Matthes does it

It's as if Heinrich von Kleist's serious and tragic earnestness meets Louis de Funès's Hopsasa humour.

A conversation about breakfast rituals, big city sounds and Herbert and Monika's taste in music.

After director Herbert Fritsch captivated audiences in 2024 with an extravagant symphony concert, this idea is now becoming a wonderful tradition at the Komische Oper Berlin. This time, the role of prominent concert organiser will be taken on by the charismatic actor Ulrich Matthes. Under the motto ‘New Beginnings and Confidence’, he will kick off the new year with a bang and provide exciting insights into his favourite pieces of music: the optimism of the first movement of Mozart's ‘Linz Symphony’ meets the reverent adagio of Schumann's 2nd Symphony. Leonard Bernstein's lively ‘Symphonic Dances’ from West Side Story meet the lively jazz rhythms in George Gershwin's Piano Concerto in F major – the latter with none other than star pianist Kirill Gerstein at the piano. Everything is set for a brilliant start to the new year. And perhaps Ulrich Matthes, after his appearance as narrator in a symphony concert at the Komische Oper Berlin in 2014, will even be ready for a vocal performance this time...

Programme:

WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART [1756–1791] Symphony No. 36 in C major, K. 425 ‘Linz Symphony’ (1st movement)
GEORGE GERSHWIN [1898–1937] Piano Concerto in F major

INTERMISSION

ARVO PÄRT [*1935] Symphony No. 4 ‘Los Angeles’ (1st movement)ROBERT SCHUMANN [1810–1856] Symphony No. 2 in C major, Op. 61 (3rd movement)
LEONARD BERNSTEIN [1918–1990] Symphonic Dances from West Side Story



CONDUCTOR James Gaffigan
PRESENTER Ulrich Matthes
PIANO Kirill Gerstein

Performed by the orchestra of the Komische Oper Berlin.

• Date: 1 January 2026
  
• Time: 6 p.m.
  
• Venue: Komische Oper @ Schillertheater
  

(Talk: German)