Berlin. The Staatsoper Unter den Linden and BMW
invite the public to a special Pentecost weekend on 23 and 24 May
2026. This year’s “Staatsoper für alle” marks its 20th edition – two
decades of one of Berlin’s largest and most beloved open‑air classical
music events. At one of the city’s most beautiful and historically
significant squares, Bebelplatz, Berliners and visitors from around
the world are once again invited to experience opera and concerts
outdoors, free of charge thanks to BMW.
The programme opens on Saturday, 23 May at
6.00pm with a live broadcast of Giuseppe
Verdi’s “Nabucco” from the Staatsoper onto the adjacent
Bebelplatz. Centering on the fate of two peoples and the actions of
its title character, the opera features the famous chorus “Va,
pensiero”. The production, created by the acclaimed opera, theatre and
film director Emma Dante, premiered at the Staatsoper Unter den Linden
in 2024. The cast includes Igor Golovatenko, Lidia Fridman, Tareq
Nazmi, Elena Maximova, Andrés Moreno García, Clara Nadeshdin, Junho
Hwang and Hanseong Yun; the Staatskapelle Berlin will perform under
the baton of Francesco Lanzillotta, accompanied by the
Staatsopernchor. Verdi’s “Nabucco” will be presented in a top‑flight
cast and is free to attend.
On Sunday, 24 May at 1.00pm
Bebelplatz will be transformed into a large open‑air concert stage:
the Staatskapelle Berlin, led by General Music Director Christian
Thielemann, and BMW invite audiences to the BMW Classicsconcert as
part of “Staatsoper für alle”. The programme features works by Ludwig
van Beethoven – the Overture to Coriolan, Op. 62; Symphony No. 6 in F
major, Op. 68 (“Pastoral”); and the Overture to Egmont, Op. 84.
As a prelude, the Staatsoper’s children’s opera orchestra and youth
choir will perform at 11.30am under the direction of
Giuseppe Mentuccia. The performance will feature singers from the
Staatsoper Unter den Linden’s international opera studio, including
Sonja Herranen, Sandra Laagus, Serafina Starke, Junho Hwang and Irakli
Pkhaladze, with music by Jacques Offenbach, Charles Gounod and Jules Massenet.
“Staatsoper für alle” takes place under the patronage of the
Governing Mayor of Berlin, Kai Wegner, and will be moderated by
journalist and presenter Petra Gute. As in previous years, the opera
performance at the Staatsoper will be accompanied by a red‑carpet
event, with numerous prominent guests expected.
The large‑scale event “Staatsoper für alle” is a cornerstone of the
long‑standing partnership between the Staatsoper Unter den Linden and
BMW. Over two decades it has become a fixed highlight of Berlin’s
cultural calendar, giving tens of thousands of people each year easy
access to high‑quality opera and concert experiences.
Staatsoper für alle 2026
Saturday, 23 May 2026, 6.00pm, Bebelplatz
Live broadcast of Verdi’s “Nabucco”
Conductor: Francesco
Lanzillotta
Production: Emma Dante
Cast includes: Igor
Golovatenko, Lidia Fridman, Tareq Nazmi, Elena Maximova, Andrés Moreno
García, Clara Nadeshdin, Junho Hwang, Hanseong Yun
Staatskapelle
Berlin; Staatsopernchor
Sunday, 24 May, 11.30am,
Bebelplatz
Pre‑programme: Children’s Opera Orchestra of
the Staatsoper Unter den Linden
Conductor: Giuseppe
Mentuccia
Soloists: Sonja Herranen, Sandra Laagus, Serafina
Starke, Junho Hwang, Irakli Pkhaladze
Youth Choir of the
Staatsoper Unter den Linden; Children’s Opera Orchestra
Music by
Jacques Offenbach, Charles Gounod and Jules Massenet
Sunday, 24 May, 1.00pm, Bebelplatz
BMW Classics
concert with the Staatskapelle Berlin
Conductor: Christian
Thielemann
Programme: Ludwig van Beethoven – Overture to
Coriolan, Op. 62; Symphony No. 6 in F major, Op. 68 (“Pastoral”);
Overture to Egmont, Op. 84
Staatskapelle Berlin
Admission to “Staatsoper für alle” is free.
The BMW Group’s Cultural Engagement, with exclusive updates and
deeper insights into its global initiatives can be followed on
Instagram at @BMWGroupCulture.
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.press.bmwgroup.com ’
