LUCERNE FESTIVAL in Summer 2011 explores the phenomenon of night in music. The MCO plays in its usual role as the core of the LUCERNE FESTIVAL ORCHESTRA under the direction of Claudio Abbado, and also two concert programmes of its own. Both concerts present motives such as fairytales, myths and creatures of the night, in keeping with the festival motto. The first programme, conducted by Vladimir Jurowski, is inspired by Shakespeare's Midsummernight's Dream, and the second, under the direction of MCO Principal Conductor Daniel Harding, is a concert performance of Mozart's Magic Flute.

For the festival's chamber music series INSOMNIA, Mahler Chamber Soloists and Kolja Blacher present a chamber music programme of their own to open this series of concerts at the Luzerner Theater, which take place late in the evening at 22:00.

The MCO also takes part in activites outside of the concert hall: after the concert on 11 August, MCO clarinet player Jaan Bossier plays some of his own klezmer arrangements at the Buvette bar, in combination with violinist Tim Summers, bassist Hayk Khachatryan, percussionist Martin Piechotta, and Jeroen Bal at the piano. Buvette is an open-air bar located only a few steps from the KKL, directly on the lake. Entry is free.