Berlin, Cultural Metropolis - Tradition and Trends

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1 Berlin, Cultural Metropolis - Tradition and Trends Berlin, January 2011 During the legendary twenties, Berlin's tourist board was already promoting the capital as the 'City of Music and Theatre' on their publications and posters. The budding metropolis' extraordinarily dense and diverse cultural offering during the so-called 'Golden Twenties' was the main reason for actively marketing the city's cultural life as the principle motive for a trip to Berlin. Even today, this approach continues to shape the city s mythical status and magical appeal. World-Ranking Metropolis of the Classics Boasting everything from operatic performances and art exhibitions to theatre productions, concerts and numerous festivals, the capital is home to around 180 museums and collections, 440 galleries, three opera houses, eight large symphony orchestras, 130 cinemas, around 150 theatres and stages as well as a multitude of other cultural facilities. All in all, the city has more than 1,500 events on offer each day. Like no other, the German capital has flourished as an operatic metropolis. It is worldrenowned for its three opera houses, famous orchestras, including the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, and large concert halls. Here, great artists bring works from all eras to life. The current season offers the exciting operatic metropolis a programme of diversity and quality. More than 80 different opera productions, more than ten ballet titles and numerous symphony and chamber concerts can be found on the programmes of the Deutsche Oper (Opera), Komische Oper, and State Ballet, besides the Staatsoper Unter den Linden, with Daniel Barenboim at the helm. Also waiting to be discovered is the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, which was founded in 1882 and is today one of the most important orchestras in the world. In 2007 it celebrated its 125th anniversary. Hans von Bülow laid the foundations for the orchestra s repertoire and sound aesthetic, which has developed ever since under the direction of reputed figures such as Wilhelm Furtwängler, Herbert von Karajan, Claudio Abbado and, since 2002, Sir Simon Rattle. Berlin's Theatre District - Entertainment Guaranteed London has its West End, New York has Broadway and, as of 2009, Berlin has its East End. Situated in the block between Friedrichstrasse, Unter den Linden and Hackescher Markt, four traditional venues have come together to form a new theatre district. Quatsch Comedy Club, Distel cabaret theatre, Friedrichstadtpalast and the Chamäleon theatre offer the very best entertainment in Berlin s central Mitte district. The area is brimming with more theatres than any other in the city. Here, visitors can experience

2 fascinating cabaret and comedy evenings, dance, revues, variety shows and sensational stage productions every night of the week. Berlin also provides a fantastic programme of multi-faceted entertainment on offer outside the East End, from chanson and jazz concerts in the TIPI to successful musicals such as 'Dirty Dancing' at the Theater am Potsdamer Platz, or 'Der Schuh des Manitus' (Manitou's Shoe) in the Theater des Westens. Berlin is awaiting the arrival of two new musicals in autumn January 2011 sees the world premiere of Udo Lindenberg's musical 'Hinterm Horizont' (Behind the Horizon) at the Theatre am Potzdamer Platz. 20 years after German reunification, the piece tells a surprising East/Westside story featuring all the great Lindenberg songs - a journey through time full of fated encounters and boundless emotions. 'We Will Rock You', the global hit show featuring the immortal songs by Queen, will celebrate its premiere in the Theater des Westens in October. The musical tells the tale of a handful of rebellious rockers fighting for freedom, individuality and the rebirth of the rock era in a completely globalized future where musical instruments have ceased to exist. One of the most successful productions in Berlin is the Blue Man Group. The group have entranced more than 1.75 million viewers since their 2004 premiere in Berlin, a unique venue within Europe. The extraordinary and sensational show has been resident at the Bluemax Theatre on Marlene-Dietrich-Platz since The Blue Man Group is much more than just a show: it combines comedy, theatre and concert all in one. There are almost 150 theatres and stages in Berlin, each one offering a broad and diverse programme. Their repertoires consist of everything from ancient tragedies to contemporary theatre productions. Audiences can discover headstrong, progressive theatre programmed by Frank Castorf at the Volksbühne or Atmin Petras at the Maxim Gorky Theatre. Innovation and creativity in dance and theatre are given particular focus at Sasha Waltz's Radialsystem V. In contrast, a somewhat dignified and classical programme characterizes the more traditional venues. Theatre history has been made by the likes of the Deutsche Theater, the Schaubühne and the Berlin Ensemble, plus the Bertolt Brecht Theater with its director Claus Peymann. Each May, thousands of theatre professionals, journalists and guests from all over the world meet together in Berlin for the annual Theatertreffen (theatre meeting). Here, one can experience the most interesting and exciting aspects of German theatre, which are selected from around 400 of the season's productions, from Munich to Hamburg, by an independent jury of theatre critics.

3 Greats such as Bertolt Brecht, Max Reinhardt and Gustav Gründgens are amongst the most important figures in Berlin s theatrical history. The relatively young medium of film has a long established tradition in Berlin that features illustrious names from the UFA era, including Marlene Dietrich, Ernst Lubitsch and Emil Jannings. Early films such as 'Berlin: Symphony of a Metropolis' by Walter Ruttmann from 1927 or 'People on Sunday' from 1930 serve as impressive documents of Berlin's vibrant lifestyle. Berlin is a cinematic metropolis, itself a reoccurring scene within German film across the ages. No other city in Germany offers such a diverse film programme. Around 130 cinemas of all sizes ensure that all tastes are catered for. Original versions of films are to be found in the Sony Center s CineStar, the Arsenal, at Krokodil and the cinema in the Hackesche Höfe. The Astor Film Lounge on the Kurfürstendamm, Germany's first ever film lounge, offers great cinema in an exclusive ambience complete with prawns and champagne. Besides the Berlin Film Festival, which celebrated its 60-year jubilee in style in 2010, cinema fans can also enjoy smaller film festivals such as achtung berlin, britspotting and interfilm. From May to September it is open-air cinema season in Berlin. The Film Museum on Potsdamer Platz takes visitors on a journey through film history where, amongst other things, the estate of Marlene Dietrich is a permanent feature. Berlin - City of Museums Every day, historically important artworks and promising new artistic positions can be seen in Berlin's over 180 museums and around 440 galleries. A whole series of interesting exhibitions and festivals leave visitors in awe of precious works of art. Some of the highlights marked in Berlin's artistic diary include the two long nights of the museums, the long night of opera and theatres, the Gallery Weekend in spring, the biannual Berlin Biennale and Kunstherbst, a contemporary art trade fair which takes place each autumn. The Art Forum Berlin deserves a particular mention here sees the fifteenth year of the event, during which around 130 leading galleries from the most important international artistic hubs are to present both their most renowned pieces and newcomers. Berlin is the city of museums. The versatile range of exhibits drew more than 13 million visitors in World cultural treasures such as the Pergamon Altar and the renowned bust of the ancient Egyptian Queen Nefertiti are on display, along with old and young masters from Giotto to Caravaggio, Breughel to Caspar David Friedrich, and Joseph Beuys to the 'Jungen Wilden' (wild youths) such as Baselitz or Haring. In 2009, the German currywurst museum opened its doors, proof that despite the almost 180 museums the city has to offer, there are still niches to be filled. Anyone

4 who's ever wondered what the ingredients of the famous Berlin snack are will discover ample historical and cultural illustrative material in the exhibition situated near Checkpoint Charlie. Since 2009, other young members of Berlin's diverse museum landscape have included Germany's first ever football museum, in Berlin's Lichtenberg district, and the Dalí Museum at Potsdamer Platz Berlin's Museum Island is the largest ensemble of museums in the world. Over 6,000 years of art and cultural history are presented in the collections of the five buildings, built between 1830 and 1930; the Old Museum, New Museum, Old National Gallery, Bode-Museum and Pergamon Museum. The reopening of the New Museum in 2009 was a milestone in the realization of a master plan to renovate Berlin's Museum Island, which was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Museums such as the German Historical Museum, the Berlin Wall Documentation Center or the Checkpoint Charlie Museum illustrate Germany's ever-changing history as well as that of the once divided city. In 2010 the opening of the new 'Topography of Terror' documentation centre on 7 May was a major event. With over 500,000 visitors a year, it counts as one of the most visited memorial sites and museums in Berlin. Following its reopening, the documentation centre will include four further exhibition areas. Between 1933 and 1945 the central state apparatus of Nazi persecution and terror were located on the site of the 'Topography of Terror'; the central office of the secret police, the SS, and the Reich Security Head Office (RSHA), as well as the Gestapo's house prison. Twice a year, a varying series of participating Berlin museums, collections, archives, memorial sites and exhibition venues open their doors well into the small hours as part of the long night of the museums. Even the capital's inhabitants, who are familiar with excellence, enthusiastically throw themselves into the turmoil of museums along with guests from near and far. Up until now, 100 'long nights' have been established in Germany and more than a further 50 worldwide. With around 440 galleries, Berlin has become one of the centres of both the international art scene and international art market. There are more than 6000 artists and creative producers located in the city, creating young art from today for the collections of tomorrow. UNESCO recently recognized the international scope of Berlin's creativity by naming it 'City of Design'. This honours the achievements of designers, fashion designers, photographers, architects and visual artists who have created their own network in Berlin under the collective label 'Create Berlin!', a young creative scene in dialogue with a unique European-wide cultural tradition.

5 In summary, Berlin's cultural programme is exciting and diverse. But above all else it is affordable! Visitors from all over the world won't have to dig too deep in their pockets in order to enjoy a few great days in Germany's capital. With so much on offer in terms of museums, theatre, opera and concerts, the city guarantees a variety-filled cultural programme that is suitable for wallets of all sizes. Time spent in the cosmopolitan city won't cost the world - the memories that remain, however, will most definitely be priceless.