The Summit
24–26 July 2026
A THINK TANK FOR THE CULTURE OF TOMORROW
Daniel Hope, Intendant of the Menuhin Festival Gstaad, and Klaus Fiala, Editor-in-Chief of Forbes Swiss, guide the programme as moderators.
Panelists and keynote speakers:
Setsuko Klossowska de Rola, painter and Honorary President of the Balthus Foundation
Ilona Schmiel, Intendant of the Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich
Marie Babette Nierenz, Intendant of the Philharmonie Essen
Matthias Schulz, Intendant of the Opernhaus Zürich
Peter Gartiser, entrepreneur in the cultural sector
Clemens Trautmann, President of Deutsche Grammophon
Jessica Lustig, Managing Director of 21C Media Group
Marco Malagodi, Professor of Musicology at the University of Pavia – Scientific Director of the Arvedi Laboratory (Cremona)
Additional panelists will be announced at a later date. Panel discussions will be held in English and German.
The Summit is a new leadership and cultural forum of the Menuhin Festival Gstaad, launching in summer 2026. In partnership with Forbes Swiss and supported by Pro Scientia et Arte, it brings together leading figures from music, cultural management, media, technology, business and the arts in Gstaad.
At its core are key questions surrounding the future of cultural institutions and classical music in the 21st century. Through conversations and panel discussions, the format offers insights behind the scenes of the cultural sector while opening up new perspectives on the role of culture in a rapidly changing society.
The Summit complements the artistic festival programme with a discursive dimension. Topics include the reinvention of art and culture in the 21st century, the digital renaissance of classical music, technology as a driver of cultural innovation, and visionary leadership and governance at the intersection of artistic integrity and economic sustainability.
With The Summit, the Menuhin Festival Gstaad establishes an annual platform for exchange and strategic dialogue, expanding the festival with an internationally oriented intellectual forum. At the same time, it offers students of the String Academy direct access to key international decision-makers and shapers of the music world.
Set in the unique atmosphere of the Grand Chalet Balthus in Rossinière, the programme addresses some of the defining questions of our time. For three days, the Menuhin Festival Gstaad becomes a meeting point for cultural leadership, innovation and new alliances.
The idea of The Summit is deeply connected to Yehudi Menuhin. In many conversations, he encouraged me to see music not only as an art form, but as a responsibility. The Summit is my attempt to create a space for that idea today – a place where artists, decision-makers and the next generation come together to reflect on how culture can shape the future.
— Daniel Hope
Sessions
SESSION I
Friday, 24 July 2026, 10:00–13:00
Grand Chalet Balthus, Rossinière
CHF 40
SESSION II
Friday, 24 July 2026, 14:30–16:45
Grand Chalet Balthus, Rossinière
CHF 40
SESSION III (incl. String Academy Concert)
Saturday, 25 July 2026, 13:00–17:45
Grand Chalet Balthus, Rossinière
CHF 80
SESSION IV
Sunday, 26 July 2026, 14:00–17:30
Grand Chalet Balthus, Rossinière
CHF 40
Pass for all four sessions
CHF 150
Setsuko, Balthus and the Grand Chalet of Rossinière
In the mid-18th century, the enterprising cheesemaker Jean David Henchoz built an extraordinary house, originally intended to store his impressive cheese production — up to 600 wheels, which he sold at markets in Vevey and Lyon.
What began as the “Grande Maison” is today one of the most remarkable wooden houses in the entire Alpine region: 113 windows, 60 rooms — 40 of them habitable — and a monumental shingle roof that crowns the building like a protective canopy.
In 1852, the house was converted into a guesthouse and given its evocative name: Grand Chalet. It soon hosted distinguished guests such as Victor Hugo and Léon Gambetta.
A new chapter began in 1976, when the Polish-born painter Balthus acquired the property. A year later, he moved in with his wife, the Japanese painter and ceramic artist Setsuko Klossowska de Rola, and their daughter Harumi.
The Grand Chalet soon became a vibrant meeting place for the art world. Figures such as Yehudi Menuhin were frequent visitors. The encounter between Balthus and Menuhin during the 1993 festival in Rossinière remains particularly memorable.
Today, the foundation “L’Atelier de Balthus” preserves the artist’s legacy. A chapel in the heart of Rossinière, as well as the studio itself, are open to visitors.