Around the Music Festival

The Staatskapelle Berlin, an orchestra of the Berlin State Opera, has celebrated its 450th anniversary in 2020. On the 1st, the milestone year began. Starting with the February symposium, the commemorative event will continue in 2020. In April, the festival “Festtage” commemorates the 250th anniversary of Beethoven’s birth, and will perform all nine Symphonys in four concerts. In “Festtage”, a complete CD collection including historical recordings will be released from Deutsche Grammophon. The commemoration concert is in September.

The Staatskapelle Berlin is an ensemble that was founded as court orchestra by Prince-Elector Joachim II of Brandenburg in 1570. One of the oldest orchestras in the world. The opening of the Court Opera in 1742 by the Prussian King Frederick the Great became the seated orchestra of the opera. Before World War II, Wilhelm Furtwängler, Erich Kleiber, Otto Klemperer and Bruno Walter stood on the podium.

After the World War II, it became the leading East German’s National Opera, with music directors including Joseph Keilberth, Franz Konwitschny, Heinz Rögner, and Otmar Suitner. At the time of the unification of East and West Germany, the opera was at risk of surviving, but the reputation surged when Daniel Barenboim was appointed music director in 1992. Under his intense leadership, he began to show a strong presence, including working with director Harry Kupfer on Wagner’s works.

Photo：Staatsoper Unter den Linden


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