Think 19th century romantic opera and you probably imagine classical strings and soaring sopranos sung by grand dames. But go to Konzerthaus Berlin next Tuesday (07.12.2021) and you will experience a very different musical blend: the sound of beats and synths. As part of its 200 year anniversary celebrations, the Mitte concert hall is hosting a very special performance of the pioneering German opera “Der Freischütz” (“The Marksman”) by Carl Maria von Weber. Awaiting you in the neoclassical hall of the Konzerthaus is an evening of stark contrasts as violins, trombones and double basses are blended with synths under the direction of conductor Christopher Verworner. Famous for its highly innovative offstage chorus, “Der Freischütz” premiered in 1821 at the Konzerthaus, which was then known as the Schauspielhaus Berlin. Two centuries on, Von Weber’s work has been given a revolutionary treatment by the Verworner-Krause-Kammerorchester, a 22-strong group of young musicians whose daring recreations of classic works won them the Bavarian Arts Promotion Prize in 2019.
The subject matter of the opera – renamed “Der Freischütz – die Echos Utopias” for this performance – is also new. Von Weber’s notoriously eerie and dark tale of a man who makes a pact with the devil to win a bride has been recast as a story of hope and possibility in a utopian world. Soprano Gina May Walter, vocalist Mia Knop Jacobsen and actor Johannes Lange join the musicians for a performance that goes way beyond the genre’s traditional boundaries. As such the show will appeal as much to opera sceptics as to aficionados – a fitting celebration as the Konzerthaus looks ahead to the next 200 years.
Text: Benji Haughton / Photos: Sebastian Runge / Credit: Konzerthaus Berlin
Konzerthaus Berlin, Gendarmenmarkt, 10117 Berlin–Mitte; map
“Der Freischütz – die Echos Utopias”, 07.12.2021 20h in the Großer Saal. Tickets for the performance can be booked online.
