The Barocktage return
From 7 to 27 November 2026, the Barocktage will take place once again at the Staatsoper Unter den Linden, under the artistic direction of Elisabeth Sobotka for the first time. The festival offers a varied programme of opera and concerts, ranging from the early days of opera to Christoph Willibald Gluck’s Orfeo ed Euridice, a work that marks the transition from the Baroque to the Classical period. Highlights include Stefan Herheim’s new production of Francesco Cavalli’s La Calisto with Vera-Lotte Boecker in the title role, Gluck’s Orfeo ed Euridice with Cecilia Bartoli, and revivals of Monteverdi’s L’incoronazione di Poppea with Anna Prohaska and Purcell’s Dido & Aeneas, directed by Sasha Waltz. The festival will open with Rolando Villazón, Christina Pluhar and their ensemble L’Arpeggiata performing 17th-century Italian music.
The opening concert, Combattimento – Love that Leads to Death, explores the various facets of love, passion and loss. Scenes from Claudio Monteverdi’s L’Orfeo and Il combattimento di Tancredi e Clorinda are complemented by other works from the Italian Baroque period. Christina Pluhar performs with her ensemble L’Arpeggiata, alongside the singers Rolando Villazón, Céline Scheen, Luciana Mancini and Renato Dolcini.
A new production by Stefan Herheim of Francesco Cavalli’s La Calisto is set to premiere. In an aesthetic he describes as ‘Baroque science fiction’, he emphasises both the serious and the comic aspects of the work, which represents a high point of Venetian Baroque opera. The music is performed by the Ensemble L’Arpeggiata and the Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin, conducted by Christina Pluhar. Alongside Vera-Lotte Boecker in the title role, the cast includes Milan Siljanov, Giuseppina Bridelli and Luciana Mancini, amongst others. The performance is a co-production with the MusikTheater an der Wien.
In Christoph Willibald Gluck’s Orfeo ed Euridice, Cecilia Bartoli takes on the role of Orfeo, who journeys to the underworld in search of his deceased beloved. The semi-staged performance of the 1769 Parma version is conducted by Gianluca Capuano, with Les Musiciens du Prince – Monaco and the choir Il Canto di Orfeo. Mélissa Petit sings the roles of Euridice and Amore.
Claudio Monteverdi’s L’incoronazione di Poppea takes us to the Roman imperial court, where the pursuit of power, intrigue and passion drive the action. In Eva-Maria Höckmayr’s production, Anna Prohaska plays the ambitious Poppea, Raffaele Pe takes on the role of Nerone, and the cast also includes Carlo Vistoli and Anna Kissjudit, amongst others. Diego Fasolis conducts the Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin.
The Baroque Days draw to a close with Henry Purcell’s Dido & Aeneas in the legendary production and choreography by Sasha Waltz. The tragic love story between Dido and Aeneas blends opera with contemporary dance. Natalia Skrycka and Gyula Orendt take on the title roles, whilst the Vocalconsort Berlin and dancers from the Compagnie Sasha Waltz & Guests will also be appearing on stage. The Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin will be performing under the musical direction of Christopher Moulds.
Three concerts at the Apollosaal – all of which are already sold out – round off the festival: Lamento mirabile with Roberta Mameli and members of the Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin, Monteverdi a solo with Raffaele Pe and the ensemble La Lira di Orfeo, and Wonder Women with Luciana Mancini, Christina Pluhar and L’Arpeggiata. The latter is dedicated to works by 17th-century female composers, including Barbara Strozzi and Francesca Caccini. In addition, an edition of the Apollo Salon enriches the Baroque Days: under the title ‘Aria and Response’, local poets meet singers from the International Opera Studio and combine slam poetry with arias from Baroque operas.