beneteau

Hi everyone,
I've booked a trip to Berlin for a week beginning December 28 and was keen to listen to some non-tourist oriented classical/other music while in town. I'm disinclined to go to the opera because I prefer traditional venues (Berlin's opera tends to be modern?), but the philharmonic isn't showing much for that time frame. Any suggestions? Has anyone been to the Charlottenburg Palace for their baroque offering, or is it tourist-central?
Thanks!
B

JudyC

There are plenty of other venues for concerts in Berlin, perhaps you might like to check: www.berlininfo.com. I have attended several operas, not all were modern.

I haven't tried the concert at the Palace, but my parents did, it was very much for tourists.

beneteau

Thanks, JudyC- very helpful, I was close to booking the dinner/concert at the Palace, but had second thoughts.

I wasn't able to open your link, maybe temporarily not working (?)

Thanks!
B

Christina

Germany is very musical, and there are always classical music concerts that are serious if you read the papers in all cities and find concerts in churches or regular venues and concert halls. Locals would just be reading the paper to find out events.

You know that any concert that involves playing by candlelight and/or wearing old costumes and is in a tourist venue is of course going to be for tourists. (and I know that is what they do at Charlottenburg Palace) No one else would go to that if they wanted a serious concert experience. Besides, the repertoire at those things is usually terrible (eg, "highlights" of lighter pieces).

There are concerts almost every night during that period at the Konzerthaus, and the Berlin Philharmonic is playing at least 12/28-12/31 (with Sir Simon Rattle). There are also several other concerts at their concert hall on 1/1.

see
www.konzerthaus.de
www.berlin-philharmonic.com

pick concerts based on the looks of

traveller1959

Actually, Berlin has three operas. The Staatsoper Unter den Linden is very traditional, in a magnificent old building.

www.staatsoper-berlin.org
www.deutscheoperberlin.de
www.komische-oper-berlin.de

The Komische Oper specializes in operettas.

Schloß Charlottenburg is a castle with regular visiting hours, certainly worth a visit. The park is beautiful, and directly across the castle, you find the Museum Berggruen, a most spectacular collection of 20th century art, especially strong in Picassos.

http://www.spsg.de/index.php?id=2214
http://www.smb.museum/smb/home/index.php?lang=en

beneteau

This is fantastic, thank you! And if anyone knows of a few spare tickets to the New Year's Concert at the Staatsoper- please let me know??
Thanks!
B

gradyghost

Hello Beneteau:

In case you are not entirely convinced about avoiding the concert at the Charlottenburg Palace, let me add my two cents. Actually my experience there, which I should say was our only disappointment in 3 weeks in Germany, was a sort of "bait and switch". We purchased the VIP tickets for the dinner and concert in the belief that the dinner would be in the Orangery section of the palace and that the concert would be a few steps away in the same section. With my bad knee, the proximity of the two events was a factor.

When we arrived by taxi, we were informed that because of an undisclosed scheduling conflict, the dinner would be in a nondescript commercial restaurant nearby and that the concert, instead of being in the Palace Orangery, would be held in the opposite side of the palace, several hundred meters away. This, combined with a steady downpour, caused me to endure weak dinner fare, and forego the concert. Until now, I have had lingering doubts about that call, especially for my DW. Gradyghost

Surie

I have to say that I had a really nice dinner in the Orangerie last September. My husband and I took his parents to Berlin and met up with some of their relatives who planned various things for us. We had a private tour of the Schloss after hours, then had dinner and the concert. It sounds very touristy, but it was actually lovely-- the orangerie is a great setting and the dinner was fine-- and the audience for the concert seemed to be predominantly European. They were probably tourists to Berlin though.
It's not something I would have thought I would like, but it was fun, and I think it would be beautiful in December.
gradyghost-- I wouldn't have liked your experience!

marginal_margiela

Can you wear jeans and sneakers to the Statsoper?? I want to go see Don Giovanni or Madama Butterly whilst I am in Berlin. However, I am just taking jeans and sweats with me.

I went to the website and tried to buy a ticket, but the info. is all in German. Can I get a ticket on Telecharge?

I will be in Berlin from Dec. 19-27.

The Great and Powerful Thingorjus