What does opera have to do with climate change? Two events in May and June dive into the relationship between culture and climate and raise awareness for climate change. iHeartBerlin is giving away 4×2 tickets, so don’t miss this opportunity!
Climate change concerns not only science and economy but also culture and the arts. Beyond the arts, many working in the cultural industry have asked themselves: What can culture do for the climate?
What can, say, music do to contribute to solutions in the fight against climate change? This was one of the central questions that led to the creation of the Berlin-based Orchestra for Change (“Orchester des Wandels”), an initiative by the musicians of the Berlin Staatskapelle. Their initiative quickly grew into a nation-wide movement with ensembles and musicians from all over Germany raising awareness for climate change.
Musicians for future play a climate concert
On May 24th, 2022, the Staatskapelle Berlin will bring the discussion around climate change to an unusual location. Usually known for techno and sweaty dancing bodies, the former heat and power station in Berlin Mitte once used to provide heat for people until its closing in 1997. But since 2007, when the legendary Techno Club Tresor moved into a part of the building, it literally makes people sweat. Since 2010, Kraftwerk also became a space hosting exhibitions, immersive experiences, art shows, music performances and orchestras.
This time, the impressive building will host the Staatskapelle musicians and conductor Frank Strobel for “Die weiße Hölle vom Piz Palü” (1929). The climate concert will feature cinematic imagery and take viewers and listeners on an unsettling yet fascinating journey through waning glacial scenery. The proceeds will be entirely donated to the Orchestra for Change e.V. and the Madagascar-Project for reforestation in Masoala National Park.
Sustainable listening: classical meets electronic
Sustainability and climate will also be the topic of the brand new Sustainable Listening series that takes place at Apollosaal at Staatsoper Berlin, starting June 9th, 2022. In this special series, we had the pleasure to collaborate with the Staatsoper as part of the creative team helping with curating the experts and developing the topics. The series will dedicate talks, panels, short movies, performances, and discussions to questions surrounding climate change and dive into cultural contributions to alleviate the climate crisis. The Apollosaal will transform into a space for impulses, exchanges, and participation with climate experts, activists, and visionaries who educate about local and global initiatives on sustainability.
Every meeting will focus on a different topic – the first will be entirely dedicated to the ocean and feature Prof. Anja Engel, an expert on biological oceanography at Geomar center for ocean research in Kiel. The heart of next month’s Sustainable Listening series will be a concert meditation where classical and electronic sounds meet. Excerpts of compositions by Arvo Pärt, Bedřich Smetana, Giacinto Scelsi will be performed by young members of the Orchestra for Change, together with the DJ Duo Gebrüder Teichmann who will remix it.
If you don’t want to miss this experience, stay tuned for iHeartBerlin’s raffle: We are giving away 4×2 tickets for the climate concert on May 24th! For that, you have to leave a comment on this instagram post.
Tickets for Sustainable Listening and the Climate Concert are available on the Staatsoper Website.
