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Description
KURT ELLING
Concert
The refined master of jazz on Margaret Island!
May 22, 2026, Friday 20:00 (rain date: N/A)
Margaret Island Open-Air Theatre – Cloister
Featuring: Hungarian All-Star Big Band
Seating is on a first-come, first-served basis.
One of the greatest contemporary figures in jazz, two-time Grammy Award winner Kurt Elling will perform this summer on the enchanting open-air stage of the Margaret Island Theatre. The American singer’s distinctive, velvety voice, exceptional improvisational skill, and deeply human style captivate audiences in the world’s most prestigious concert halls. At his performances, that rare and intangible magic is reborn again and again—making live music something truly worth, even essential, to experience in person. He brings this magic to Margaret Island as well!
In the Brass Palace – live on Margaret Island!
At his Margaret Island concert, Kurt Elling will present his latest album, In The Brass Palace, released in February 2026. The concert centers around this large-scale musical work built on a modern big band sound, in which Elling realizes a unique artistic vision: the full big band sound is centered around the human voice—not merely as accompaniment, but as the central element of musical storytelling. On the original recording, the WDR Big Band collaborated, while at the Margaret Island concert the richly orchestrated pieces will be performed by the Hungarian All-Star Big Band, composed of outstanding musicians from Hungary’s jazz scene. The program unfolds as a series of dynamic, cinematic scenes, where classic big band tradition, contemporary jazz sound, and Elling’s expressive vocal style meet. In the Brass Palace is both a tribute to big band tradition and a fresh, modern reinterpretation—an expansive, emotionally rich jazz program built on the dialogue between voice and orchestra.
In the Brass Palace is one of the most ambitious projects of Elling’s career: a bold meeting of voice and orchestra, tradition and innovation, craftsmanship and imagination. Grand-scale, expressive jazz—created for attentive listening and deep emotion.
“A big band album has been on my list since my very first record. I wanted this music to celebrate what people love about big bands—the power, the swing, the elegance—while also challenging expectations. ‘My Very Own Ride’ perfectly captures that balance.” (Kurt Elling)
