2025/26

22 to 23 July 2026 | Apollos in Bayreuth

To mark the 150th anniversary of the Bayreuth Festival, our Apollos once again travelled to Bayreuth this year. On 22 July, the young members of the Friends’ Association attended the dress rehearsal of Richard Wagner’s Parsifal at the Festspielhaus and enjoyed a very special afternoon of opera on the Green Hill. During the first interval, a reception provided an opportunity to share impressions of the performance. The following day, the Apollos visited the Steingraeber Haus, where a guided tour of the piano museum offered fascinating insights into the close ties between the Bayreuth piano manufacturer and the Festival, a relationship that also dates back 150 years. A shared lunch rounded off the trip and brought two days filled with music, inspiring encounters and the unique atmosphere of the Bayreuth Festival to a fitting close.

29 June 2026 | General Assembly

At our annual General Assembly on 29 June, we took the opportunity to look back together on the year 2025 and review the Friends’ Association’s activities and achievements. The agenda also included the scheduled election of several members of the Board. We are delighted that our Chairman Christian A. Rast and our Treasurer Martina Palte were re-elected for another three-year term and will continue to support the Friends’ Association with their dedication and commitment.

19 June 2026 | Musikfestspiele Potsdam

On 19 June, we enjoyed a wonderful summer evening of music at the Musikfestspiele Potsdam, where we attended a performance of Christoph Willibald Gluck’s Orpheus. Before the performance, our guests were given fascinating insights into the work and its significance in the history of music drama during an introductory talk in the cloister of the Friedenskirche. Afterwards, Gluck’s opera unfolded its full expressive power in the impressive setting of the church, making for a truly memorable musical experience.

11 June 2026 | ZwischenTöne with Thomas Guggeis

For this edition of our ZwischenTöne conversation series, conductor, pianist and former Staatskapellmeister Thomas Guggeis joined us at the Warburgbank. Since the 2023/24 season, he has served as General Music Director of Oper Frankfurt, while continuing to appear regularly at the Staatsoper Unter den Linden. In conversation with Chief Dramaturg Dr. Detlef Giese, Thomas Guggeis offered insights into his artistic work and musical career. A particular focus was the upcoming premiere of Die Entführung aus dem Serail, as he spoke about the rehearsal process and the musical challenges of the production. The evening concluded with a get-together, giving our guests the opportunity to continue the conversation in a more informal setting.

08 to 10 May 2026 | International Opera Weekend

Once again, the International Opera Weekend in Berlin brought together young opera enthusiasts from around the world to immerse themselves in the world of opera and enjoy special performances and exclusive insights into the Staatsoper. From 08 to 10 May, participants enjoyed a varied programme combining opera, culture and opportunities to connect with one another. The weekend began on Friday evening with a performance of Aida at the Staatsoper. On Saturday, the group explored Berlin on a guided city tour before returning to the opera in the evening for Die schweigsame Frau. Sunday began with a visit to the Museum of Photography, followed by an exclusive tour of the Staatsoper offering a glimpse behind the scenes. Bellini’s Norma provided the musical finale to the weekend that evening. Shared meals, receptions and many lively conversations throughout the weekend also offered plenty of opportunities to make new connections and exchange ideas with fellow opera enthusiasts.

08 May 2026 | Benefit Recital

For the fifth time, our Board of Curators member Holger Röder invited members of the Friends’ Association to a special benefit recital. This year, the evening was held in support of the Staatsoper Unter den Linden’s International Opera Studio. Mezzo-soprano Sandra Laagus and bass-baritone Hanseong Yun, both members of the International Opera Studio, performed works by Meyerbeer, Mozart, Wagner and Rossini, accompanied by pianist Markus Zugehör. Following the concert, guests gathered for a BBQ in the hosts’ garden, bringing the evening to a close in a warm and convivial atmosphere.

21 March 2026 | OpernSalon to Der Rosenkavalier

To mark the Festtage production of Der Rosenkavalier, conducted by Christian Thielemann, Elias Corrinth turned his attention to Richard Strauss’s great opera. In his characteristically humorous yet illuminating manner, he offered his own personal perspective on a work that, beneath the guise of a Viennese comedy, explores profound human themes: the passage of time, the interplay of past, present and future, and questions of love, farewell and change. From the reflective Marschallin to Octavian and Sophie and, of course, Baron Ochs, Elias Corrinth took a closer look at both the characters and the music. The result was an entertaining musical kaleidoscope of humour and burlesque, sentiment and romance – infused with the affectionate irony that characterises both Der Rosenkavalier and this special edition of the OpernSalon.

14 March 2026 | Highly Scattered Thoughts on Music – 250 years of E.T.A. Hoffmann

In March, the revival of Les Contes d’Hoffmann provided the occasion for the first joint event organised by our association and the Friends of the Berliner Ensemble. The event focused on E.T.A. Hoffmann, whose 250th birthday is celebrated this year. Berliner Ensemble actor Paul Herwig and the Staatskapelle Berlin’s Tilia Quartet explored the multifaceted artist and his special relationship with music. In an atmospheric combination of readings and musical performances, texts by and about Hoffmann were interwoven with selected pieces of music. The event highlighted the many facets of the Berlin-based artist, whose work as a writer, illustrator and composer continues to resonate to this day.

13 March 2026 | Season Preview 2026/2027

On 13 March, our members were given an exclusive preview of the Staatsoper Unter den Linden’s upcoming 2026/27 season. In the Apollosaal, Artistic Director Elisabeth Sobotka and Chief Dramaturg Dr. Detlef Giese, together with artists from the Staatsoper, presented the programme for the new season and offered a glimpse of the highlights to come. Following the presentation, there was an opportunity to come together for lively conversation, share first impressions and look forward to the new season together.

07 December 2025 | OpernSalon to Wozzeck

To mark a very special anniversary, the OpernSalon turned its attention to Alban Berg’s Wozzeck: exactly 100 years to the day after its world premiere at the Staatsoper Unter den Linden, this landmark work returned to our stage, conducted by Christian Thielemann and in Andrea Breth’s production. Elias Corrinth took the occasion to explore the opera’s complex and multifaceted musical language in his characteristically engaging and accessible way, shedding light on its many musical forms and hidden structures. He also drew on a historic lecture given by Alban Berg himself, in which the composer once explained his work from the piano. The OpernSalon thus offered new perspectives on a masterpiece that, even 100 years after its world premiere, has lost none of its musical and emotional power.

06 December 2025 | Advent Concert

Once again, our Advent Concert provided the musical finale to 2025. With festive music in a warm and celebratory atmosphere, it set the mood for the most wonderful time of the year. The concert featured Il Concertino Virtuoso, a chamber ensemble of the Staatskapelle Berlin. Following the performance, we gathered for gingerbread, delicious canapés, Crémant and mulled wine. In a convivial setting, we brought 2025 to a close together with engaging conversations and plenty of festive cheer.

26 November 2025 | ZwischenTöne with Gabriela Scherer

As part of our ZwischenTöne interview series, we were delighted to welcome the extraordinary and inspiring soprano Gabriela Scherer, who gave us a deep insight into her artistic career and her approach to singing. Even as a child, Gabriela Scherer knew she wanted to become an opera singer – not as a conscious decision, but as an inner feeling that had been rooted within her from the very beginning.

Initially trained as a mezzo-soprano, she very quickly realised that this vocal range did not suit her natural timbre. It was only when she switched to soprano that the roles truly felt right, authentic and, above all, healthy. Vocal health plays a central role for Gabriela Scherer. She emphasises that she deliberately turns down roles if her voice is not yet ready for them – not out of a lack of ambition, but out of respect for her instrument. Even though certain role offers may well be tempting, she does not wish to force a particular sound. Her favourite roles are Verdi’s Elisabetta and Wagner’s Elsa, two roles in which she feels particularly at home artistically. The same applies to the Staatsoper Unter den Linden, to which she feels a strong connection not only personally but also on an artistic level. The theatre casts her with great care in roles that suit her individual vocal character and enable her to sing in a way that protects her voice. A recent example of this is her latest casting as Alice Ford in Falstaff. A particular highlight of her current artistic journey is Wagner’s Rienzi, which is being performed for the first time on the Green Hill to mark the 150th anniversary of the Bayreuth Festival. She will take on the leading female role of Irene.

The conversation with Gabriela Scherer offered not only fascinating insights into the development and life of a singer, but also into the attitude and sensitivity with which she approaches her profession.

26 November 2025 | Masterclass with Michael Volle

For many years now, the Friends’ Association has provided significant support to the International Opera Studio and funds the scholarships for the young singers who have the wonderful opportunity to train at the Staatsoper Unter den Linden. Thanks to this commitment, we were given the special opportunity to gain an exclusive insight into this training during the masterclass with baritone Michael Volle. Such an insight is extraordinary, as normally, as an audience, we only experience opera in its finished form on stage. In a masterclass, however, it becomes clear just how much work, precision and emotion go into this seemingly effortless final product.

We were able to witness just how intensely the artists have to immerse themselves in their roles, both intellectually and emotionally, in order to embody them authentically. It became clear just how significant the tiniest vocal nuances are, how timbre, articulation and expression are used to great effect, and how closely technical and emotional processes are intertwined.

Particularly impressive was the immediate progress that could be observed thanks to Michael Volle’s precise and inspiring guidance. He not only shared the experiences, subtleties and little secrets of an experienced artist with the studio members, but also with us in the audience. Thank you very much for these moments, which are not normally accessible to the public!

19 October 2025 | Sunday Shopping Event at Dussmann

The Sunday Shopping Event at Dussmann – Das KulturKaufhaus has long since become a popular annual tradition in support of the Staatsoper Unter den Linden. On this special day, the KulturKaufhaus opens its doors outside regular business hours, inviting visitors to browse and shop in a relaxed atmosphere accompanied by musical performances by artists from the Staatsoper. At the same time, the event is dedicated to a good cause: the proceeds from the day benefit the Staatsoper. Thanks to the many purchases made this year, an impressive €27,500 was raised in support of the Junge Staatsoper, the Staatsoper’s programme for children and young people. We would like to express our sincere gratitude to Dussmann – Das KulturKaufhaus for its many years of generous support and partnership. We are already looking forward to the Sunday Shopping Event in 2026, when this special occasion will celebrate its 20th anniversary!