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Weekend Tips: What to Do This Weekend in Berlin
July 17 to 19, 2026: Events, festivals, exhibitions and more things to do for your perfect weekend in Berlin. more
Deutsche Oper Berlin
Date details
- Date Saturday, 19/September/2026 17:00
- Venue Philharmonie Berlin
- Address Herbert-von-Karajan-Straße 1, 10785 Berlin-Tiergarten
Public transportation
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Train (S-Bahn)
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S+U Potsdamer Platz Bhf
- S1
- S2
- S25
- S26
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S+U Potsdamer Platz Bhf
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Underground
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Bus
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Philharmonie
- 200
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Philharmonie Süd
- M41
- 300
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Kulturforum
- M48
- M85
- N2
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Varian-Fry-Str./Potsdamer Platz
- 200
- M41
- M48
- M85
- N2
- 300
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Tiergartenstr.
- 200
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Potsdamer Brücke
- M29
- M48
- M85
- N1
- N2
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S Potsdamer Platz Bhf/Voßstr.
- M41
- M48
- M85
- S7B
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S+U Potsdamer Platz Bhf
- M41
- 200
- M48
- M85
- N2
- 300
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Gedenkstätte Dt. Widerstand
- M29
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Lützowstr./Potsdamer Str.
- M48
- M85
- N1
- N2
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Philharmonie
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Train
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S+U Potsdamer Platz Bhf
- RE3
- RE5
- RE4
- FEX
- RB10
- RE8
- RE20
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S+U Potsdamer Platz Bhf
Deutsche Oper Berlin
Maxime Pascal / Susanne Kennedy / Markus Selg; Karlheinz Stockhausen “Mittwoch aus Licht”
Musikfest Berlin – Schriftzug Musikfest Berlin
© Berliner Festspiele
With the beginning of the new artistic directorship of Aviel Cahn, the Deutsche Oper Berlin is undertaking a project which pushes boundaries: Karlheinz Stockhausens Mittwoch aus Licht can be experienced for the first time as a staged opera production in German-speaking countries and will be transformed into an immersive ritual by the multiple award-winning artistic duo Susanne Kennedy and Markus Selg. It will be conducted by the new principal guest conductor and passionate Stockhausen specialist Maxime Pascal. The performance even departs from the theatre location for the spectacular helicopter string quartet in which the four string players each perform in different helicopters circling high above the audience – a unique live event for the entire city which will be documented on film and become part of the performance.
Stockhausen addresses major themes in a cosmic world theatre focused on man and woman, good and evil and birth and death in his monumental cycle LICHT. Die sieben Tage der Woche. While other parts of the cycle focus on the struggle between conflicting forces whose polarity determines our lives anew every day, Mittwoch [Wednesday] celebrates the utopia of love and the spiritual connection in the spirit of music – and faith in the feasibility of community and solidarity. Stockhausen was uncompromising in his search for a new type of music and is considered as one of the most innovative and yet polemic composers of the 20th century. The pioneer of electronic music even inspired pop music across all musical genres – including Kraftwerk and Björk.
The spectacular core of Mittwoch aus Licht is the helicopter string quartet. Here Stockhausen extends the musical space over and beyond the theatre auditorium: the members of a string quartet are seated in four helicopters hovering in circles high above the audience. The sounds of the string instruments are blended with the noise of the rotor blades and are transmitted from the sky into the auditorium. For the Deutsche Oper Berlin production, the quartet will be performed live as a unique event for the entire city and the film document of the quartet is incorporated as an element of the production.
The multiple award-winning artistic duo Susanne Kennedy und Markus Selg who caused a music theatre sensation in Einstein on the Beach at Theater Basel and Parsifal at Opera Antwerp will transform Mittwoch aus Licht into an immersive ritual in their first opera production in Berlin. Maxim Pascal, appointed as principal guest conductor on the arrival of the new artistic director, is an expert and passionate advocate of Stockhausen’s music and has already performed all sections of the Licht cycle with the exception of Mittwoch.
Karlheinz Stockhausen (1928–2007)
Mittwoch aus Licht (1995–97)
Opera in a greeting, four acts and a farewell
German premiere
Staged performance
Stockhausen addresses major themes in a cosmic world theatre focused on man and woman, good and evil and birth and death in his monumental cycle LICHT. Die sieben Tage der Woche. While other parts of the cycle focus on the struggle between conflicting forces whose polarity determines our lives anew every day, Mittwoch [Wednesday] celebrates the utopia of love and the spiritual connection in the spirit of music – and faith in the feasibility of community and solidarity. Stockhausen was uncompromising in his search for a new type of music and is considered as one of the most innovative and yet polemic composers of the 20th century. The pioneer of electronic music even inspired pop music across all musical genres – including Kraftwerk and Björk.
The spectacular core of Mittwoch aus Licht is the helicopter string quartet. Here Stockhausen extends the musical space over and beyond the theatre auditorium: the members of a string quartet are seated in four helicopters hovering in circles high above the audience. The sounds of the string instruments are blended with the noise of the rotor blades and are transmitted from the sky into the auditorium. For the Deutsche Oper Berlin production, the quartet will be performed live as a unique event for the entire city and the film document of the quartet is incorporated as an element of the production.
The multiple award-winning artistic duo Susanne Kennedy und Markus Selg who caused a music theatre sensation in Einstein on the Beach at Theater Basel and Parsifal at Opera Antwerp will transform Mittwoch aus Licht into an immersive ritual in their first opera production in Berlin. Maxim Pascal, appointed as principal guest conductor on the arrival of the new artistic director, is an expert and passionate advocate of Stockhausen’s music and has already performed all sections of the Licht cycle with the exception of Mittwoch.
Karlheinz Stockhausen (1928–2007)
Mittwoch aus Licht (1995–97)
Opera in a greeting, four acts and a farewell
German premiere
Staged performance
Artists/Collaborators: Maxime Pascal, Susanne Kennedy, Markus Selg, Andra Dumitrascu, Marcel Weber, Florent Derex, Jeremy Bines, Beate Breidenbach, Tarren Johnson, Marie Groothof, Dominic Santia, Ixchel Mendoza, Laurie Young, Chor der Deutschen Oper Berlin, Ensemble Le Balcon, Ensemble Le Balcon, Streichquartett aus dem Orchester der Deutschen Oper Berlin
A coproduction with the Philharmonie de Paris
With friendly support of the LOTTO-Stiftung Berlin and the Förderkreis der Deutschen Oper Berlin
An event by Deutsche Oper Berlin in cooperation with Berliner Festspiele / Musikfest Berlin
Introduction
45 min before each performance
Live Performance of the Helicopter String Quartet
Sat 12.9.2026
Additional performances in the Deutsche Oper Berlin
20.9., 23.9., 26.9., 27.9.2026
Additional information on the website of the Deutsche Oper Berlin
With friendly support of the LOTTO-Stiftung Berlin and the Förderkreis der Deutschen Oper Berlin
An event by Deutsche Oper Berlin in cooperation with Berliner Festspiele / Musikfest Berlin
Introduction
45 min before each performance
Live Performance of the Helicopter String Quartet
Sat 12.9.2026
Additional performances in the Deutsche Oper Berlin
20.9., 23.9., 26.9., 27.9.2026
Additional information on the website of the Deutsche Oper Berlin
Alternative events
© Eventim
Bach und Friedrich der Große | Berliner Schlosskonzerte
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- Next date:
- Bach und Friedrich der Große
- Date:
- Saturday, 19/September/2026 16:00
- Venue:
- Bode-Museum
- Address:
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- Price:
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© Quelle: Reservix-System
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- Date:
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- Venue:
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- Price:
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© Quelle: Reservix-System
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- Date:
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- Venue:
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- Address:
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- Price:
- from €29.00
©olly - stock.adobe.com
Pierre Boulez Saal Spielzeit 2026/27
- Next date:
- Jbara & Ensemble - Arabic Music Days
- Date:
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- Venue:
- Pierre Boulez Saal
- Address:
- Französische Straße 33 D, 10117 Berlin-Mitte
- Price:
- from €33.00
© Quelle: Reservix-System
Abendkonzert
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- Date:
- Saturday, 19/September/2026 19:00
- Venue:
- St. Marien-Kirche Bernau
- Address:
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- Price:
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