Live concerts
Zubin Mehta and Martin Grubinger
Photo: Monika Rittershaus
Martin Grubinger, the “multi-percussion star, who runs around between his many instruments during his performances with dizzying acrobatics” (Süddeutsche Zeitung) makes his debut here with the Berliner Philharmoniker. The concert includes works by Edgard Varèse and Peter Eötvös in which Grubinger can demonstrate his breathtaking versatility. Conductor Zubin Mehta also presents Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov’s exotic and powerful Scheherazade Suite.
Berliner Philharmoniker
Zubin MehtaMartin Grubinger
Edgard Varèse
IntégralesMartin Grubinger drums
Peter Eötvös
Speaking drums, Four Poems for percussion solo and orchestraMartin Grubinger drums
Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov
Scheherazade, Symphonic Suite, op. 35
Kirill Petrenko and Patricia Kopatchinskaja
Photo: Monika Rittershaus
When Kirill Petrenko conducted Tchaikovsky’s Sixth Symphony in March 2017, The reviewer of broadcaster rbb was “stunned at how beautiful and breathtakingly exciting this music can be”. The chief conductor designate of the Berliner Philharmoniker now presents Tchaikovsky’s Fifth, with its shifts between driving momentum and inner turmoil. In addition, we hear the spirited Patricia Kopatchinskaja as the soloist in Arnold Schoenberg’s breakneck and virtuosic Violin Concerto.
Berliner Philharmoniker
Kirill PetrenkoPatricia Kopatchinskaja
Arnold Schoenberg
Concerto for Violin and Orchestra, op. 36Patricia Kopatchinskaja violin
Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Symphony No. 5 in E minor, op. 64
“Late Night” concert with Patricia Kopatchinskaja
Photo: Marco Borggreve
The mysterious, expressionistic miniatures of Arnold Schoenberg’s Pierrot lunaire cycle are perfect for a Late Night concert. The wonderful violinist Patricia Kopatchinskaja, who enjoys the experimental, not only performs the violin part this evening, but also recites the poems that underlie the work. The concert also includes waltzes by Johann Strauss II in arrangements by Arnold Schoenberg and Anton Webern.
Late Night at the Philharmonie
Members of the Berliner Philharmoniker
Patricia Kopatchinskaja
Arnold Schoenberg
Pierrot lunaire, op. 21Patricia Kopatchinskaja violin and narrator
Johann Strauss (Sohn)
Waltzes arranged by Arnold Schoenberg, Alban Berg and Anton WebernPatricia Kopatchinskaja violin
Johann Strauss (Sohn)
Kaiserwalzer, op. 437 (arr. for chamber ensemble by Schoenberg)Arnold Schoenberg
Pierrot lunaire, op. 21, 2nd PartJohann Strauss (Sohn)
Schatzwalzer, op. 418 (arr. for string quartet, piano und Harmonium by Webern)Arnold Schoenberg
Pierrot lunaire, op. 21, 3rd Part
Bach’s “St John Passion” with Simon Rattle and Peter Sellars
Photo: Monika Rittershaus
A double reunion: for the first time since the end of his tenure as chief conductor of the orchestra, Sir Simon Rattle returns to the Berliner Philharmoniker. The programme features one of the most sensational productions of those years: Bach’s St. John Passion in the production of Peter Sellars, which uses intensive imagery to accentuate the meditative as well as the dramatic dimensions of the work. The singers include the Rundfunkchor Berlin and a top-class ensemble of soloists.
Berliner Philharmoniker
Sir Simon RattlePeter Sellars, Rundfunkchor Berlin
Johann Sebastian Bach
St John Passion, BWV 245Magdalena Kožená mezzo-soprano, Camilla Tilling soprano, Mark Padmore tenor (Evangelist), Christian Gerhaher baritone (Petrus), Roderick Williams baritone (Jesus), Andrew Staples tenor, Peter Sellars stage direction, Rundfunkchor Berlin, Simon Halsey chorus master
Jörg Widmann conducts the Junge Deutsche Philharmonie
Photo: Achim Reissner
The Junge Deutsche Philharmonie is one of the best youth orchestras in Germany. For this year’s performance at the Berlin Philharmonie, the ensemble has invited a threefold talent: Jörg Widmann is a composer, clarinetist and conductor, and in this concert presents himself in all three functions – with the clarinet sonata in E flat major by Felix Mendelssohn which he has transcribed for orchestra, Robert Schumann’s Second Symphony, and his 2005 Mass for Orchestra.
Junge Deutsche Philharmonie
Jörg Widmann- free
Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy
Sonata for clarinet and piano in E-flat major: Andante (arranged for clarinet, string orchestra, harp and celesta by Jörg Widmann)Jörg Widmann clarinet
- free
Jörg Widmann
Messe for large orchestra - free
Robert Schumann
Symphony No. 2 in C major, op. 61
Sir Simon Rattle conducts Schumann and Lachenmann
Photo: Monika Rittershaus
During his Berlin years, the adventurous exploration of contemporary music was as important to Simon Rattle as work on the traditional repertoire. This double focus also characterises this evening with Helmut Lachenmann’s My Melodies for eight horns, in which the solo instruments reveal many surprising tonal facets. The finale of the concert is Schumann’s Second Symphony, with an exuberance which repeatedly borders on mania.
Berliner Philharmoniker
Sir Simon RattleHelmut Lachenmann
My Melodies Music for 8 Horns and OrchestraRobert Schumann
Symphony No. 2 in C major, op. 61
Daniel Harding conducts Mahler’s First Symphony
Photo: Monika Rittershaus
The music of Gustav Mahler stands on the threshold of Modernism: sometimes sceptical, sometimes self-confident, and yet despite occasional nostalgic impulses, it is always decidedly innovative. Daniel Harding juxtaposes Mahler’s First Symphony with works by Alban Berg and Charles Ives, contemporaries whose musical language has similarities as well as major differences to Mahler. An exciting journey of discovery.
Berliner Philharmoniker
Daniel HardingDorothea Röschmann
Charles Ives
Orchestral Set No. 1: “Three Places in New England”Alban Berg
Three Fragments from WozzeckDorothea Röschmann soprano
Gustav Mahler
Symphony No. 1 in D major
Zubin Mehta conducts “Otello”
Photo: Monika Rittershaus
Berliner Philharmoniker
Zubin MehtaArsen Soghomonyan, Sonya Yoncheva, Luca Salsi
Giuseppe Verdi
Otello Concert performanceArsen Soghomonyan tenor (Otello), Sonya Yoncheva soprano (Desdemona), Luca Salsi baritone (Jago), Anna Malavasi mezzo-soprano (Emilia), Francesco Demuro tenor (Cassio), Gregory Bonfatti tenor (Roderigo), Giovanni Furlanetto bass (Montano), Federico Sacchi bass (Lodovico), Rundfunkchor Berlin, Gijs Leenaars chorus master
The German National Youth Orchestra and Ingo Metzmacher with the “Alpine Symphony”
Photo: Tom Wassenberg
Bundesjugendorchester
Ingo Metzmacher- free
Edgard Varèse
Amériques (1st version from 1922) - free
Richard Strauss
Eine Alpensinfonie (An Alpine Symphony), op. 64
European Concert with Daniel Harding from the Musée d’Orsay, Paris
This year’s European Concert at the Musée d’Orsay in Paris is a powerful symbol of the German-French friendship. Daniel Harding, music director of the Orchestre de Paris, conducts eminent works by Wagner, Berlioz and Debussy which reveal the many links between the musical cultures of the two countries. The Welsh bass-baritone Bryn Terfel appears as soloist with the Philharmoniker again for the first time in 18 years.
European Concert from Paris
Berliner Philharmoniker
Daniel HardingBryn Terfel
Richard Wagner
Good Friday Music from ParsifalHector Berlioz
Royal Hunt and Storm from Les TroyensClaude Debussy
Pelléas et Melisande (Concert Suite by Claudio Abbado, based on the Orchestral Suite, arranged by Erich Leinsdorf)Claude Debussy
Prélude à l'après-midi d'un fauneHector Berlioz
Love Scene from Romeo et JulietteRichard Wagner
Wotan's Farewell and The Magic Fire from Die Walküre (Concert Version)Bryn Terfel bass
Bernard Haitink conducts Mozart and Bruckner
Photo: Monika Rittershaus
Berliner Philharmoniker
Bernard HaitinkPaul Lewis
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 27 in B flat major, K. 595Paul Lewis piano
Anton Bruckner
Symphony No. 7 in E major
Education choir project with the Vocal Heroes
Photo: Monika Rittershaus
Education choir project
Vocal Heroes
Simon Halsey- free
Jonathan Dove
There Was a Child for solo voices, adult and childrenʼs choruses and orchestraProject Participants, Vocal Heroes youth choir, Members of the Berliner Philharmoniker and Guests, Toby Spence tenor, Anna Henckel-Donnersmarck video design, Simon Halsey musical direction
Nico Muhly
Excerpts from Friday Afternoons (arr. for Childrens' Choir and Ensemble)
Herbert Blomstedt und Yefim Bronfman
Photo: Peter Adamik
Berliner Philharmoniker
Herbert BlomstedtYefim Bronfman
Ludwig van Beethoven
Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 2 in B flat major, op. 19Yefim Bronfman piano
Wilhelm Stenhammar
Symphony No. 2 in G minor, op. 34
Paavo Järvi conducts Berg and Bruckner
Photo: Julia Baier
Berliner Philharmoniker
Paavo JärviHanna-Elisabeth Müller
Johann Sebastian Bach
Musical Offering, BWV 1079: No. 2 Ricercar a 6 (arranged by Anton Webern)Alban Berg
Seven Early Songs (version for soprano and orchestra)Hanna-Elisabeth Müller soprano
Anton Bruckner
Symphony No. 2 in C minor (2nd version from 1877)
Michael Sanderling conducts Haydn and Shostakovich
Photo: Marco Borggreve
Berliner Philharmoniker
Michael SanderlingBruno Delepelaire
Joseph Haydn
Concerto for Cello and Orchestra No. 2 in D major, Hob. VIIb:2Bruno Delepelaire cello
Dmitri Shostakovich
Sympnony No. 7 in C major, op. 60 “Leningrad”
Constantinos Carydis conducts Mozart and Shostakovich
Photo: Thomas Brill
Berliner Philharmoniker
Constantinos CarydisWolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Symphony No. 34 C major, K. 338Dmitri Shostakovich
Chamber Symphony in C minor, op. 110a (orch. Barshai)Dmitri Shostakovich
Two Pieces for String Octet, op. 11 (version for string orchestra)Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Symphony No. 38 in D major, K. 504 K. 504 “Prague”
Andris Nelsons and Daniil Trifonov
Photo: Monika Rittershaus
Berliner Philharmoniker
Andris NelsonsDaniil Trifonov
Alexander Scriabin
Concerto for Piano and Orchestra in F sharp minor, op. 20Daniil Trifonov piano
Dmitri Shostakovich
Symphony No. 11 in G minor, op. 103 “The Year 1905”
Tugan Sokhiev conducts Prokofiev and Ravel at the Waldbühne
Photo: Holger Kettner
From the Berlin Waldbühne
Berliner Philharmoniker
Tugan SokhievMarianne Crebassa
Sergei Prokofiev
Lieutenant Kije Suite, op. 60Maurice Ravel
Shéhérazade, song cycle after Tristan KlingsorMarianne Crebassa mezzo-soprano
Sergei Prokofiev
Romeo and Juliet, ballet, op. 64 (arranged in the form of a suite by Tugan Sokhiev)