Queen Elisabeth Competition 2026: Cello

This year's Queen Elisabeth Competition is dedicated to cello. It's a special edition since the world renowned music competition celebrates its 75th edition, a 150 years after the birth of its namesake and founder, Queen Elisabeth.

Queen  Elisabeth of the Belgians and Pablo Casals, 1961

Queen Mathilde, who's the Honorary President of the Queen Elisabeth Competition will no doubt attend as many concerts as she can. We will be seeing less of her during the semi finals though, when she'll be accompanying a Belgian trade mission in Turkey. During the finals week she'll also spend time in the US for the graduation of her daughter, Crown Princess Elisabeth, at Harvard.

First round: Monday 4 May to Saturday 9 May 2026 at Flagey.

4 May 2026: After visiting the exhibition "The Belgian royal family and the cello", Mathilde attended a session.

Semi Finals: Monday 11 May to Saturday 16 May 2026 at Flagey.

13 May 2026: Queen Mathilde attends a session.

16 May 2026: Queen Mathilde attends a session and the naming of the finalists.

Finals: Monday 25 May to Saturday 30 May 2026 at Bozar.

25 May 2026: King Philippe & Queen Mathilde attend a session.

29 May 2026: Prince Gabriel (22) attends a session. 

30 May 2026: Queen Mathilde attends the final session of the finale week, and the announcement of the winner.

2 June 2026: Queen Mathilde attends the award ceremony at the Queen Elisabeth chapel in Waterloo.

Laureate Recitals (by the 6 non classified laureates) on 3 June and 4 June 2026 at Flagey.

Laureate Concerts (by numbers 6, 5 and 4) on 8 June 2026 at Bozar.

8 June 2026: Queen Mathilde attends the laureate concert.

Final Concert (By numbers 3 and 2 and the winner) on 10 June 2026 at Bozar, attended by King Philippe & Queen Mathilde.