This concert explores the richness of vocal and chamber music from the Baroque era to the present day. The concert at the Ulriksdal Palace Theater in Stockholm will kick off a program that spans Baroque music, folk music, and the intimacy of chamber music.
Soprano Shira Patchornik, along with her trio Cyrene and lutenist Elias Conrad, will perform a repertoire that blends historical musical traditions with original arrangements.
Patchornik, one of the most renowned voices on the international Baroque scene and winner of the 2026 OPUS Klassik Award, will also perform a repertoire on board ranging from Monteverdi and Mozart to Romantic-era works and opera.
At EUROPA, this musical spectrum is expanded with chamber music and opera programs that combine vocals, instruments, and various ensemble configurations.
Mare Balticum Cruise: Tradition and Modernity – MS EUROPA. August 30–September 10, 2027. From Hamburg to Kiel – 11 days
