Berlin
Berlin School Kids Compose for Renowned New Music Festival MaerzMusik
It is common knowledge: a school class makes a noise all the time. How annoying! But what does happen if this school class consciously deals with exactly these noises and sounds? The project Querklang – Experimental Composition at School reveals precisely that. It has seized this question and encourages pupils of various schools to create […]
Free Concert of the Berlin Philharmonic
To watch a free concert stream of the Berlin Philharmonic under Simon Rattle, go to the Deutsche Bank website. Even though this is not a live concert, it might be fun to watch. The “concert” takes place on November 9, 8pm EST.
“Aufbruch und Ärgernis” – The never-ending Story of the Berlin Opera Crisis
The “crisis of opera” has become a standing phrase in the ongoing debate on Berlin’s cultural developement for almost twenty years. It served as analysis and apology; as rational for demand and decline. Yet, what it this crisis all about?
The first live internet broadcast of the Berlin Philharmonic
It felt vaguely ironic to be sitting before our computer in Germantown, New York, watching the first live internet broadcast from the Digital Concert Hall of the Berliner Philharmoniker, with Sir Simon Rattle conducting Dvorák’s G minor Slavonic Dance and Brahms’s First Symphony.
Opera in Germany after World War II: A Journey in Images
How German cities, how German cultural life reemerged after the Second World War has interested me for a long time. Earlier on today I was browsing the LIFE photo archive that contains quite a few images relating to the post-war music scence in Germany. Here are some of the treasures I found.
Konzerthaus is the best
Going through my old post for tagging purposes I once again realized that the Berlin Konzerthaus is the most fabulous music institution in the German Capital. Best programming. Period. Someone should really give them a medal. Here are my Konzerthaus-related articles.
Word Creations #3
On Simon Rattle and the Berlin Philharmonic in New York: “The Adagio of the Ninth was a classic Berliner tour-de-force: the extreme polish of the playing in every section created a fabulous mirage of music as three-dimensional space.” — Alex Ross, New Yorker, December 3, 2007, p. 107
Daniel Barenboim, Zubin Metha and the Staatskapelle Berlin
Barenboim and Mehta I am an American artist living part-time in Berlin. I have never written anything about a classical music concert, I do not have a sophisticated ear for music, and, in fact, I do not literally hear very well. But, I do know what I like and do not like, and what I […]
Discussion with Helmut Lachenmann
The department of music at the Humboldt University hosts a panel discussion with noted composer Helmut Lachenmann on Monday, June 18 at 6pm. Members of the panel include Lachenmann, Cornelius Lejeune and Pietro Cavallotti. Where? – Room 501, Am Kupfergraben 5, 10099 Berlin. Right across from the Pergamon Museum, next door from the chancellor’s flat […]
Jazz Concert @ Oxident Bar
Don’t miss your chance to hear the LAST (for now) Berlin performance of Billy the Kid and the Outlaws at the Oxident Bar this Saturday, June 2nd, at 10 pm. The show will be a memorable one featuring several special guests. The Oxident Bar is here: http://www.oxident.de The Outlaws are: William Bares, aka Billy the […]
Oper für alle?
Eine Unverfrorenheit sondergleichen ist es, daß Klaus Wowereit, der Mann also, welcher das Amt des Kultursenators mirnichtsdirnichts im letzten Jahr abschaffte und damit der Kulturlandschaft Berlins nachhaltigen Schaden zufügte, daß dieser Mann sich also gestern Abend auf den Bebelplatz stellte, um ca 20 000 Menschen zu einer Liveübertragung von Massenets Manon aus der Staatsoper zu […]
Walter Kempowski in the Academy of Arts
The Academy of Arts in Berlin will open its exhibition on the life and works of Walter Kempowski tonight. No other book in recent years has fascinated me as much as Kempowski’s Echolot. A collective diary, as Kempowski call his opus magnus in the subtitle, the book brings together thousands of autobiographical reports, letters, diaries, […]
What’s cookin’ in Berlin this week?
The Deutsche Oper is continuing its 19th-century opera marathon with performances of Rossini’s Semiramide (today), Verdi’s La Traviata (Thursday), Léo Delibes’ ballet Sylvia (Friday), the Verismo-potpourri Cavalleria rusticana | Pagliacci by Mascagni and Leoncavallo (Saturday), and on Sunday Weber’s Freischütz. The Staatsoper is still worshipping Anna N. with performances of Manon on Thursday and Sunday […]
Ridiculous Dress Code at La Scala
This has probably been roaming around for quite a few days but nevertheless I don’t want to deprive you, dear readers, of this fabulously ridiculous story about a new dress code at the Scala in Milan. The dress code Our correspondent Opera Chic in Milan on the matter Tagesschau covering God, I’m glad I live […]
Ultraschall
The Ultraschall Festival für Neue Musik begins today. I am listening to the live broadcast of the opening concert right now. I’m going to post comments as we go along, refresh your browser from time to time. Tonight’s program features pieces by Hans Otte, Olga Neuwirth, Sebastian Claren, and Pierre Boulez. The festival program is […]
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