photo: Thomas Aurin.
With clubs closed, events canceled, and generally December being a month mostly dedicated to anticipating Christmas and buying presents, there is not so much to do in terms of entertainment and nightlife. Or is there? Well, as by magic, some of my most anticipated theater pieces happen to have performances this month and I’m so excited about it because due to several lockdowns and what not I haven’t seen a lot of theater in the last 2 years and I miss it.
To avid followers of iHeartBerlin and regular readers of our event guide, it might not come as a surprise that we are big Constanza Macras fans. The Argentinian director and her company DorkyPark have blessed us with many memorable nights in the theater (or whatever other place she chooses for her pieces because it could also very well be a forest or an abandoned industrial hall). So this month she does not only have one but two of her big stage productions playing at Volksbühne and I really recommend you to go. The West is a piece about colonialism that premiered last year and I’ve seen it and it’s fantastic! The Future is her new production from this year, I have yet to watch it, and I will and I can’t wait.
Also on our list is Bibliomaniacs, a dance piece from a newly formed collective of female performance artists that we had the chance to see last year already and warmly recommend. It’s playing this week at Fahrbereitschaft in Lichtenberg. And last but not least, the opera that prompted our recent Cocktail & Movie Night at Staatsoper Berlin: Sleepless is one of the contemporary productions from Staatsoper that I believe is a great opportunity for a younger audience to get into opera and see how impressive a full-blown opera production in one of Germany’s main opera houses actually is.
Read on…
by Frank | Theater
But really – who thought of giving out free vodka & coffee drinks on a Tuesday night? Does nobody has to work in Berlin on a Wednesday morning? Well, we have nobody else to blame other than ourselves this time.
With Staatsoper and supported by Russian Standard and Schweppes, we threw our third edition of Cocktail & Movie. The ingredients of a sleepless night were simple: sexy cocktails, a lovely crowd, and a thrilling film that left some nightmare-worthy memories. But really: the presented movie White God is not something you would expect in a baroque setting of an Operahouse. The dark fairytale tells the story of a young girl and her dog, through the plot both get separated and have their hurtful journey until they reunite for a big finale. Check out our impression of this incredible night.
Read on…
by Claudio | Theater
On November 16, we are happy to present the third Cocktail & Movie Night at Apollosaal in collaboration with Staatsoper Berlin. The concept of the evening is unique. Inside this baroque venue, we will play some electronic music while our guests will be served a complimentary signature cocktail by Russian Standard & Schweppes before the movie, matching the motto of the evening: SLEEPLESS. And all this for the price of a regular night at the cinema.
On this evening we will show you Kornél Mundruczó’s fantasy film WHITE GOD. The director, who is currently staging the world premiere of Peter Eötvös’ SLEEPLESS at the Staatsoper (premiere: November 28, 2021), will welcome the audience on-site and talk about his work. Mundruczó’s last film, Pieces of a Woman, starring Vanessa Kirby and Shia LaBeouf, was honored with several awards and an Oscar nomination. So this is a unique opportunity for all cinema lovers, opera lovers, and cocktail lovers alike. Get your ticket here fast before it’s sold out.
Read on…
by Claudio | Theater
Berlin has a lot of really affordable art and culture events all around the city. Urban Art and most Galleries a free, many performances are free of charge and now even all museums are free on every first Sunday of the month.
Going to the theater, opera or the ballet is yet not always affordable. Especially if you are not a student or if you want to have really nice seats and see the stage up close. That is why the new initiative from Staatsoper Berlin is something that we really think celebrate the spirit of the city of making the arts available for everyone, despite their income.
For only 12€, everybody under 30 can book any available ticket on the website of the opera for the shows in between the 9th of October and the 21rst of November. Especially during the first period of autumn darkness, going to magical lights of the opera is something that can brighten up your evening. The special sale starts on the 7th of October at 12.00 am. On the program of this month are a ballet piece, instrumental concerts and several operas to choose from. Choose quick, because tickets are usually sold-out pretty fast.
by Claudio | Art, Theater
Advertisement.
One the past weekend Berlin once again saw its big annual free open-air opera event Staatsoper für Alle hosted at Bebelplatz by the Staatsoper Unter den Linden. Due to the pandemic, last year’s edition was held rather small offering the medical personal of the city a chance to view the live screening of the season’s premiere. This year, the event was still not back to its usual capacity of 40.000 people, but at least a few thousand citizens were able to join the two-day event.
Those of you who follow us, know we have been working with the Staatsoper now for several years, hosting the picnics at the Staatsoper für Alle events and creating video content for their social media channels. We were happy that we could join again in the festivities this year, but of course with one sad eye because it wasn’t in the shape of our famous picnic.
Read on…
by Frank | Events, Music
Advertisement.
If there is one thing we have all learned in the last year it is that many things we were used to had to be completely rethought and reinvented. This rings especially true for the culture and arts scene that was completely shut down for so long with very few alternatives.
The operas and theatres had some of the most invasive restrictions during the few months they were allowed to open reducing audience capacities and cutting the seasons short. So they were very few opportunities to see anything on stage, only a few people got lucky with tickets and that’s still a reality today.
Read on…
by Frank | Theater
Jiyoon Lee – the first female concert master of Staatskapelle Berlin.
The life of a classical musician is formed by a pathway of hard work and sacrifice just to get a place in a great orchestra. But becoming an orchestra musician is neither about fame nor about becoming rich. It is really just about the privilege to create unique music for your audience. A work of art that only can exist through the power of the ensemble. Through the organic interfering of the different instruments to one voice, to one sound.
This sound had to stop for the last six months. Orchestras like many other artistic ensembles could not perform in public to keep each other and the audience safe from possible infections. Despite all hardships, one orchestra kept their spirit alive like no other.
Read on…
by Claudio | Music, Videos
Jorinde Voigt, KÖNIG GALERIE, photo: Roman März
Because of the general lockdown caused by the coronavirus, the entire world has recently become increasingly dependent on the wonders of the Internet. But even Netflix can get boring after some time. Luckily, many Berlin artists and institutions make their collections and performances available online – so you can finally go to that museum or gallery you’ve always been intrigued by but never visited!
Read on…
by Michalina | Art, Theater
photo: Anna Agliardi.
One of the artistic genres that we as iHeartBerlin have been most excited about in recent years is that of dance and performance theater. We love theater in general, of course, but dance has a special place in our hearts. Maybe because it’s the one thing that creates a bridge between what was historically once our main focus, clubbing, and the world of theater: expression through movement. In fact, a lot of the dance pieces that we cover are heavily influenced by the music and style of the nightlife, which also includes traditional staples such as the ballet.
Read on…
by Frank | Theater
Advertisement.
The contemporary Opera “Violetter Schnee” (Purple Snow) is a unique masterpiece of enigmatic music and elaborate storytelling. Together with the Staatsoper, we offer a unique opportunity to see this Opera and bring a friend for free.
Imagine the following scenario: The world covered in thick snow that devastates the land and brings no hope for future generations. In this nightmare, the audience of Staatsoper’s new Opera Violetter Schnee meets 5 people trapped in a bunker under the earth. While above them the world is falling apart the two rich couples Peter and Silvia and Jan and Natascha are tearing each other apart with contradictory ideas on what to do with this surreal situation. The fifth protagonist is Jacques who recently lost his wife. To him, the world has no meaning and so he looks in the deepest fogs of the remains of the world for the voice of his lost wife.
Read on…
by Claudio | Theater
