The Berlin State Opera is located on the boulevard Unter den Linden in the capital of Germany. Founded in 1742, it has been delighting visitors with musical theatrical performances for almost three centuries. It hosted many high-profile premieres, visited the opera on tour and Diaghilev's Russian Ballet. In 2021, the magnificent building was reconstructed. The opera continues to work, attracting art lovers from all over the world to its walls.
Construction history
The history of the modern Berlin Opera began during the reign of Frederick II. She performed the role of the Court Opera. Unfortunately, the first building in which the performers performed has not survived. At the beginning of the 18th century, the building was damaged in a large-scale fire. The opera was reopened only in 1843 in a newly erected building.
The chief architect was Georg Wenceslaus von Knobelsdorff. He lived during the heyday of the Baroque style, but his contemporaries noted the presence of motives of early classicism in his works. Knobelsdorf is famous for the reconstruction of the Tiergarten park, work on the Sanssouci Palace in Potsdam. He is called one of the founders of the so-called Friderician Rococo, which spread throughout Prussia during the reign of Frederick.
The opera is currently headed by Ronnie Unganz, with Jurgen Flimm as chief director, Daniel Barenboim as principal conductor, Nacho Duato as chief choreographer, and Martin Wright as choirmaster.
The opera is located on the boulevard Unter den Linden in Berlin. The boulevard itself is a long street that runs from the Brandenburg Gate to the Spree River.
Berlin Opera productions and premieres
Many artists have chosen the main German opera for their premieres. During its existence, Staatsoper became the first home for works that then became famous all over the world. It is worth noting the premiere of Karl Weber's opera The Free Shooter in 1821, which took place in the old opera house before the fire. Darius Millau's work "Christopher Columbus" was performed on the stage of the musical theater.
The last performance before the closure of the theater during the Second World War was the performance of The Marriage of Figaro by Mozart, and after the opening the public was shown Don Giovanni by the same composer.
Significant musical events in the post-war history of the Berlin Opera are the premieres of operas by Roger Sessions Montezuma (premiered in 1964), Hans Werner Henze's Young Lord (1965), Luigi Dallapiccola Ulysses (1968), Wolfgang Fortner's Elizabeth Tudor (1972), Mauricio Kagel's From Germany (1981).
Famous people of the opera
In 1842, some of the concerts were conducted by Felix Mendelssohn. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, many outstanding people worked at the Royal Opera, for example, Felix Weingartner, who was one of the "post-Wagner five". It was he who first recorded all nine of Beethoven's symphonies, as well as all the works of Johannes Brahms.
Karl Muck, who has also staged operas at the Berlin Musical Theater, is best known for his high-quality performances of Wagner's works, especially his Parsifal.
Otto Klemperer, who worked as a conductor at the Berlin Opera before Adolf Hitler came to power, is considered by some critics to be one of the most prominent musicians of the 20th century.
His works were distinguished by stateliness and solemnity. Contemporaries noted that not all listeners could immediately comprehend his performing style, but when this happened, they remained his fans forever.
The style of late romanticism was represented by Richard Strauss, and Leo Blech is famous for the opera Carmen by Georges Bizet, staged more than six hundred times.
Prices for tickets and excursions
A visit to the most famous and oldest boulevard in Berlin - Unter den Linden - includes almost all walking and bus trips.
In addition to the opera, there are the Humboldt University, the State Library and the German Historical Museum, an art gallery. Deutsche Oper Berlin looks especially fabulous at night, when the entire boulevard is illuminated by romantic illumination.
On average, the guides offer two to three hour walks around the city, the cost for one person varies from 20 to 130 euros, depending on the richness of the program.
There are no free concerts given, for example, by the Berlin Philharmonic at the State Opera. Anyone wishing to attend the show should buy a ticket. A complete poster showing all premieres is regularly updated on the official website. The program starts at 16:00 local time, with the latest performances starting at 19:30.
Today, the opera's repertoire includes both contemporary novelties and various interpretations of famous works.
Tickets for any performance can be ordered remotely: after payment by credit card, an electronic ticket will be sent to the recipient by e-mail.
Note that the ticket price may increase due to theater and service fees. Some online services do not list these items, while others add them to the price right away.
Opera houses in Berlin use a four-tiered structure to determine ticket prices. The cheapest tickets are sold to the back rows of the first and third tiers, marked in green. In this case, a pass to the show will cost 33-35 euros.
Tickets are sold for 59 euros for those wishing to take seats in the sectors painted in blue: these are rows from 16 to 22 in the main hall, some seats in the side boxes, the back rows of the second sector and 2-3 rows of the third sector.
The second price category is shown in pink, tickets cost 84-89 euros. Having bought such a ticket, you can choose side seats in the first rows, boxes, central seats on the second tier. Finally, the most expensive tickets (yellow sectors) are sold for the central seats in the first rows in the main hall and on the second tier.
How to get to the State Opera
All Berlin is riddled with underground metro lines, so you can get on the subway anywhere. For example, to get to the Berlin Opera, take the U6 line to the Französische Straße station or get up at the Unter den Linden stop of the same name (lines S1, S25).
Having chosen the first option, the tourist will be able to see with his own eyes the Berlin Komische Oper, located along the Berrenstrasse.
Other famous theaters in Germany
Berlin will be a great place for a tourist who loves theaters - there are a lot of them in the city. Each has a unique repertoire and its own flavor. That there is only one "Konzerthaus", Berlin Drama Theater on Gendarmenmarkt Square. We mentioned Komische Oper Berlin earlier, but it deserves a more detailed story.
It was the Comic Opera that was the first to introduce into its work an automatic system for translating texts that sound on stage. In order to implement this option, all the seats in the auditorium were equipped with displays, an accompanying text appears on them. Germans and foreigners who know the language can simply turn off the display of subtitles.
In 2007, the Comic Opera was named Theater of the Year in Germany. To this day, she carries to the masses not only artistic, but also social values, putting on vital, modern and topical works.
Conclusion
The Berlin State Opera is located in the heart of Berlin. Staatsoper Berlin, as the locals call it, is known for a large number of premieres and renowned conductors. This place is a must-see for people who love art. Opera ticket prices start at € 30 and can be bought online.
Also in Berlin you can see the Cathedral, the German Cathedral, the Pergamon Museum, Madame Tussauds, Charlottenburg Castle and much more.
