Operas in Berlin
Even though Berlin seems to be developing faster than any other European city, it also cherishes the heritage it has accumulated in the course of its long and eventful history. As almost every day, new musical clubs and whole entertainment districts sprout up, high art keeps flourishing as well. Upon your stay in the German capital, especially if you like the sounds of classical music and opera, take the opportunity to visit some of the finest operatic establishments in all of Europe. Traditional Deutsche Oper Berlin and Deutsche Staatsoper as well as more Broadway-like Theater des Westens, are second to no other opera house.
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Deutsche Staatsoper
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Address: Unter den Linden 7
Phone: +49 30 20 35 40
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Website: http://www.staatsoper-berlin.org
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Opening Hours: Monday-Friday 11 -19 Saturday-Sunday 14 -19
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The State Opera Berlin (Staatsoper Berlin) is the permanent seat of the German Opera Company and is situated in the famous Unter den Linden Boulevard. The construction of the building was commissioned by Frederick II in 1741, and the theatre soon started to operate under the name Forum Fredericianum. The site was officially inaugurated with the performance of Heinrich Graun's ‘Cleopatra e Cesare’ in 1742. The State Opera Berlin is also the home to another institution: the 16th-century Staatskapelle Berlin, with which it shares a 250-year-long collaboration.
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Komische Oper
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Address: Behrenstrasse 55-57
Phone: +49 30 47 99 74 00
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Website: http://www.komische-oper-berlin.de
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Having borrowed its name from the French term opera comique, the Komische Oper in Berlin is a venue for modern musical performances, geared towards the lighter operatic genres. Here, music and narrative are combined to produce an almost theatrical effect. The Komische Oper Berlin was inaugurated in 1947 as an entity designed to bring high culture to the people. Thus, ever since its inception, all performances have been held in the German language. The musical repertoire has been giving priority to the lighter works of composers such as Mozart and Händel, as well as to the pieces of a long line of Slavic composers. A major focus remain, however, the works of the 20th Century. The opera has been operating under a distinctly international crew, including directors Konwitschny, Bieito, Decker, and Kosky, who have brought some major changes to its style and choices of premières Under Andreas Homoki and Kirill Petrenko, the opera has staged some of its best productions.
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Deutsche Oper Berlin
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Address: Richard-Wagner-Strasse 10
Phone: +49 30 343 84 01
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Website: http://www.deutscheoperberlin.de
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A monumental structure, the Deutsche Oper occupies a central spot at Bismarckstrasse in Berlin-Charlottenburg. Active since 1961, the building towers over its surroundings, thus providing for one of the principal Berlin landmarks. The interiors of the Oper are vast and airy, with a spacious foyer. The work of architect Fritz Bornemann, the building has clear, distinct angles and simple architecture. The main auditorium follows the same rule of simplicity, and offers outstanding acoustics. The colouring is minimal, and the entire hall is clad in wooden panels.
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Theater des Westens
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Address: Kantstrasse 12
Phone: +49 30 31 90 30
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Website: http://www.stage-entertainment.de
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Stage Entertainment is among the leading international Live-Entertainment companies. Initiated in 1998 by Joop van den Ende in the Netherands, it has found good grounds in Berlin, with 2,400 of its international workforce of 5,000 being based in Germany. The site is visited by some 14 million guests annually, making for an average turnover of 550 million euro a year. Geared towards more popular genres, such as revues, cabarets, musicals and lighter operatic performances, Stage Entertainment has a portfolio encompassing some 70 well-known musicals and shows. Some of the favourite performances staged here include 'Blue Man Group', 'Dirty Dancing', 'The Lion King', 'The Three Musketeers', 'Mamma Mia', 'Dance of the Vampires', 'The Wizard of Oz', as well as the box office hit 'Holiday on Ice'. The company performs its own productions, and hires a company of well-known singers, dancers, stage and set designers, as well as world famous choreographers.
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Schaubühne am Lehniner Platz
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Address: Kurfürstendamm 153
Phone: +49 30 89 00 23
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Website: http://schaubuehne.de
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The Schaubühne was founded in 1962 as a private theatre. The site started off as a venue for social debating, with its performances mirroring the political trends of the era. Later, the theatre opted for diversifying its repertoire, and included, apart from realistic pieces, more contemporary stagings. As of 2000, Schaubühne had already given some 674 touring performances around the globe, and has ventured into several controversial productions.
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Neuköllner Oper
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Address: Karl-Marx-Strasse 131-133
Phone: +49 30 688 90 70
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Website: http://www.neukoellneroper.de/
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The Neuköllner Oper is an institution geared towards non-dogmatic performances, and with a particular emphasis on eclecticism The site also stages more traditional performances, but still, favours new forms and good humour most of all. This opera stages some 11 new productions annually, which rotate in a total of 250 performances. The genres the Neuköllner Oper works with include opera adaptations, co-productions, musical performances, and short stagings. The Neuköllner Oper dates back to 1988, when it came into being as a reaction to the declining genre of the classic opera. Following efforts to rejuvenate classic performances and make them comprehensible to larger audiences, it chose a building in the 'problematic' and 'uncultured' district of Neukölln. The theatre is known for its immense productivity, sometimes reaching to ten premières per season, and for its diverse artistic experiments. It is often ranked along Berlin's three principal opera houses.
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Tempodrom
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Address: Möckernstrasse 10
Phone: +49 30 747370
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Website: http://www.tempodrom.de/
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The Tempodrom opened in 2001 with the European Film Awards. Thanks to the structure's multifunctional architecture, and the space provided by its Big and Small Arena, as well as the Foyer, the Tempodrom has grown into one of the cutting-edge artistic venues in Berlin. The roof, soaring at 30 metres, covers a vast stage and an auditorium with a seating capacity of up to 3,500. The site is conveniently located a short stroll away from Potsdamer Platz, amongst a park area right in the core of Berlin. The futuristic architecture of the Tempodrom, following designs of a construction firm gmp, strives to couple ecology and aesthetics. Apart from operatic performances, the site is slowly establishing itself as a serious venue for business events.
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