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Top 10 concerts in the Christmas season

The best events during Advent

Nutcracker, Swan Lake, Christmas Oratorio - the list of classical concerts and performances during Advent could go on and on.After all, the right atmosphere is simply part of a contemplative pre-Christmas season.Nowhere is this better than in Berlin's festive venues. We have collected the best concerts and ballet performances during the Advent season for you.

Simply buy a ticket, go and get into the festive spirit.

Celebrate Christmas with the Nutcracker

Nutcracker at the Christmas Market Berlin
Nutcracker at the Christmas Market © Getty Images, Foto: Roman Babakin

Peter Tchaikovsky's Christmas story "The Nutcracker" is one of the most famous ballets in the world.And quite rightly so: the magical story about the girl Klara, the Nutcracker and the evil Mouse King is simply perfect for the Christmas season.At the Theater am Potsdamer Platz, you can experience the classic piece in a production by the Grand Classic Ballet.

When: December 20 to 26
Where: Theater am Potsdamer Platz, Marlene-Dietrich-Platz 1, Tiergarten

Tickets for the nutcracker

Enjoy the Christmas Oratorio in Berlin Cathedral

Junges, glückliches Paar hält sich vor dem Berliner Dom im Arm
© iStock.com/princigalli

For many, it is the Christmas piece par excellence: Johann Sebastian Bach's Christmas Oratorio. On December 15 and 16, you can experience cantatas 1 to 3 in a festive atmosphere in Berlin Cathedral. The baroque orchestra Aris & Auli, the oratorio choir of the Berliner Domkantorie and renowned soloists will be there. Under the direction of cathedral cantor Adrian Büttemeier, you will hear powerful timpani blasts and shouting trumpets.

When: December 15 at 8:00 pm and December 16 at 3:00 pm and 6:00 pm
Where: Berlin Cathedral, Am Lustgarten, Mitte

Tickets for Bach -  CHristmas oratorio

Hansel and Gretel - Opera with the whole family

Mädchen im Theater
© GettyImages, Foto: Image Studios

The story of Hansel and Gretel is one of the German fairy tale classics. At Christmas time, you can enjoy the Grimm tale in Engelbert Humperdinck's version with the whole family. Over three days, the Deutsche Oper Berlin presents the story of the two siblings who were sent into the forest to gather berries. With a lot of brains and wit, they outwit the evil witch and are able to embrace their parents again. Tickets for the two-hour opera are available directly from us.

When: December 23 and 30 at 2pm and 6pm and January 6 at 6pm 
Where: Deutsche Oper Berlin, Bismarckstraße 35, Charlottenburg

Tickets for Hansel und Gretel

An evening full of music at the big classical Christmas gala

Weihnachtsbaumschmuck
© GettyImages, Bild: Alena Kravchenko

On December 8, the Chamber Music Hall invites you to enjoy the most beautiful Christmas classics in an intimate atmosphere. The Czech Chamber Philharmonic Orchestra Prague will travel to Prague especially for this evening and play classical pieces by Mozart, Handel, Vivaldi and Schubert for you. Tickets for this varied evening of classical music are available directly from us.

When: December 8 at 8:00 pm
Where: Chamber Music Hall, Herbert-von-Karajan-Straße 1, Tiergarten

Tickets for the gala of classical music

Spend a wonderful evening at the palace

Christmas market in front of Charlottenburg Palace in Berlin
Christmas market at Charlottenburg Palace © visitBerlin, Foto: Wolfgang Scholvien

The Berliner Ensemble under the direction of Alexandra Rossmann invites you to the Great Orangery of Charlottenburg Palace. The exquisite selection of classical and baroque pieces promises a wonderful afternoon and evening.

When: December 10 and 17 at 17:00 each day
Where: Charlottenburg Palace, Spandauer Damm 22, Charlottenburg

Tickets for the concert
Experience the Great Berlin Christmas Festival Concert at the Konzerthaus

Konzerthaus Berlin - Great Hall
Konzerthaus Berlin - Great Hall © Uwe Arens

One of Berlin's most beautiful concert halls opens its doors for the Great Berlin Christmas Festival Concert. An atmospheric compilation of Christmas works awaits you in the Great Hall of the Konzerthaus Berlin. The Anhaltinische Philharmonie, conducted by Elisa Gogou, will present Mozart's Concerto for Piano and Orchestra in D minor and a suite from Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker. Vassilis Varvaresos will play the piano for you.

When: December 25 at 8 pm
Where: Konzerthaus Berlin - Great Hall, Gendarmenmarkt 2, Mitte

Tickets for the concert
Listen to the Advent concert of the State Opera Children's Choir

Staatsoper Unter den Linden in Berlin
Staatsoper Unter den Linden © Foto: Max Lautenschläger

For more than 10 years, the children's choir of the Staatsoper Berlin has been putting audiences young and old in the mood for the Advent season. This year, the internationally renowned choir has come up with a special program for you. Christmas classics await you with works by Benjamin Britten, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Gabriel Fauré. To get you in the mood for the concert, we recommend the prelude, which begins 45 minutes before the performance. Tickets are of course available directly from us.

When: December 6 at 7 pm
Where: Staatsoper Unter den Linden, Unter den Linden 7, Mitte

Tickets for the concert
Get into the Christmas spirit with "The Trumpet shall sound"

Kaiser-Wilhelm-Gedächtniskirche
© Landesdenkmalamt Berlin, Foto: Wolfgang Bittner

Take a deep breath before Christmas and enjoy a Christmas concert for trumpet and organ - on December 23, Sebastian Heindl (organ) and Andre Schoch (trumpet) invite you to do just that.The Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church provides the perfect atmosphere for the Christmas concert.While the last errands are being run outside, you can relax to the sound of the trumpet and organ.

When: December 23 at 18:00
Where: Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church, Breitscheidplatz, Charlottenburg

The Trumpet shall sound

Listen to the angels at the GLORIA concert

Symphonie Orchester
© istock.com, Foto: cyano66

"Gloria - Glory to God in the highest": the Berlin Bach Academy has selected three baroque pieces of music to accompany the jubilation of the angels.
The centerpiece of the atmospheric concert is the second cantata with the jubilant Gloria - "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will to men". This is preceded and followed by Vivaldi's Gloria, RV 589, and Johann Sebastian Bach's cantata BWV 191, in which the orchestra proclaims the jubilant cry of the angels and their message of peace to the world with timpani and trumpets - et in terra pax hominibus bonae voluntatis.

When: December 16 at 8 pm

Where: Chamber Music Hall, Herbert-von-Karajan-Straße 1, Tiergarten

Tickets for the concert GLORIA 

Dance away with Sleeping Beauty

Pointe shoe of a ballerina
Ballett © Getty Images, Foto: Fedinchik

Sleeping Beauty is one of the most beautiful and popular ballets, which captivates audiences time and time again. The poetic fairy tale with the immortal music by Peter I. Tchaikovsky shines in all its magic on the stage of the Deutsche Oper. Let yourself be enchanted by the eternal battle between good and evil and redemption through true love.

When: December 13, 17, 20 and 25 
Where: Deutsche Oper Berlin, Bismarckstraße 35, Charlottenburg

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