There is joy in discovering the musical diversity in Berlin, a city with no shortage of events, from clasical to techno. This January I finally attended a concert at Philharmonie in KulturForum. During Schubert Week at Pierre Boulez Saal, the conductor Thomas Hampson wished us to enjoy the music, because after all, we are in Berlin, one of the most incredible cities in the world.
Berlin Philarmonie is an architectural highlight, with a tent-like shape, and the first concert hall in the world to offer a stage with seats around it, creating an unique acoustic experience. Well located now in Kulturforum, near Tiergarden park and Potsdamer Platz, but in the past it was just west of the former Berlin Wall.
Kammermusiksaal / Chamber Music Hall is the smaller venue, often with chamber music, but also experimental jazz or fado concerts, as the one from Ana Moura.
After Konzerthaus and Staatsoper Under den Linden, this January I attended for the first time a concert also at Philharmonie Berlin. An evening that turned out to be a celebration of European friendship – the Youth Orchestras of Germany and of France (Bundesjugendorchester / Orchestre Français des Jeunes), with British Alexander Shelley as Dirigent, performing together:
- Maurice Ravel – La Valse – Richard Strauss
- Der Bürger als Edelmann, Orchestersuite op. 60.
Listening, I imagined myself in a long dress, dancing a waltz at a Viennese ball.
I attended concerts, festivals, operas and ballet galas in many cities, including Brussels, Bucharest, Lisbon, Verona, London, Vienna, Madrid or Barcelona, and now I feel thankful to discover all musical choices Berlin has to offer.
Franz Schubert. Inspiration “Lied”
Next – still on a musical note, but not in KulturForum, I had the opportunity to explore the Universe of Song, during Schubert Week at Pierre Boulez Saal, a concert hall and institution created by Daniel Barenboim Academy.
This Saturday, before the public workshop with young singers and pianists, the conductor Thomas Hampson talked about the untranslatable German word “lied”, and advised us to enjoy the music in the next two hours, because after all, we are are in Berlin, one of the most incredible cities in the world.
Credit for feature picture architectuul.com/architecture/view_image/the-berliner-philharmonie
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