Brian May and Rick Wakeman Added to Star-Studded Lineup for the 2026 Starmus Festival
By Website Content Manager
The Starmus Festival is an event that brings together astronomy, space exploration, music, art, and the natural sciences in a unique celebration of science and creativity.
Queen guitarist Brian May and progressive rock keyboardist Rick Wakeman have officially joined the performance lineup for this year’s Starmus Festival in Spain’s Canary Islands.
The event, titled Starmus VIII – The Search For Truth, will run from Oct. 17 to 26 across the islands of Tenerife and La Palma. Organizers say the festival will once again unite Nobel Prize winners, astronauts, leading scientists, technology innovators, and internationally recognized artists for a celebration of science, music, and discovery.
May is set to perform alongside renowned Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli, following their 2024 collaboration on Queen’s “Who Wants to Live Forever” in Lajatico, Tuscany. They will also be joined by soprano Sarah Brightman, the Las Palmas Symphony Orchestra, and the Starmus All Stars Band. Meanwhile, Wakeman will take the stage with Moldovan violinist and composer Rusanda Panfili. Organizers have indicated that additional performers will be announced in the coming months.
Reflecting on the festival, May said previous editions have successfully brought together influential figures from both the scientific and artistic worlds, pointing to participants such as Neil Armstrong, Richard Dawkins, and Jean-Michel Jarre. He added that the 2026 edition will continue that tradition under the theme “The Search For Truth,” expressing optimism for what the event will achieve.
This year’s festival will also commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Starmus Stephen Hawking Medal for Science Communication, an honor previously presented to recipients including Brian May, Hans Zimmer, Jean-Michel Jarre, Brian Eno, and Laurie Anderson.
In addition, organizers will introduce the inaugural Starmus Jane Goodall Earth Medal, a new award named in recognition of celebrated primatologist and anthropologist Jane Goodall, who participated as a speaker at the 2025 festival.