Courtesy Heidelberg Marketing

2013 marks the 450th anniversary of the Heidelberg Catechism, the most important doctrinal document of the Reformed Church. Commissioned by Elector Friedrich III of the Palatinate in 1563, this prayer book takes its name from the city where it originated, Heidelberg being the capital of the Electorate of the Palatinate.

What Is the Heidelberg Catechism

The Heidelberg Catechism is a document in the form of a series of questions and answers, which was used in the teaching of the Christian faith in the reformed churches. Currently there are 129 questions and answers. Friedrich III, Prince Elector of the Palatinate, commissioned the creation of this new catechism, or instruction in the Christian faith, for his territory in 1563. It was officially approved at the 1619 Synod of Dordrecht and spread throughout the world.

The Heidelberg Catechism became the symbol of the spirit of awakening and change in Europe, America and Asia. Today more than 20 million Protestants still use the Heidelberg Catechism.

Heidelberg Catechism Exhibitions

Heidelberg Catechism

To mark the 450th anniversary of the Heidelberg Catechism, three exhibitions with differing focal points will take place from May 12 through September 15, 2013, at three main locations: the Heidelberg Castle, the Heidelberg Kurpfälzisches Museum, and the Het Loo Palace in Apeldoorn, the Netherlands.

The central theme of the exhibition at Heidelberg Castle will be the splendour of the court of the Prince Electors of the Palatinate, the Palatinate court’s dynastic interweaving with significant European princely houses, and the strong desire that prevailed at the time for reformation of the faith.

By contrast, the exhibition in the Heidelberg Kurpfälzisches Museum focuses on theological aspects and will place the Heidelberg Catechism within the context of its time: the age of radical change, a period of renewal and the search for meaning.

The focus of the partner exhibition in Apeldoorn will be the religiousness of the House of Orange, the earlier as well as the contemporary significance of the Heidelberg Catechism, and the worldwide dissemination of the Catechism.

In conjunction with the exhibition is the publication of a collection of essays dealing with the history and adoption of the Heidelberg Catechism. This will be available in several languages.

Heidelberg Hotels

Heidelberg is one of the most beautiful cities in Germany and there’s plenty to see and do in this town. The Heidelberg Castle and  Heidelberg Kurpfälzisches Museum are easily accessible from the historic town centre.  Hotel Zum Ritter St. Georg is an elegant hotel in a Renaissance building on the main pedestrian street in the historic centre.   Other central hotels include the Hotel Goldener Falke and the Hotel-Restaurant Hackteufel.   For the list of Heidelberg hotels, see Here.

For more information about the Heidelberg Catechism Exhibitions contact:
Coordination of the Exhibition
Julia Rößler M.A.
Julia-roessler@web.de
Mobile: +49 179 87 89 504
Phone: +49 721 15 64 20 38

© Germany Travel, 2013. Written by Helen Page

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Easter in Berlin

Easter is a popular holiday period in Germany and the Easter festivities are still celebrated in the traditional way by many Germans. Easter markets, Easter bonfires, Easter brunches and Easter services all form a part of the Easter celebrations in Germany.

Music is another important element of the Easter festivities and if you are in Berlin, there is a huge repertoire of Easter concerts that you can enjoy, including an Easter Tango Festival.

Below are some of the Berlin Easter concerts on offer:

Good Friday Concert at the Konzerthaus Berlin

At this Good Friday concert you can enjoy religious works such as Mozart’s Mass in C Minor by the Deutsche Kammerchor and Poulenc’s Quatre motets pour un temps de pénitence .

A Musical Easter Parade at the Konzerthaus Berlin

The Berliner Virtuosen Ensemble and pianist Alexander Vitlin, under the baton of Hans-Joachim Scheitzbach, present selected works by Mozart, Strauss and Mendelssohn at this Musical Easter Parade at the Konzerthaus Berlin.

Easter Tango Festival at the Philharmonie Berlin

You wouldn’t normally associate Easter with Tango music, but the Tango Orchestra Cantango Berlin presents an Easter Tango Festival at the Philharmonie Berlin’s Kammermusiksaal.

Berlin Easter Concerts

Easter Concert: Smetana, Vltava & Tchaikovsky

The Berlin Sinfonietta and the Königliches Symphonie Orchester in Warschau perform works by Dvorak, Tchaikovsky and Smetana under the baton of Sung Jun Park.  This annual “Easter Concert” is at the Konzerthaus Berlin.

The Moldau: Easter Concert at the Konzerthaus Berlin

Enjoy Smetena’s moving musical interpretation of the Moldau river at the Konzerthaus Berlin. This concert is performed by the Berlin Sinfonietta. under the baton of Sung Jung Park. Also part of the program are Dvorak’s “New World” Symphony and Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1.

Händel: The Messiah at the Berliner Dom

Celebrate Easter Sunday with Händel’s Messiah in the incomparable atmosphere of Berliner Dom, one of Europe’s most impressive basilica cathedrals.

Easter Concert Series: Castle Köpenick Berlin

Mozart’s early piano concertos will be presented in this concert series at the Castle Köpenick in Berlin. Pianists Naoko Fukumato and Maria-Magdalena Pitu perform compositions for one and two pianos in an alternating programme.

For the complete list of concerts in Berlin, see HERE.

For more Berlin info, see our Berlin Trip Planner.

© Germany Travel, 2013. Written by Helen Page

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Berliner Festspiele by A.Savin/Wiki

MaerzMusik 2013, the Berliner Festspiele’s International Festival of Contemporary Music, takes place from March 15 to 24, 2013.
This is the 12th edition of MaerzMusik and concert-goers can look forward to an eclectic mix of contemporary music.

MaerzMusik Concert Venues

MaerzMusik concerts will be held at various venues in Berlin such as the Haus der Berliner Festspiele, Kammermusiksaal der Philharmonie, Konzerthaus Berlin and Berghain, with the  Haus der Berliner Festspiele being the main venue.

Below are some of the MaerzMusik 2013 concerts that can be booked through Classictic:

Christian Dierstein: Sarhan, Ott Ronchetti & Sciarrino
Many new compositions for percussion instruments have been dedicated to percussionist Christian Dierstein, known for inventing new playing techniques and concepts of music theatre.  Part of this event includes three “micro music theater” works by Lucia Ronchetti, Daniel Ott and François Sarhan.

Thomas Ankersmit / Marcelo Aguirre & Jens Brand
An evening of electrifying electronic music by Thomas Ankersmit and Aguirre & Brand.

Hasretim: A Journey through Anatolia
Hasretim is a musical journey from the Black Sea to the Armenian border with Turkey.  In collaboration with Markus Rindt, the artistic director of the Dresdner Sinfoniker, Marc Sinan, guitarist and composer, embarks on an unusual route beginning from his grandparents’ homeland.

Kerbaj & Sehnaoui / Helvacioğlu & Mertin
This debut collaboration between guitarist Erdem Helvacioglu and violist Ulrich Mertin tells the story of the appearance in the sky of a new heavenly body and follows one hapless explorer’s quest to discover what lies at its heart.

U.Mertin, M.Ellison & Hezarfen Enssemble Istanbul

An evening of diversity and expressiveness of a powerful generation of Turkish composers.  Far from projecting a single identity, music from contemporary Turkey challenges listeners with its resistance to categorization.

For more MaerzMusik performances see Here.

© Germany Travel, 2013. Written by Helen Page

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Photo – Courtesy IGS-Hamburg

Garden show lovers will be pleased to know that the International Gartenschau Hamburg will take place from April 26th to October 13th, 2013. Titled “Around the World in 80 Gardens” the Hamburg Gartenschau showcases 80 imaginative gardens covering more than 100 hectares of land – the equivalent of 140 football fields.

IGS 2013 will be held at Inselpark Wilhelmsburg on the Elbe island of Wilhelmsburg, a district of Hamburg. Although Hamburg has a long tradition of garden shows stretching as far back as 1869, the Inselpark garden show is the first international garden show by the River Elbe for 40 years. This six-month long summer garden show in the heart of Hamburg is huge and organizers are expecting some 2.5 million visitors.

Hamburg Gartenschau

The gardens of IGS 2013 have been designed by renowned national and international landscape architects. The 80 gardens are allocated into seven different theme worlds: World of Ports, World of Water, World of Cultural Diversity, World of Continents, World of Activity, World of Religions and World of Nature. They not only show floral highlights, exotic plants and spices, but through the seven worlds take visitors on a journey through the cultural, climatic and vegetation zones of this earth.  You can also take a  monorail ride on the 3.4  kilometre-long circuit and have a fascinating view of the impressive garden landscapes.

Photo Courtesy of IGS Hamburg

Entertainment and Research

Hamburg is the theatre capital of Germany and during the six months of the Hamburg Gartenschau, Inselpark Wilhelmsburg will become an open-air stage for concerts, cultural events and activities for both the young and older visitors. IGS will also be a big research laboratory: With more than 1,000 educational activities on offer, children, school pupils and adults will be inspired to take an interest in green issues.

Tickets are very affordable.  A day pass is only Euro 21, with concessions available for students and the disabled.

Inselpark Wilhelmsburg is a barrier-free park.

Hotels in Wilhelmsburg

As Wilhelmsburg is easily reached by train from the Hamburg main station, hotels within easy reach of Hamburg main train station will give you easy access to the garden show. There is a cluster of hotels near the main train station and these include the Hotel Europäischer Hof, Maritim Hotel Reichshof Hamburg and the Hotel Kronprinz Novum which are directly opposite Hamburg Hbf and the Hotel Graf Moltke Novum which is approximately 100 metres from the station.  For the complete list of Hamburg hotels see Here.

How to Get There

Wilhelmsburg can be reached by S-Bahn (suburban railway) from Hamburg main station in a matter of eight minutes. An old ferry route between the north of Hamburg and the island is being resumed and you can also reach Inselpark on a tourist barge.

Event : Internationale Gartenschau Hamburg 2013
Dates : April 26 – October 13, 2013
Location: Wilhemsburg Inselpark, Hamburg
Website: www.igs-hamburg.de

For more about Hamburg, see our Hamburg Trip Planner

© Germany Travel, 2013. Written by Helen Page

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Heidelberg Castle – Courtesy Heidelberg Marketing

Everyone loves a good fireworks display and when the setting is as beautiful as Heidelberg Castle and the Neckar River, the show is even more magical.

Heidelberg Castle Illuminations 2013

Each summer, on three Saturday nights, Heidelberg Castle goes up in flames, casting a blaze of red glow over the castle and its surrounds. To the unsuspecting, the scene may be reminiscent of events in Heidelberg’s history when the troops of Louis XIV, the Sun King, razed Heidelberg Castle in 1689 and then again in 1693, leaving it in the ruins that it is today.

Luckily, this spectacle is only a commemoration of one of the many fiery events in Heidelberg’s long and tumultuous history.  And once the red glow of the Castle fades away, a stunning fireworks display begins. This time, a symphony of colourful fireworks explode into the skies over the Neckar River, lighting up the Old Town of Heidelberg and giving it a surreal appearance.

But the Castle Illumination is not the only event in town.  Even before the Castle Illumination, there is a festive concert at 18:15 in the Heiliggeistkirche (Church of the Holy Spirit) on Market Square.  The programme and booking information will be available three weeks before the performance.

A Heidelberg Illuminations Stopover

Heidelberg is a beautiful city, even without the fireworks extravaganza, but if you are planning on being in the region on Saturday, June 1, July 13 or September 7, it’s worthwhile making a stop here.  Note:  There is a special Castle Illumination on May 20,2013 under the International German Gymnastics Festival.

Event: Heidelberg Castle Illuminations 2013
Dates: June 1, July 13 and September 7
Website: www.heidelberg-marketing.de
Tel : +49(0) 6221-58402-61
Email: reservations@heidelberg-marketing.de

© Germany Travel, 2013. Written by Helen Page

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Nockherberg – Starkbierfest 2012

Lent 2013 begins on February 13 and the Nockherberg Starkbierfest 2013 takes place  from March 1 – 17, 2013.

Starkbierfest is the Strong Beer Festival and drinkers who like stouts will enjoy the Salvator at Nockherberg, a bottom-fermented strong Doppelbock beer (alcohol 7.5%). During the Starkbierfest, Salvator stout is traditionally served in 1-litre steins, called the Keferloher.

Music at Nockherberg Starkbierfest

During the festival, “Die Nockherberger”, their Oktoberfest band, will provide live music from 4:00 p.m. on week days and from 2:00 p.m. on weekends.

Food at Nockherberg

Visitors to Nockherberg’s Starkbierfest will be able to enjoy typical Bavarian specialties like pork knuckle, chicken, duck and more. There will be stands selling souvenirs, the traditional gingerbread hearts and other delicacies.

Information about Nockherberg Starkbierfest:

Venue : The Paulaner Festival Hall at Paulaner am Nockherberg, Hochstraße 77, 81541 München
Dates  : March 1 – 17, 2013
Opening hours : Monday – Friday:  14:00 p.m to 23:00 | Saturday & Sunday: 11:00 to 23:00.
Entry Fee : Expected to be €2.00 per person (cash only)

How to Get there:

-  Metro Line 1 to Kolumbusplatz
-  Metro Line  2 to Silberhornstrasse
-  Tram Line 25 to Ostfriedhof
-  Tram 17 to Schwanseestrasse
-  Bus 52 to Mariahilfplatz

During Starkbierfest, there is a taxi stand directly on Hochstraße.

Reservations:

Reservations can be made from Monday to Friday between 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. only by phone or fax:
Tel: +49 (89) 45 99 13-65
Fax: +49 (89) 45 99 13-64

You must be take your place at the reserved time as they have no obligation to hold your reservation past the reserved time.

Good Health!

Map of Munich:

© Germany Travel, 2013. Written by Helen Page

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Rhine Riesling Vineyards

For connoisseurs of wine and beer, spring and summer are  fantastic times to be in Germany. From Berlin to the Rhineland, there is a great choice of festivals to attend, depending on whether you prefer to conduct your wine-tasting in one of the small towns along the Mosel or in Rudesheim on the Rhine or at wine festivals in the larger towns like Stuttgart, Hamburg, Mainz, Frankfurt or Aachen. And then there are the almighty giant beer festivals to keep you merry as well.

The German wine and beer festivals are a great time to enjoy a variety of wines and beers, but it’s also an opportunity to observe the local traditions and sample local foods, as well as to meet a nice cross-section of people.

Some Beer and Wine Festivals in 2013

**Some of these dates may change so please always check the festival website before making your travel plans.**
Starkbierzeit 2013 - Munich’s Strong Beer Festival

February 22 – March 23, 2013 (Löwenbräukeller) and March 1 – 17, 2013 (Paulaner am Nockherberg) :  This is Munich’s secret beer festival in spring. Starkbierzeit focuses on strong beers traditionally consumed during Lent.
More about Starkbierzeit…
For Munich hotels see Here.

Frühlingsfest 2013 – Munich Spring Festival
April 19 – May 5, 2013:  Munich Frühlingfest ends the spring Strong Beer Season. The fair is supposed to be a scaled-down version of Oktoberfest.  This year the fair will be held in Theresienwiese – Oktoberfest grounds.
Website: www.muenchnervolksfeste.de

Stuttgarter Frühlingsfest 2013 – Stuttgart Spring Festival – Stuttgart
April 20 – May 12, 2013 – Stuttgart Spring Festival in Cannstatter Wasen celebrates the end of the winter season.  The festival features beer tents, oompah bands, funfair, fireworks and lots of parties at night.  This is the 75th anniversary of Stuttgarter Frühlingsfest and some  some 240 performers, farmers and market merchants will provide a great atmosphere.
Website:  www.stuttgarter-fruehlingsfest.de/

Mosel Wine Festivals 2013
From April 26 – September 23, 2013: From early spring through fall, the towns along the Mosel hold “Weinfeste” (wine festivals). Local foods and wines are served and a general party atmosphere prevails. The Mosel Valley is full of vineyards that rise up the hills from the river banks. There is likely to be a wine festival in one town or another every weekend in the Mosel region.
Website: www.traben-trarbach.de/

Mendiger-Gambrinusfest 2013 – Mendig
May 9 – 12, 2013:  Gambrinusfest takes place every 2 years and is the biggest beer festival in Rhineland-Palatinate. Don’t miss this as you’ll have to wait two years for the next event.
Website: www.mendiger-gambrinusfest.de/

Bergkirchweih Erlanger 2013
May 16 – May 27, 2013: This annual beer festival is a 250 year-old tradition and is celebrated around Pentecost for 12 days. More than 1 million visitors each year come to enjoy Erlangen beer and Franconian dishes.  The Bergkirchweih is open from 10:00 to 23:00 daily and you can then roll on to the pubs in downtown Erlangen.  Erlangen’s claim to fame is that they were the first to export beer, even before Munich and Kulmbach.
Website: www.der-berg-ruft.de

‘Assmannshausen in Red‘ – Assmannshausen Red Wine Festival 2013
June 22, 2013 – Assmannshausen is famous for its Pinot Noir.  On this one-day festival wine connoisseurs get to enjoy the Assmannshäuser red wine as well as local dishes and entertainment.

International Bierbörse 2013
May 3 – September 15, 2013:  This looks like a good excuse to drink beer non-stop for 3 months!  Bierbörse is an chain of annual beer festivals which are held in 11 German cities.  You can sample up to 1,000 different types of beer, including those from 75 countries.  What’s more, this is a free event and you only pay for the beer.  Bierbörse 2013 can be found in Bonn, Dorsten, Dusssldorf, Frechen, Hamm, Huckeswagen, Karlsruhe, Koln, Leipzig, Leverkusen-Opladen, Mainz, Osterode, Pforzheim, Rendsburg, Schwerin and Viersen.
Website:  www.bierboerse.com

Wine tavern in Rudesheim

Stuttgarter Weindorf – Stuttgart Wine Festival 2013 – Hamburg
June 27 – July 14, 2013 (tbc):  Traditionally held just prior to the big Stuttgarter Weindorf in Stuttgart, this year the Stuttgart Wineries are bringing their wares to Hamburg much earlier. Running for 2 weeks from June 27, the Hamburg wine village is traditionally set up at the Hamburg Town Hall Market, complete with wine and beer gardens, regional Stuttgart fare and arts and crafts from the Stuttgart region.
Website: www.stuttgarter-weindorf.de/

Annafest Forchheim 2013
July 20 – 29, 2013:  Forchheim Annafest (Festival of St. Anna) is an annual fair which has been celebrated since 1840.  Forcheim is on the “cellar-hill” close to Bamberg and Nuremberg and each year up to 500,000 visitors descend upon its beer gardens (over 20 beer gardens and no tents here).
Website:  www.forchheim-annafest.de

Kulmbacher Bierwoche 2013
July 27 – August 4, 2013 (tbc):  Kulmbacher is a traditional beer festival in the north of Bavaria.  Just for one week in the year, master brewers of Kulmbacher brew their secret formula beer.
Website:  www.kulmbacher.de/de/bierwoche

Berlin Beer Festival 2013 – Berlin
August 2 – 4, 2013: Usually held on the first weekend of August annually, this festival boasts the longest beer garden in the world – one mile long! One million people come to this festival each year. Stalls offer 2,000 types of beer from over 300 breweries from 86 countries with a focus on smaller, private breweries. However long it might take to sample 2,000 varieties of beer, the Berlin Beer Festival sounds like a great way to quench your thirst on a hot summer day. Live music and shows also keep the crowd entertained.
Website: www.bierfestival-berlin.de

Rotweinfest 2013 – Oberwesel am Rhein – Rhine River Red Wine Festival
August 3, 2013 – A very popular one-day Middle Rhine red wine festival in the market square of Oberwesel.

Gäubodenvolksfest 2013 – Gäubodenvolksfest in Straubing
August 9 – 19, 2013 (tbc): Founded by King Max I in 1812, Gäubodenvolksfest is celebrating its 200th anniversary this year. This festival started as an agricultural event, but these days it is said to be the second largest genuine folk festival in Bavaria. Held annually in mid-August, it lasts for 11 days. Its six beer tents accommodate 25,000 visitors.
Website: www.ausstellungsgmbh.de/

Ruedesheimer-Weinfest 2013 – Rüdesheim Wine Festival 2013
August 16 – 19, 2013: Always charming and picturesque, the small Rhine wine village of Rüdesheim hosts a Wine Festival that features the wineries of the region as well as food. The festival takes place on the main street and you can enjoy the beautiful views to the Rhine and the vineyards above as you sip your wine. If you feel intimidated about going into the small wine tasting rooms, this is a perfect way to get to know Rüdesheim and its wines.
Website:  www.ruedesheimer-weinfest.de

Stuttgarter Weindorf 2013 – 37th Stuttgart Wine Village – Stuttgart
August 28 – September 8, 2013:  The Stuttgart Wine Village is one of the largest and most beautiful wine festivals in Germany. From the end of August to the beginning of September, the Stuttgart city center is transformed into a festive wine village. 120 wine alcoves with traditional decor offer up over 250 wines from the region, including Trollinger, Riesling, Kerner, Müller-Thurgau, Schwarzriesling, Ruländer, Schillerwein, Lemberger and Weißherbst. With so much wine flowing, the atmosphere is bound to be jolly. Great music and food complement the warm and friendly atmosphere.
Website: www.stuttgarter-weindorf.de/

Aachen Wine Festival 2013
August 22 – 25, 2013: Located in North Rhine Westphalia, Aachen is an attractive Roman spa town, famous for its therapeutic waters, hot springs and 1000-year-old remains. This lovely town hosts a summer wine festival in the town center each year with over 400 wines on offer from 20 or more wineries in Rhineland Palatine. Featured wines include Riesling, Mueller-Thurgau, Kerner, Dornfelder and Spaetburgunder. Good food and wine, music and a generally great atmosphere make this Wine Festival a favorite among locals and tourists alike.
Website:  www.aachen.de

Baskets of wine for sale

Mainzer Weinmarkt – Mainz Wine Festival 2013
August 22 – 25, 2013 and August 30 – September 2, 2013:  The Mainz Wine Market (Mainzer Weinmarkt) plays host to over half a million visitors each year. You’ll enjoy wandering through the parks and rose gardens of the town as you go about tasting wines, eating the local fare and checking out the arts and crafts stalls. There is plenty of music to suit every taste and the city is known to be particularly beautiful at this time of year.
Website:  www.mainzer-weinmarkt.de/

Weinfest der Mittelmosel 2013 – Bernkastel-Kues
From August 19 – September 2, 2013:  Bernkastel-Kues Middle Mosel Wine Festival is  the largest and most well-known of the Mosel wine festivals.  Visitors will enjoy the brilliant fireworks display from Landshut Castle and the colourful  winemaker’s procession and the crowning of the Wine Queen.
Website:  www.bernkastel.de

Frankfurt Rheingau Wine Festival 2013
August 28 – Sep 6, 2013: The Rheingau Wine Festival (Rheingauer Weinmarkt) is Frankfurt’s only wine festival with vintners from the Rheingau offering over 600 types of wines in Fressgasse, one of Frankfurt’s charming restaurant and fine food areas. Rieslings are the specialty wines here, reflecting the unique terroir of the Rheingau wine region.
Location of festival is “Freßgass´”, Große Bockenheimer Straße / Opernplatz.
Open Times: Daily from 11:00 – 23:00
Frankfurt Hotels in the Old Town Centre (Zentrum-Alstadt)
All Frankfurt am Main Hotels
Website:  www.frankfurt-tourismus.de

Oktoberfest 2013 – Munich
September 21 – October 5,  2013: Oktoberfest gets bigger and better each year.  With 14 huge tents (maybe more) to choose from, how do you decide? You’ll need to check the website of each of the tents to see which ones you fancy.
Here’s some traditional Oktoberfest beer tents. >
See our Oktoberfest photos >
Website:  www.oktoberfest.de

Oktoberfest Hannover 2013
September 27 – October 13, 2013 (tbc): The Oktoberfest Hannover claims to be the second-largest ‘Oktoberfest‘ in the world, after Munich. More than a million visitors attend this 16-day event and its two large beer tents seat more than a thousand drinkers.
Website: www.oktoberfest-hannover.de/

Stuttgart Beer Festival  2013 – Canstatter Volkfest – Stuttgart
Sep 27 – Oct 13, 2013:  This Stuttgart Beer Festival is second only to the Oktoberfest in Munich in terms of size. It began in 1818 as a harvest festival following a famine and has since been taking  place at the end of September every year.  These days, it provides two weeks of fun with oompah bands in traditional costume, lots of beer inside the marquees and entertainment
Website:  www.cannstatter-volksfest.de
A visit to Germany is not complete without going to a Wine or a Beer Festival. There is plenty on offer so it’s necessary to plan well in order to get maximum coverage.

Did you find the wine and beer festival you were looking for?  Please leave me a comment.  If there are any other festivals you would like to see on this list, please also let me know.

Search, read hotel reviews and book Germany hotels here.>

Food and wine tour
Bavarian Beer and Food tour

© Germany Travel, 2013. Written by Helen Page

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Komische Oper Berlin

The Komische Oper Berlin is one of the three opera houses in Berlin, the other two being the Staatsoper Unter den Linden and the Deutsche Oper Berlin.  Located in the heart of Berlin, near the famous boulevard Unter den Linden, the Komische Oper Berlin is one of the highest-profile opera houses in the German-speaking world.

Komische Oper – Brief History

There has been an opera theatre on the Komische Oper’s historic site as early as 1892. Known as the Theater Unter den Linden, it was forced to close a few years later when its directors went bankrupt. In 1898, a successor company, the Metropol-Theater was opened and it became famous for the Metropole Revues right up till the outbreak of World War I. With the decline in popularity of music hall entertainment after the war, the theatre closed again in 1933.

During World War II, the entrance area and ceiling painting were destroyed during Allied bombings, but luckily the lavish auditorium remained intact, and reconstruction began almost immediately.

The present Komische Oper was founded by Walter Felsenstein in 1947. The company specializes in German language productions of opera, operetta and musicals. But don’t worry if you don’t understand German, the Komische Oper Berlin has an automatic multi-lingual translation system in its seating area, a feature which is currently unique amongst German opera houses. Most seats are fitted with a sophisticated display, from which individuals can follow the text in any of several languages – or simply turn off the display.

Komische Oper Berlin

Modern and Lively

Since its founding the Komische Oper Berlin has stood for modern, lively musical theater and has become one of the most renowned opera houses in Germany. Through the engagement of directors with very different styles, Komische Oper audiences can enjoy a great variety of opera interpretations.

The Komische Oper also has a range of works to get children interested in opera. In 2007, the Komische Oper was voted “opera house of the year”, and its choral soloists were named “opera choir of the year”.

To see what’s on and book tickets at the Komische Oper Berlin, see Here.

The Komische Oper Berlin has six wheelchair-accessible seats in the 6th and 8th rows on each side in the stalls. Wheelchair-users can enter the Komische Oper Berlin via the stage entrance, located between the opera house and the Hotel Westin Grand. From there, the admittance staff will accompany you into the auditorium/the lower foyer.

Address:

Komische Oper Berlin
Behrenstraße 55-57
10117 Berlin

How to Get There:

By Regional trains/ S-Bahn -
Friedrichstraße (RE 1, 2, 7, and RB 14; S 1, 2, 25, 3, 5, 7, 75) /Brandenburger Tor (S 1, 2, 25)

By U-Bahn -
Französische Straße/Stadtmitte (U 6), Stadtmitte/Mohrenstraße (U 2) /Brandenburger Tor (U 55)

By Tram -
Friedrichstraße (M1, 12)

By Bus -
Unter den Linden/ Friedrichstraße (TXL, 100, 147, 200)

© Germany Travel, 2012. Written by Helen Page

Post tags: berlin oper, berliner oper, deutsche oper, komische oper berlin, komische opera, opera in berlin in Categories: Sightseeing

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The post Komische Oper Berlin – A High Profile Berlin Opera House appeared first on Germany Travel.

Deutsche Oper Berlin – Photo by Manfred Brückels

When it comes to opera, Berlin holds the distinction of having three opera houses in a city that’s less than half the size of London. The Deutsche Oper Berlinis the largest of the three Berlin opera houses and it also the second largest opera house in Germany.

Brief History of Deutsche Oper Berlin

Deutsche Oper Berlin’s history goes back to the days of the Deutsches Operhaus, which was inaugurated in 1912. It was located in Charlottenburg, an independent city and one of the richest in

Prussia at the time. Under the Greater Berlin Act 1920, Charlottenburg and six other towns were incorporated into the expanded Berlin. Deutsches Operhaus was renamed Städtische Oper (Municipal Opera) in 1925.

During the period of Nazi Germany, the opera house was renamed Deutsches Operhaus by Joseph Goebbels, the Reich Minister of Propaganda. This period saw the defection of the general manager of the Deutsches Operhaus and several artists who emigrated rather than endorse the Nazi view of ‘German only’ music. The opera house was destroyed during an air raid in November 1943.

Rebuilt Deutsche Oper Berlin

Rebuilt in 1961, the 1,854-seat Deutsche Oper Berlin is minimalistic in architecture and described as an “an ornate-decor-free-zone”. Its inauguration took place at a time of political and social unrest as just six weeks earlier, the Berlin Wall was erected, separating the Deutsche Oper Berlin from the Staatsoper Unter den Linden and the Komische Opera.

Today, the Deutsche Oper Berlin has one of the largest repertoires of any opera house in the world and it is also home to the Berlin State Ballet. It attracts world-class artists performing grand repertoires of Strauss, Wagner, Verdi, Puccini and others.

See what’s on at the Deutsche Oper Berlin and you can also book your opera tickets Here.

The box office of the Deutsche Oper Berlin on Bismarckstraße is barrier-free for wheelchair users. There are four disable-parking spaces near the main entrance at the corner of Bismarckstraße and Richard-Wagner-Straße. There are lifts to transport wheelchair-bound visitors to the desired hall and foyer levels.

Address:

Deutsche Oper Berlin
Bismarckstraße 35
10627 Berlin

How to Get There:

By Train – The Deutsche Oper Berlin is most easily reached by taking the underground:

• Line U2 – will take you directly to the stop ‘Deutsche Oper’ from the direction of Ruhleben or Pankow.
• Line U7 – the stop ‘Bismarckstraße’ of line U7 is also very close by (there are lifts to the street level at this stop)

By Bus – Catch bus routes 101 and 109

Hotels Near the Deutsche Oper

The Deutsche Oper is easy to get to on the underground, but if you want to stay closer to the opera house, there is a huge range of hotels in the Charlottenburg district. Search and book your Berlin hotels Here.

© Germany Travel, 2012. Written by Helen Page

Post tags: berliner oper, deutsche oper berlin, oper berlin, opera in berlin in Categories: Sightseeing

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The post Deutsche Oper Berlin – Opera in Berlin appeared first on Germany Travel.

Nikolaikirche – Photo by Tafful86/Wiki

Potsdam is a city with a strong tradition of classical music and music has always played an essential part in the activities of Potsdamer churches.

This Christmas, fans of classical music can enjoy a range of concerts at the following Potsdamer churches:

Nikolaikirche Potsdam

With its large dome visible from all directions in Potsdam, St. Nicholas Church is the most distinctive building in the city. Nikolaikirche is located in Potsdam’s Old Market.

• Christmas Concert Potsdam (Dec. 2)
  The Monteverdi Chor Hamburg will perform this Christmas Concert under the baton of Gothart Stier at the Nikolaikirche Potsdam.

• Advent Organ Concert Potsdam (Dec. 9)
  The cantor and organist Björn O. Wiede will perform works by Bach in this Advent Organ Concert at the Nikolaikirche Potsdam.

Friedenskirche Potsdam

• Potsdam Sanssouci, Jubilee Concert: Friedrich the Great (Dec. 7)
  This year-long celebration of the Prussian King Friedrich the Great at the famous Sanssouci Palace features compositions by Friedrich himself and by Antonio Vivaldi. What better venue to enjoy this Jubilee Concert than at the Friedenskirche Potsdam-Sanssouci.

Barocke Friedrichskirche Babelsberg, Potsdam

• Bach in Sanssouci: Christmas Oratorio (Dec. 15)
  The Exxential Bach Chamber Ensemble will perform Bach’s “Christmas Oratorio”

© Germany Travel, 2012. Written by Helen Page

Post tags: christmas concerts, nikolaikirche potsdam, potsdam church, potsdam music in Categories: News & Events

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