The Grand Romance Gala — What Happens When Tchaikovsky's Ballets Meet Opera's Greatest Arias, Live
The Grand Romance Gala is United Soloists Orchestra's own 65-musician production, pairing Tchaikovsky's greatest ballet suites — in the orchestra's original arrangements — with the arias opera lovers know by heart. It plays Basel's Stadtcasino on 11 November and Bern's Casino on 15 November 2026, with USO's own vocal soloists taking the second half.
What's on the programme at the Grand Romance Gala?
The first half is pure Tchaikovsky: the Waltz of the Flowers, the Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy, the Garland Waltz and the 1812 Overture's cannon-fire finale. The second half turns to opera's best-loved arias — Nessun Dorma, La donna è mobile, Habanera — sung live by USO's own vocal soloists over a full orchestra.
The Tchaikovsky half
- Dance of the Tumblers (The Snow Maiden)
- Waltz of the Flowers (The Nutcracker)
- Theme from Piano Concerto No. 1
- Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy (The Nutcracker)
- Garland Waltz (The Sleeping Beauty)
- Symphony No. 6 "Pathétique" — Adagio
- Overture 1812 — the legendary finale
- Swan Lake: Danse Napolitaine · Danse Espagnole · Danse Russe · Scène finale
The opera half
- O Mio Babbino Caro
- Quando Me'n Vò (La Bohème)
- Habanera (Carmen)
- Mein Liebeslied muss ein Walzer sein
- Meine Lippen, sie küssen so heiß
- Granada
- La donna è mobile (Rigoletto)
- Nessun dorma! (Turandot)
- Torna a Surriento · 'O Sole Mio
- Brindisi — The Drinking Song (La Traviata)
- Time To Say Goodbye
Every piece above is drawn straight from the show's own listing on the event pages, so you know exactly what you're hearing before you book. If you'd rather listen first, USO publishes an official Spotify setlist for the Grand Romance Gala — the same programme, in the same order.
Why do USO's own arrangements make this Swan Lake different?
The Swan Lake segment isn't a stock ballet excerpt bought off the shelf: it's drawn from conductor Arseniy Shkaptsov's own arrangement — the same orchestration USO performed complete, movement by movement, in its 2022 Tchaikovsky concert in Lugano. That authorship is documented, verifiable, and something no touring tribute act can claim.
The full-length version behind this excerpt is what USO's arranging team calls Shkaptsov's 45-minute Swan Lake suite — the same one referenced in USO's own explainer on how he arranges for orchestra. In the 2022 concert, the movement list ran from the Introduction and opening Scene through the Pas de trois and Pas de deux, the Mazurka, both Danses des cygnes, two Pas de six variations, and on to the same Napolitaine, Russe, Espagnole and Scène finale you'll hear at the Gala. That's the depth the Gala's shorter Swan Lake set is cut from — not a generic "ballet highlights" arrangement.
Arseniy studied conducting and bassoon between Moscow, Lugano's Conservatorio della Svizzera Italiana and Zurich's ZHdK, and was mentored by Paavo and Neeme Järvi, Daniele Gatti and Vladimir Fedoseev — training that shows in how closely this arrangement tracks Tchaikovsky's own orchestration rather than simplifying it. Read more about him on his profile page.
What does a 65-piece gala feel like in the hall?
Sixty-five musicians is USO's largest configuration — strings, full brass, vocal soloists and, for the finale, the extra percussion the 1812 Overture demands. You'll feel it before you hear it: the stage fills wall to wall, and the sound arrives from every direction at once, not through speakers.
It's the same ensemble the press has described as revolutionary:
"The ensemble that revolutionizes music in Europe." — Ticino Welcome, 17 August 2025
Because the arias sit in the second half, the evening builds: an hour of purely orchestral ballet music first, then the hall's energy shifts as USO's own vocal soloists step forward for Puccini, Verdi, Bizet and the encores everyone came to sing along to in their head.
When and where can you see it — and can you book the format?
The Grand Romance Gala plays Stadtcasino Basel on 11 November 2026 and Bern's Casino on 15 November 2026, both starting in the early evening. Ticket categories and current prices are listed on each event page. The same production is also bookable as a private or corporate gala.
- Basel — Stadtcasino, 11 November 2026, 19:30. Tickets & details.
- Bern — Casino, 15 November 2026, 18:00. Tickets & details.
You can also see the Grand Romance Gala alongside USO's other 2026 dates on the Season 2026 page. And because it's built as a full production — orchestra, vocal soloists, Shkaptsov's own arrangements — it's one of the shows on USO's bookable catalogue for promoters and private clients on /for-promoters. If you're weighing it for a corporate gala, wedding reception or festival slot, our guide on hiring a live orchestra in Switzerland walks through ensemble sizes and how a booking comes together — or simply write to artistic director Arseniy Shkaptsov at ars@uso.swiss with your date in mind.
Written by Arseniy Shkaptsov — founder, Music Director, conductor and arranger of the United Soloists Orchestra, and the arranger of the Swan Lake suite performed at this Gala. Trained in Moscow (Central Music School), Lugano (Conservatorio della Svizzera Italiana) and Zurich (Zurich University of the Arts), he was mentored by Paavo and Neeme Järvi, Daniele Gatti and Vladimir Fedoseev, and has shared the stage or worked with Kurt Masur, Valery Gergiev, Martha Argerich, Stefano Bollani and Gidon Kremer. Read his full biography.
FAQ
What music does the Grand Romance Gala include?
Tchaikovsky's most-loved ballet music — from the Nutcracker, Swan Lake, the Sleeping Beauty and the 1812 Overture — in the first half, and opera's greatest arias, from Nessun Dorma to Habanera, sung live by USO's own vocal soloists in the second half.
Are the opera arias sung in their original languages?
Yes. The programme is sung as originally composed — Italian for Puccini and Verdi, French for Bizet, and German and Spanish for the other pieces on the bill — performed live by USO's vocal soloists over the full orchestra.
How long is the concert?
Approximately 90 minutes, including one interval, split between the Tchaikovsky ballet half and the opera aria half.
Can we book the Grand Romance Gala as a private or corporate event?
Yes — it's part of USO's bookable programme catalogue on /for-promoters. Write to artistic director Arseniy Shkaptsov at ars@uso.swiss with your date and venue to talk through the format.