The concert celebration of Stephen Schwartz will begin a new international chapter at Kölner Philharmonie in October 2026.
Defying Gravity: The Songs of Stephen Schwartz will return to the stage for the first time in ten years, with two performances at Kölner Philharmonie on 9 and 10 October 2026.
Presented by WDR and Enda Markey Presents, the concerts will feature the WDR Funkhausorchester and some of Europe’s most sought-after musical theatre stars: Merlin Fargel, Harriet Jones, Milica Jovanović, Roberta Valentini and Anton Zetterholm.
The production will be conducted by Guy Simpson and directed by Annalisa Rossi.
Defying Gravity premiered to five-star reviews at Sydney’s Theatre Royal in 2016. A planned international tour was subsequently cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Cologne performances mark the beginning of a new international chapter for the production. Bringing together leading musical theatre performers and a full symphony orchestra, the concert celebrates Stephen Schwartz’s work across five decades, from Godspell and Pippin to Wicked, Pocahontas and The Prince of Egypt.
The programme includes Day by Day, Corner of the Sky, Colors of the Wind, When You Believe, Popular, Meadowlark and Defying Gravity.
Defying Gravity: The Songs of Stephen Schwartz
Kölner Philharmonie
9 and 10 October 2026