“State Opera for All”: Beethoven’s Romances for Violin and “Ode to Joy” with Anne-Sophie Mutter and Daniel Barenboim. BMW and Staatsoper Unter den Linden to give thanks to everyone that helped ensure vital services during the coronavirus pandemic.

Munich/Berlin. On Sunday, September 6, 2020, BMW Berlin and Staatsoper Unter den Linden will be hosting “State Opera for All” at Bebelplatz in Berlin. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, this year’s open-air concert, which is also celebrating the 450. anniversary of Staatskapelle Berlin, will be held respecting regulations and protective measures. The concert is foremost intended to thank everyone who contributed significantly and helped ensure vital services during the crisis. To mark the 250. anniversary of Ludwig van Beethoven’s birth, the concert will feature two Romances for Violin, the “Egmont” Overture and “Ode to Joy” from his Symphony No. 9, presented by solo violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter and conducted by Daniel Barenboim. “State Opera for All” will be presented under the patronage of Berlin’s governing mayor Michael Müller. Thanks to BMW Berlin, admission to the concert will be offered free of charge.

Following the protective guidelines for events, this year’s “State Opera for All” will offer a reduced number of seats for a total of 2,000 spectators. As in previous years, the open-air concert will be one of the highlights of Berlin’s cultural calendar. The event is also meant as a token of appreciation offered to all those that provided indispensable support working in sectors crucial to the society such as healthcare services, retail and logistics. A share of the tickets will be reserved for people working in any one of these sectors and will be available in advance. As of August 20, a second share of the tickets will be made available to the general public following www.staatsoper-berlin.de. Admission to the event is by ticket only.

On the occasion of the 250. anniversary of Ludwig van Beethoven’s birth, “State Opera for All” will present two romances for violin featuring Anne-Sophie Mutter, as well as the “Egmont Overture” and “Ode to Joy” featuring Julia Kleiter, Waltraud Meier, Andreas Schager and René Pape as solo vocalists in collaboration with the Choir of the Staatsoper Unter den Linden. In 2020, Staatskapelle Berlin celebrates its 450. anniversary and marks this special occasion over the course of the seasons 2019/2020 and 2020/2012. With a tradition reaching back to 1570, the Staatskapelle Berlin is one of the oldest orchestras in the world. Daniel Barenboim was appointed general music director of the Staatskapelle in 1992.

Staatsoper Unter den Linden and BMW are delighted that Anne-Sophie Mutter agreed to perform as solo artist at “State Opera for All”. The pianist Lang Lang had very much been looking forward to celebrate Beethoven’s 250. anniversary together with Daniel Barenboim, Staatskapelle Berlin and the German audience. However, as a result of rising numbers in infections linked to the coronavirus across the world international travel bears significant health risks. For this reason, Lang Lang decided with a heavy heart to cancel his Berlin performance. He wishes all participants and spectators a wonderful concert and hopes to be able to perform in Germany again very soon.

The concert will be recorded by the German TV channel ZDF and aired on September 13, 2020 at 10.15 pm. In addition, the concert will be shown live at www.staatskapelle-berlin.de, www.staatsoper-berlin.de and at www.facebook.com/BMWGroupCulture.

Matthias Schulz, Artistic Director of Staatsoper Unter den Linden, said, “This year, ‘State Opera for All’ carries special meaning for us. As we are marking the 450 year-long history of Staatskapelle Berlin, we are also celebrating the concert as a symbol of a new beginning in the wake of a culture of silence imposed by the coronavirus. This year, we saw the season interrupted in a way we have witnessed never before in the long history of Staatsoper Unter den Linden and its orchestra. Together with BMW, we would like to use ‘State Opera for All’ and this live event to give back and to thank all those that dutifully served our society over the previous months. In a crisis, we learn how important solid partnerships are and appreciate the trust placed in the power of culture, which is also why I would like to use this occasion to thank BMW as our main partner for our close collaboration of many years.” 

“I am delighted and honoured to conduct the concert as part of ‘State Opera for All’ on the occasion of the 450. anniversary of Staatskapelle Berlin and to once again perform at Bebelplatz. We are very pleased to offer this evening to those who contributed significantly during the coronavirus crisis and we are especially grateful to BMW for their support this year. We are also grateful to ZDF, who will air the concert on prime time and thereby make it available to all other music enthusiasts,” said Daniel Barenboim, General Music Director of Staatsoper and Staatskapelle Berlin. 

Maximilian Schöberl, Head of BMW Group Corporate and Governmental Affairs and Executive Vice President, said, “Special times demand special gestures. Which is why I am delighted that, together with Staatsoper Unter den Linden, we are once again able to present ‘State Opera for All’. And it is my great pleasure that we can dedicate this year’s open-air concert to all those who ensured the welfare of our society during this very unusual year. I hope that this concert will offer each of these helping hands a moment of repose and that they can truly enjoy this summery night of music in the heart of Berlin as a token of our gratitude for all their work and efforts.”

Sebastian Mackensen, BMW Group  Senior Vice President Market Germany , said, “‘State Opera for All’ is one of the longest-standing formats of the Cultural Engagement of BMW Group and as such has been a recurring event and highlight of Berlin’s cultural calendar over the last fourteen years. As soon as the audience gathers at Bebelplatz to enjoy the open-air performance of musical highlights, an extraordinary atmosphere begins to form.”

State Opera for All

Sunday, 6 September 2020, Start: 8.00 PM
Open-air concert at Bebelplatz, Berlin
Staatskapelle Berlin
Conductor: Daniel Barenboim
Performing soloists: Julia Kleiter, Waltraud Meier, Andreas Schager, René Pape, Anne-Sophie Mutter
Choir of the Staatsoper Unter den Linden
Program: Ludwig van Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 D minor Op. 125 as well as the “Egmont” Overture Op. 84, the Romance for Violin No. 1 in G Major, Op. 40 and the Romance for Violin No. 2 in F Major, Op. 50
Admission to the event is by ticket only (available at www.staatsoper-berlin.de).
Free of charge thanks to BMW Berlin.

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