2016/17
28 - 30 June 2017 | Trip to the Elbphilharmonie Hamburg
In June, we accompanied the Staatskapelle Berlin with Maestro Daniel Barenboim to Hamburg, where they have played a fantastic concert with pieces from Wagner and Bruckner at the Elbphilharmonie. Additionally, we were able to visit a marvelous performance of Puccini’s »Madama Butterfly«, a production by Vincent Boussard with costumes from Christian Lacroix at the Staatsoper Hamburg. Guided tours through the backstage area gave great insights into events behind the scenes. An especially wonderful experience was our stay in the exclusive five star hotel, located directly in the building of the Elbphilharmonie with breathtaking views over the port of Hamburg.
22 June 2017 | Presentation of the new season 2017/2018 by Artistic Director Jürgen Flimm and designated Artistic Director Matthias Schulz
Jürgen Flimm and Matthias Schulz revealed to the Staatsoper’s Friends and Supporters to which new productions, highlights and special concerts they can look forward in the upcoming season back Unter den Linden and which evenings they should definitely keep free for the Staatsoper. With a glass of wine at the invitation of Südliche Weinstraße, they planned their opera visits.
18 June 2017 | Benefit evening at Villa Jacobs
At 18 June Marianne and Stefan Ludes thanked all those who supported the Staatsoper Unter den Linden with a generous contribution for a special harmonium for the Staatskapelle Berlin by inviting them to this extraordinary concert. Marina Prudenskaya and Narine Yeghiyan presented a well-orchestrated program with arias and songs. This summer evening finished with an exclusive dinner overlooking the picturesque Villa’s garden.
6 June 2017 | The association of friends and sponsors of the Staatsoper Berlin has welcomed their 1500th member!
The association of the Staatsoper lists an enormous increase in memberships and has welcomed the 1500th member. While being only 15 years old, Raphael E. is a passionate supporter of opera and operetta and just signed up to become a member of the APOLLOS – the young friends.
All 1.500 members from all over the world can enjoy a treasurable closeness to the Staatsoper and its artists through their support. Invitations to rehearsals and premiere receptions and an exclusive ticket service are only a few of the association’s benefits.
22 May 2017 | Artist Talk: Photo exhibition and guided tour
The exhibition »Staatsoper Unter den Linden - the refurbishment« showed 40 large-format photographs by the Berlin photographer Alexander Schippel, that he recorded in the period from 2011 to 2017. After the artist talk with the photographer, there was a guided tour through the construction site by Bernd Krechting, managing director of the BAL building and control office.
03 May 2017 | Reception at the German Consulate General in New York
Brita Wagener, German Consul General in New York, invited to a reception in her private residence in honor of Maestro Sebastian Weigle and bass René Pape. Sebastian Weigle conducts this season »Fidelio« and the new production of »Rosenkavalier« at the Metropolitan Opera in New York. René Pape appeared at the Galaconcert for the 50th anniversary of the Met at the Lincoln Center. In her speach, the Consul General paid tribute to the close ties between the two artists to the Staatsoper Unter den Linden. Members of the Board of the American Friends of Staatsoper Berlin had stimulated the reception.
MARCH - APRIL 2017 | Our program for the FESTTAGE 2017
Daniel Barenboim has invited to the FESTTAGE 2017 of the Staatsoper Berlin. Outstanding artists such as Zubin Mehta, Anne-Sophie Mutter, Radu Lupu, Martha Argerich, the Wiener Philharmoniker and of course the Staatskapelle Berlin with Maestro Barenboim enriched this extraordinary festival.
Once again, we have invited our members and guests of the FESTTAGE to enrich their visit of the spectacular performances with further special events and to personally get to know the top class artists. We also visited exciting places in the city of Berlin and looked behind the scenes of opera.
The complete program:
Interview with Senatsbaudirektorin Regula Lüscher
Guided tours over the construction site of the opera house Unter den Linden
ZwischenTöne: Artist talk with Claus Guth
Guided tour Bundeskanzleramt
Guided tour Bundesrat
Guided tour Schloss Bellevue and Bundespräsidialamt
General Rehearsal Staatskapelle Berlin, Daniel Barenboim and Anne-Sophie Mutter
Guided tour Museum Barberini
Guided tour Musikinstrumenten-Museum
30 March 2017 | Artistic Director Dinner
Artistic Director Jürgen Flimm and designated Artistic Director Matthias Schulz invited the patrons, donors and corporate members of our association to a famous dinner at the Hotel de Rome. Vis à vis of the Staatsoper Unter den Linden the guests dined and got current insights into the planning for the next season and the moving in the opera house Unter den Linden.
PHOTO GALLERY Artistic Director Dinner
22 March 2017 | Guided tour of the Deutsche Bank Kunst Sammlung
The art collection of Deutsche Bank invites to a journey of discovery of the global art scene – at 900 locations worldwide. Its Berlin headquarters Unter den Linden also is a place of contemporary art, not only by its Deutsche Bank KunstHalle on the ground floor. On four office floors, one encounters works by international artists who had been presented between 1997 and 2012 at the formerly Deutsche Guggenheim: Phoebe Washburn or, for example, Hanne Darboven. Furthermore, the history of Berlin as one of the most vital art metropolis of the world is being represented. Our corporate member Deutsche Bank gave our members an exclusive insight into this collection.
19 March 2017 | Staatsoper for cinema pricing: »Tannhäuser«
Simone Young conducted Richard Wagner’s »Tannhäuser« in the staging of Sasha Waltz which was shown again at Schiller Theater from 26 February 2017 on. For the performance on 19 March, we invited 100 young people under 35 years to get to see a Wagner opera for cinema pricing – made possible by a donation of Wissenschaftsbüro Werner Notz. Thank you very much for this generous commitment! This evening was a great success. And for those who wanted to know more about Wagner, an exclusive workshop for the young audience took place on 18 March.
06 February 2017 | »Die Zauberflöte«: Mozart’s autograph at the Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin
This is really a special opportunity: Thanks to the Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin, our members can experience the fascination of the autograph of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s opera »Die Zauberflöte« which usually lies safely in a vault. Dr. Roland Schmidt-Hensel, curator of the collection of Mozart, will present to you this extraordinary treasure for all music lovers. Furthermore we cast a glance into the impressive new reading room which was created in the course of the renovation and refurbishment of the building.
Photo: Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin: Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus: Die Zauberflöte; KV 620, 1791
16 - 23 January 2017 | Trip to New York with Daniel Barenboim & the Staatskapelle Berlin
In January 2017, we accompanied the Staatskapelle Berlin to New York, where together with Daniel Barenboim it played for the first time in the history of the Carnegie Hall the complete Bruckner-cycle – a unique event which was celebrated by the audience and the press. A very special musical journey, which was especially honored by a reception in the German Consulate General with a great view over New York’s nightly sky as well as a charity-gala-evening. We were also very glad to see our American Friends again on this occasion. And of course visits of museums, city tours and the view over the skyline from the One World Trade Center were also on the program!
PHOTO GALLERY TRIP TO NEW YORK
PHOTO GALLERY GALA-DINNER AT CARNEGIE HALL
23 November 2016 | »Spaghetti tutti«: Eating spaghetti with the Staatskapelle Berlin and the Orchestra Academy
While eating pasta together, we get to know musicians of the Staatskapelle Berlin outside the orchestra pit. This time, the evening is dedicated to the young musicians of the Orchestra Academy at the Staatsoper. During a two-year fellowship, they refine their education and get to know the work and daily routine of a top class orchestra. You can get to know a lot of interesting things about the experiences and challenges of working in one of the most renowned orchestras worldwide and talk with their mentors in a relaxing atmosphere.
11 November 2016 | »Take a seat« – reception at the Staatsoper Unter den Linden
»Take a seat« – under this slogan, we offer opera and music lovers the opportunity to 'take a seat' by sponsoring one at Staatsoper Unter den Linden and to hereby show their appreciation for this opera house. Anticipation rises as the return 'home' draws nearer, and on 11 November 2016 the members of our association were looking forward to it together: at our first event back at the old and new opera house Unter den Linden! Matthias Schulz (designated Artistic Director) and Ulrich Maas (chairman of our association) welcomed the guests to a reception at the historic orchestra rehearsal hall of the already refurbished directorship building. The festive prelude to the evening was created by a cornet and Wagner-tuba quartet of the Staatskapelle Berlin who played pieces by Praetorius and Richard Wagner as well as jazz pieces. The guests had the special opportunity to already sit on one of the new seats, which are authentic replicas of the originals, for the first time. At a guided tour of the construction site of the opera house, we were fascinated by the historic house behind the scenes of the construction works.
16 October 2016 | Sunday shopping at Dussmann das KulturKaufhaus
Go shopping in favor of the Staatsoper at Dussmann das KulturKaufhaus and meanwhile get to see artists of the Staatsoper live on stage – it was once again possible on 16 October 2016. On the occasion of the 10th jubilee of this »Sunday for the Staatsoper«, artists of the Staatsoper once more turned Dussmann das KulturKaufhaus into a concert hall.
Right before the premiere of Richard Strauss’ »Elektra«, world-acclaimed mezzo-soprano Waltraud Meier, who sang Klytämnestra in this production, talked about the opera and the last staging of legendary director Patrice Chéreau. The many visitors of the day also got to hear the members of the Staatsoper’s ensemble Marina Prudenskaya, Narine Yeghiyan, Stephan Rügamer and Grigory Shkarupa: They presented opera’s classics from Mozart to Verdi. Elsa Dreisig, winner of the first prize of the international singing contests »Neue Stimmen« (2015) and »Operalia« (2016), David Oštrek, Dominic Barberi and Miloš Bulajic of the Staatsoper’s International Opera Studio sang »Lieder der Heimat«. Furthermore, chamber music with violinists Ulrike Eschenburg and Martha Cohen of the Staatskapelle Berlin as well as a performance of a woodwind quartet of the Orchesterakademie were on the program.
For the 10th time already, Dussmann das KulturKaufhaus donated all daily sales to our association for the benefit of the Staatsoper. This commitment of the Dussmann Group over so many years is really extraordinary and we cordially thank them! We are very happy that a donation of 32.000 Euro will benefit the Staatsoper this year.
We would also like to thank all visitors for their support and their great interest in the Staatsoper’s programme. And of course we cordially thank all the artists who made such a special day possible!
12 October 2016 | Alexander Polzin at Galerie Kornfeld
The artist Alexander Polzin creates extraordinary paintings, drawings and sculptures – his Giordano Bruno monument at Potsdamer Platz or the monument »Hommage à Paul Celan« which was unveiled in Paris in June 2016 are well known. The model of this monument was part of an exhibition at Galerie Kornfeld. Under Hölderlin’s quotation »Was bleibet aber, stiften die Dichter«, it assembled works by Alexander Polzin which dealed with literature, poets and authors. Alexander Polzin, who also works as a stage designer, always enters in an intensive dialogue with music, theatre, contemporary and historic literature and history of art in his work. The artist personally guided us through the exhibition and showed us works that are inspired by Thomas Brasch (with whom he had a close friendship), trace to Dante’s »Divine Comedy« or were inspired by Ernest Hemingway, Bertolt Brecht or Heiner Müller. With wine and some finger food we let the evening fade away.
Photo: View of Alexander Polzin’s exhibition »Was bleibet aber, stiften die Dichter« (Hölderlin)
30 September - 2 October 2016 | International Opera Weekend of the Young Friends
From 30 September to 2 October 2016, the 11th International Opera Weekend of our Young Friends took place in Berlin. Young opera lovers from all over Europe (for example from Oslo, Paris, Genua, Venedig, Amsterdam, München and Bayreuth) came to Berlin to enjoy extraordinary performances and discover Berlin’s many cultural venues. Highlight of the weekend was the visit of the performance of Mozart’s »Don Giovanni« in Claus Guth’s exciting staging at the Staatsoper im Schiller Theater, together with many other guests under 35 years within the frame of »Staatsoper at cinema pricing. Matthias Schulz, designated Artistic Director of the Staatsoper Unter den Linden, cordially welcomed the participants of the Opera Weekend. Furthermore, »Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg« at the Komische Oper and a concert by the Berliner Philharmoniker were on the program. The weekend was topped off by a visit of Berlin’s TV tower as well as a guided tour of the Barenboim-Said Akademie and the Pierre Boulez Saal.
1 October 2016 | Staatsoper for cinema pricing: »Don Giovanni«
»Staatsoper for cinema pricing«: Under this slogan, the Friends and Supporters once more offered 300 young people under 35 to watch a performance at the Staatsoper im Schiller Theater for cinema pricing. This year, Mozart’s »Don Giovanni« in the fantastic staging by Claus Guth was on the program. Before the performance, Matthias Schulz, designated Artistic Director of the Staatsoper Unter den Linden, personally welcomed the visitors at the Schiller Theater. With a glass of wine at the invitation of the Südliche Weinstraße, the participants had opened the evening in the Glassy Foyer of the Schiller Theater. Massimo Zanetti conducted the Staatskapelle Berlin and a great ensemble of singers around Christopher Maltman, Olga Peretyatko, Dorothea Röschmann and Luca Pisaroni. The artists were celebrated by the young audience with great applause.
»Staatsoper for cinema pricing« was made possible by membership fees and donations.
21 September 2016 | Welcome evening: Friends meet friends at »Tosca«
We say »Welcome!« Together with Friends and Supporters who have been part of our association for a long time, we cordially welcomed our new members at our welcome evening. We visited the performance of »Tosca« and got to see three outstanding singers under the baton of Domingo Hindoyan: Angela Gheorghiu, Fabio Sartori and Michael Volle, who were greatly celebrated by the audience. During a reception before the performance, our members got to know each other and learned more about our work for the Staatsoper.