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Valery Gergiev conducts Stravinsky’s “Firebird”
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Go to concertOur latest 8 concerts:
George Benjamin’s “Written on Skin” with the Mahler Chamber Orchestra
Photo: Adam Janisch
The Mahler Chamber Orchestra, founded by Claudio Abbado, performs Written on Skin, one of the most successful operas of our time. It deals with a love triangle: the protagonists are a brutal, jealous husband, a young, inexperienced woman and a gifted painter. Based on a medieval Provençal legend, librettist Martin Crimp created a highly modern story of power, subjugation, rebellion and self-discovery – the perfect framework for the atmospherically dense, rich-toned music of George Benjamin.
12 Nov 2018Mahler Chamber Orchestra
Sir George BenjaminSir George Benjamin
Written on SkinEvan Hughes bass baritone (The Protector), Georgia Jarman soprano (Agnes), Bejun Mehta Countertenor (Angel 1/The Boy), Victoria Simmonds mezzo-soprano (Angel 2/Marie), Robert Murray tenor (Angel 3/John), Benjamin Davis stage direction
With Gustavo Dudamel in Taiwan
One of the most spectacular new concert halls in Asia is the National Kaohsiung Center for Arts and Culture in the South of Taiwan. After the opening in mid-October, the Berliner Philharmoniker is to be the first international orchestra to perform there. Conducting the evening with works by Bernstein and Mahler is Gustavo Dudamel, musical director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic and regular guest of the Philharmoniker for ten years.
14 Nov 2018
From the National Kaohsiung Center for the ArtsBerliner Philharmoniker
Gustavo DudamelLeonard Bernstein
Divertimento for OrchestraGustav Mahler
Symphony No. 5
Gustavo Dudamel conducts Bernstein and Shostakovich
Photo: Monika Rittershaus
In 1944, at the age of just 25, Leonard Bernstein conducted the first performance of his First Symphony, a work based on the Old Testament lamentations of the Prophet Jeremiah and which demonstrates astonishing musical and intellectual maturity. The same expressive intensity characterises Shostakovich’s Fifth Symphony, which dates from the same time, but from a completely different sound world. The conductor of this exciting juxtaposition is Gustavo Dudamel.
02 Nov 2018Berliner Philharmoniker
Gustavo DudamelTamara Mumford
Leonard Bernstein
Symphony No. 1 “Jeremiah” for mezzo-soprano and orchestraTamara Mumford mezzo-soprano
Dmitri Shostakovich
Symphony No. 5 in D minor, op. 47- free
Interview
“A beautiful hurricane of energy” – Gustavo Dudamel in conversation with Sarah Willis
Gustavo Dudamel conducts Mahler’s Fifth Symphony
Photo: Stephan Rabold
Gustav Mahler described his Fifth Symphony as a “cursed work” that “no-one understands”. While the extreme variety of expression actually overwhelmed the audience at the time, the symphony enjoys the highest popularity today, especially thanks to its gossamer-like Adagietto movement. Gustavo Dudamel, music director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, also conducts Leonard Bernstein’s cheeky occasional piece, Divertimento, which – here in Europe at least – is far too rarely heard.
27 Oct 2018Berliner Philharmoniker
Gustavo DudamelLeonard Bernstein
Divertimento for OrchestraGustav Mahler
Symphony No. 5
Paavo Järvi conducts Brahms and Lutosławski
Photo: Monika Rittershaus
Witold Lutosławski’s captivating Concerto for Orchestra combines the acerbic power of traditional Polish folk music with ingenious, pioneering construction. A charming contrast is formed by Johannes Brahms’ joyous Second Symphony, written during a holiday at the Wörthersee in which, according to the composer, “The melodies fly so thick here that you have to be careful not to step on one”. The conductor for this concert is Paavo Järvi.
20 Oct 2018Berliner Philharmoniker
Paavo JärviWitold Lutosławski
Concerto for OrchestraJohannes Brahms
Symphony No. 2 in D major, op. 73- free
Interview
Paavo Järvi in conversation with Stanley Dodds
Jakub Hrůša and Frank Peter Zimmermann with a Czech evening
Photo: Monika Rittershaus
Frank Peter Zimmermann is one of the foremost violinists of our time and a great admirer of Bohuslav Martinů’s rarely played Violin Concerto No. 1, a both sonorous and expressive work, which he presents in this concert. Jakub Hrůša, chief conductor of the Bamberg Symphony and a guest of the Berliner Philharmoniker for the first time, also presents Dvořák’s symphonic poem The Golden Spinning Wheel and Janáček’s Rhapsody Taras Bulba.
13 Oct 2018Berliner Philharmoniker
Jakub HrůšaFrank Peter Zimmermann
Antonín Dvořák
The Golden Spinning-Wheel, op. 109Bohuslav Martinů
Concerto for Violin and Orchestra No. 1Frank Peter Zimmermann violin
Sergei Rachmaninov
Prélude in G minor, op. 23 no. 5 (arr. Ernst Schliephake)Leoš Janáček
Taras Bulba, Rhapsody for Orchestra- free
Interview
Jakub Hrůša in conversation with Philipp Bohnen - free
Interview
Frank Peter Zimmermann in conversation with Philipp Bohnen
Sakari Oramo and Alban Gerhardt
Photo: Monika Rittershaus
Two fabulous, mythical travel stories from Scandinavia are on the programme in this concert: Edvard Grieg’s Peer Gynt Suite No. 1 and Jean Sibelius’ Lemminkäinen Suite. Between these two works will be the European premiere of the Cello Concerto by Brett Dean, one of the most sought-after composers of our time and former violist with the Berliner Philharmoniker. The conductor is Sakari Oramo, who currently heads the BBC Symphony Orchestra. The soloist is Alban Gerhardt.
06 Oct 2018Berliner Philharmoniker
Sakari OramoAlban Gerhardt
Edvard Grieg
Peer Gynt Suite No. 1, op. 46Brett Dean
Concerto for Cello and Orchestra (European première)Alban Gerhardt cello
Johann Sebastian Bach
Suite for solo cello No. 6 in D major, BWV 1012: PréludeAlban Gerhardt cello
Jean Sibelius
Lemminkäinen Suite, op. 22- free
Interview
Sakari Oramo in conversation with Fergus McWilliam - free
Interview
Brett Dean in conversation with Fergus McWilliam
Semyon Bychkov and Katia & Marielle Labèque
Photo: Umberto Nicoletti
In this concert, conductor Semyon Bychkov and the famous piano duo Katia and Marielle Labèque make the case for a wonderful rarity: Max Bruch’s Concerto for Two Pianos which captivates with its sparkling virtuosity and a warm, orchestral sound reminiscent of Brahms. The other works of the evening were also inspired by Brahms: Antonín Dvořák’s Seventh Symphony and Detlev Glanert’s orchestral piece Weites Land.
29 Sep 2018Berliner Philharmoniker
Semyon BychkovKatia Labèque, Marielle Labèque
Detlev Glanert
Weites Land for orchestraMax Bruch
Concerto for Two Pianos and Orchestra, op. 88aKatia Labèque piano, Marielle Labèque piano
Philip Glass
Four Movements for Two Pianos: Movement IVKatia Labèque piano, Marielle Labèque piano
Antonín Dvořák
Symphony No. 7 in D minor, op. 70- free
Interview
Katia and Marielle Labèque in conversation with Albrecht Mayer
