Reopening of Staatsoper Unter den Linden featuring “State Opera for All” with BMW as main partner. BMW Berlin to present open-air concert on September 30 and further broadcasts until October 7 at Bebelplatz.

Berlin. On the occasion of the reopening ceremonies and as part of the “Präludium”, BMW and Staatsoper Unter den Linden will be hosting this year’s “State Opera for All” concert on September 30, 2017, at 5 PM at Bebelplatz. Under the direction of Daniel Barenboim, this open-air concert with the Staatskapelle Berlin and the Staatsopernchor will once again be free of charge thanks to BMW Berlin. For those unable to attend the live performance in Berlin, BMW and Staatsoper Unter den Linden will be offering a free live broadcast starting at 5 PM. For accessing the livestream, please visit www.staatsoper-berlin.de and www.staatskapelle-berlin.de. After the concert, a video projection will be animated on the opera house’s façade, telling its 275-year history. The program of the “Präludium” will be broadcasted live from the great hall from September 30 – October 7 at the Bebelplatz thanks to BMW Berlin.

Following seven years of complete reconstruction, the reopening of Staatsoper Unter den Linden will take place with a nine long lasting “Präludium” lasting a total of nine days. Its opening act will be “State Opera for All” performed by Staatskapelle Berlin and the Staatsopernchor and will be directed by Daniel Barenboim. In its eleventh season, the programme of the open-air concert will feature Beethoven’s “Symphony No. 9 in D minor, Op. 125”, one of his most impressive symphonic works.  The performing soloists will be, among others, Diana Damrau (soprano) and René Pape (bass).

"This year, I am especially looking forward to ‘State Opera for All’, I am absolutely thrilled to celebrate the launch of the reopening ceremonies together with the people of Berlin as well as our international guests with a true ‘Ode to Joy’, said Daniel Barenboim, head conductor of Staatskapelle Berlin and the Staatsopernchor.

For more than 10 years now, “State Opera for All” has been a highlight of Berlin’s cultural calendar thanks to BMW Berlin. Hans-Reiner Schröder, Director BMW Berlin, on the ceremonies of the reopening: “This year’s ‘State Opera for All’ concert is characterised by the reopening of the new opera house. Together with Staatsoper Unter den Linden, we are delighted to invite all of Berlin’s visitors to join us in front of the reconstructed opera house at Bebelplatz to ring in the opening ceremonies. We are ever so pleased about our long-term partnership with Staatsoper Unter den Linden and are very much looking forward to the upcoming seasons in this fully renovated opera house.”

On the occasion of the grand reopening on October 3, the premiere “Zum Augenblicke sagen: Verweile doch!” with Robert Schumann’s “Szenen aus Goethes Faust”, will be a joint new production of artistic director Jürgen Flimm and musical director Daniel Barenboim. On October 4, the Staatskapelle Berlin will perform its first subscription concert of the season with Daniel Barenboim as conductor and the pianist Maurizio Pollini as solo artist. The concert will be performed for a second time on October 5. On October 7, the Wiener Philharmoniker, conducted by Zubin Mehta, will make a guest appearance at Staatsoper Unter den Linden, and on October 8 the Neue Werkstatt will be inaugurated with a performance “Rivale”, a world premiere by Lucia Ronchetti, commissioned by the Staatsoper Unter den Linden, staged by Isabel Ostermann and directed by Max Renne.

In the summer of 2010, the state opera moved from its headquarters at Staatsoper Unter den Linden in the heart of Berlin and took residence at Schiller Theater in Berlin Charlottenburg. Now, after seven years, the ensemble, orchestra, and the Staatsopernchor as well as the staff will be returning to their rightful place. In December 2017, this tradition-steeped house will celebrate its 275^th anniversary.

As part of the “Präludium”, a cooperation with arte, ZDF and Unitel as well as with rbb Kulturradio will be in place. Live from the great hall the entire program of the “Präludium” will also be broadcasted on the Bebelplatz:

STATE OPERA FOR ALL featuring the Staatskapelle Berlin and the Staatsopernchor 
Saturday, September 30, 2017
Start: 5 PM 
Open-air concert at Bebelplatz
Staatskapelle Berlin and Staatsopernchor
Conductor: Daniel Barenboim
Soloists among others: Diana Damrau (soprano) and René Pape (bass)

REOPENING of the STAATSOPER UNTER DEN LINDEN
Zum Augenblicke sagen: Verweile doch! „Szenen aus Goethes Faust”
Tuesday, October 3, 2017
Start: 8 PM
Staatsoper Unter den Linden
Music by Robert Schumann
Conductor: Daniel Barenboim
Production: Jürgen Flimm
(further dates: October 6, December 14 and 17, 2017)

SUBSCRIPTION CONCERT I 
Wednesday, October 4, 2017, Start: 7.30 PM
Staatsoper Unter den Linden
Thursday, October 5, 2017, Start: 8 PM
Philharmonie Berlin – Großer Saal
Conductor: Daniel Barenboim
Piano: Maurizio Pollini

WIENER PHILHARMONIKER I
Saturday, October 7, 2017
Start: 6 PM
Staatsoper Unter den Linden
Conductor: Zubin Mehta
Violine: Rainer Honeck
Violoncello: Robert Nagy
Oboe: Martin Gabriel
Bassoon: Sophie Dartigalongue

For further questions please contact: 
Dr Thomas Girst
BMW Group Corporate and Governmental Affairs
Cultural Engagement
Telephone: +49 89 382 247 53
Fax: +49 89 382 24418

www.press.bmwgroup.com
E-Mail: presse@bmw.de

About BMW Group’s Cultural Commitment
For almost 50 years now, the BMW Group has initiated and engaged in over 100 cultural cooperations worldwide. The company places the main focus of its long-term commitment on contemporary and modern art, classical music and jazz as well as architecture and design. In 1972, three large-scale paintings were created by the artist Gerhard Richter specifically for the foyer of the BMW Group's Munich headquarters. Since then, artists such as Andy Warhol, Jeff Koons, Daniel Barenboim, Jonas Kaufmann and architect Zaha Hadid have co-operated with BMW. In 2016 and 2017, female artist Cao Fei from China and American John Baldessari created the next two vehicles for the BMW Art Car Collection. Besides co-initiatives, such as BMW Tate Live, the BMW Art Journey and the “Opera for All” concerts in Berlin, Munich and London, the company also partners with leading museums and art fairs as well as orchestras and opera houses around the world. The BMW Group takes absolute creative freedom in all its cultural activities – as this initiative is as essential for producing groundbreaking artistic work as it is for major innovations in a successful business.

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With its four brands BMW, MINI, Rolls-Royce and BMW Motorrad, the BMW Group is the world’s leading premium manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles and also provides premium financial and mobility services. As a global company, the BMW Group operates 31 production and assembly facilities in 14 countries and has a global sales network in more than 140 countries.

In 2016, the BMW Group sold approximately 2.367 million cars and 145,000 motorcycles worldwide. The profit before tax was approximately € 9.67 billion on revenues amounting to € 94.16 billion. As of 31 December 2016, the BMW Group had a workforce of 124,729 employees.

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