Page 114 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Germany

112  BERLIN AREA B Y AREA ENTER T AINMENT IN BERLIN  113
ENTERTAINMENT IN BERLIN September and top orchestras

and performers come from
With so much on offer, from classical drama chance to dance till dawn. The city has many all over the world to put on
and cabaret to variety theatre and an eclectic night-life centres, each with a slightly different classical music concerts
nightclub scene, it is possible to indulge just character. Prenzlauer Berg is the best choice around the city.
about any taste in Berlin. During the summer for mainstream bars and cafés, while Jazzfest Berlin takes place
in November and tends
months many bars and restaurants set up Friedrichshain has a vibrant subculture, and to attract lovers of more
outdoor tables, and the areas around Unter Schöneberg has a lively gay scene. The Mitte traditional styles of jazz, but
den Linden, the Kurfürstendamm, Kreuzberg district in the eastern centre offers a true it also focuses on the more
and Prenzlauer Berg, in particular, seem to turn mixture with its opera house and classical experimental and innovative
into one large social arena. The city really theatre surrounded by lively and sleek bars. On styles of music.
comes into its own at night, when its clubs, a Sunday, a quiet trip down the river or along
all-night cafés and cocktail bars give you the the canals offers a pleasant way to unwind. Rock, Pop and Jazz
Whether it is a major event German singer-songwriter Sarah Connor at Berlin’s A Trane Jazz club
Schauspielhaus, is another by a world-famous band or
important venue for classical a small-scale evening of jazz Apart from the typical classical Latin American dance clubs are
music, having been magnificently improvisation, you need not jazz clubs, jazz can also be heard becoming ever more popular
restored after World War II. look too far to find what you in many of the city’s smaller and Havanna in Schöneberg is
Opera lovers will find want. The biggest concerts tend bars, like Schlot. If it is one of the best.
themselves well catered for in to take place in sports halls and a mixture of soul, rap and jazz
Berlin as there are three major stadiums, like the Mercedes- you want, then head for the
opera houses. The Staatsoper Benz Arena and Junction Bar in Kreuzberg.
Unter den Linden’s impressive, the Olympiastadion (see p101), The small bebop jazz club in
yet conservative repertoire whilst smaller venues like SO 36 Kreuzberg is a good choice
includes traditional German and Tempodrom play host to for meeting locals, and the
classics and Italian opera, while the best new talent in popular Badenscher Hof Jazzclub is
the Komische Oper is known music. In addition, a lot of the always a good bet.
for its broad range of lighter action tends to take place in the
opera and, because its operas city’s many bars and clubs or, if
frequently have a long run, you are looking for particularly World Music
An orchestral performance at the Konzerthaus Berlin there are often last-minute atmospheric concerts, you Berlin is home to a wide variety
tickets available. The Deutsche might try those put on at the of world music. The Haus der
Practical Information entitled to discounted tickets. Oper on Bismarckstrasse is Passionskirche, a converted Kulturen der Welt organizes all Peaches performs her Peaches Christ
There are so many things going All major venues will provide housed in a somewhat plainer church in Kreuzberg. kinds of concerts at its own Superstar at the Hebbel Am Ufer (HAU)
on in Berlin that it can be good wheelchair access. building than the other opera Jazz clubs abound in Berlin, as Hirschfeld Bar, while other
difficult to find what you are venues, but it boasts perfor- the style remains very popular venues regularly feature bands Classical and
looking for. Listings magazines mances ranging from Mozart amongst locals. The A-Trane and genres from around the
like Tip or Zitty are invaluable Classical Music to Wagner. Popular open-air and b-flat are classical jazz bars world. The Terrabeat collective Modern Dance
aids and offer the widest range The Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra concerts in summer are where you can listen to small are worth following for their There are three major ballet
of suggestions. Information on is one of the world’s finest “Staatsoper für Alle” on bands just about every night of regular parties (held at various groups in Berlin and they work
festivals, sports events, cinema orchestras and it performs at the Bebelplatz, which is free, the week, and Quasimodo is venues) that mix Brazilian, within Berlin’s opera houses.
programmes, theatre schedules, beautiful Philharmonie, with its and “Classic Open Air” on renowned for its schedule of Caribbean and African music The Komische Oper has a
cabarets and concerts can be awe-inspiring architecture and Gendarmenmarkt. local and touring jazz, soul and plus much more (www. modern repertoire, whilst the
found at: www.berlinonline.de fantastic acoustics. Chamber world music performers. terrabeats.de). Staatsoper Unter den Linden
and www.berlin.de. orchestras perform in the smaller focuses on more classical work.
For visitors who have not Kammermusiksaal attached to Music Festivals The Hebbel Am Ufer (HAU)
made it yet to an internet café the bigger hall. Konzerthaus The Musikfest Berlin takes place stages avant-garde pieces and
or a kiosk, the chances are the Berlin, formally known as the throughout the month of welcomes dance troupes from
local bar or your hotel foyer has all over the world. The venue
leaflets on the wall. There are also organizes the dance
also lots of posters around town festival “Tanz” every August.
telling you what is on offer. The seating at all three theatres
EXBERLINER magazine has is rather limited, so you will
listings in English, and it should need to book your tickets
be available at most kiosks. well in advance.
Tickets for events should Tanzfabrik, based on
generally be bought in advance, Möckernstraße in Kreuzberg,
though last-minute tickets are is an excellent stage for all
often available from Hekticket kinds of modern dance and
Theaterkassen. The disabled, it also organizes dance work-
pensioners and students with shops as well as popular body-
the appropriate ID are often A performance of Benjamin Britten’s opera play Albert Herring at the Komische Oper Iron Maiden on stage at the Mercedes-Benz Arena (formerly O2 World), in Berlin work courses.

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