- Impressions
Portrait
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The Konzerthausorchester Berlin has been delighting audiences for more than 50 years now. Founded in 1952, the Berlin Symphony Orchestra (BSO) gained international recognition under Chief Conductor Kurt Sanderling (between 1960 and 1977). Numerous stars from the music world such as David Oistrach and Emil Gilels performed regularly with the orchestra. Sanderling also succeeded in building up a strong core of regulars for his subscription series even though the BSO moved between several different locations.
In 1977, Günter Herbig was appointed Chief Conductor, followed by Claus Peter Flor who took over in 1984. In the same year, Karl Friedrich Schinkel’s famous Schauspielhaus was reopened as a concert hall. The BSO thus got its first permanent residency on the city’s most beautiful square, the Gendarmenmarkt. Starting from there, Flor took the orchestra on numerous tours around the world. In 1988, they toured around Great Britain, the U.S.A. and Japan for seven weeks. Flor succeeded in furthering the already excellent national reputation of the orchestra to an international level as well.
During Michael Schønwandt’s term (1992 to 1998), the BSO officially merged with the Konzerthaus, becoming the house’s own orchestra. From 2001, the year of the orchestra’s 50th anniversary, Eliahu Inbal steered the BSO into the next generation. Young musicians from all parts of the world visibly added to the orchestra’s splendour. In 2001 the BSO successfully toured Japan, playing 15 concerts in 13 cities. In 2004 Inbal and the orchestra gave concerts also in Spain on a two-week tour, and in 2005 the BSO gave guest performances in China, Japan and Korea. In 2006 the orchestra toured Spain and Germany.
A new chapter began in August 2006 with Lothar Zagrosek as new Chief Conductor and a new name for the orchestra: the former Berliner Sinfonie-Orchester was renamed Konzerthausorchester Berlin. The name reflects the bond between orchestra and house, shaping the Konzerthaus program with nearly 100 concerts per season. The orchestra amplifies its repertoire and stylistic range continuously in order to interpret music from Monteverdi to Lachenmann with dynamism and competence alike. Young new musicians enrich the orchestra.
Lothar Zagrosek successfully launched the new formats »Mozart-Matinee« (Sunday morning concerts for the entire family), »Orchesterfest« (Orchestra Feast) and the New Year’s special »Silvester à la carte«. The first tour with Lothar Zagrosek led the orchestra around Germany and to the Netherlands, followed by a triumphant tour around Spain in February 2008. An online blog gave daily insights into the orchestra’s experiences during the tour. In September 2008 the orchestra took part in the »Prague Autumn Festival«. During a two-week tour around Great Britain (in connection with a residency at London’s Cadogan Hall) the orchestra received tremendous press coverage.
The Konzerthausorchester is a regular guest at international festivals such as the Prague Spring and the Athens Festival, La folle journée Nantes, and the Budapest Spring Festival. It took part in the annual » UltraSchall« New Music festival three times so far. The orchestra gives guest performances at the Choriner Musiksommer and the Mecklenburg-Vorpommern Festival at regular intervals.
With nearly 13,000 subscribers the Konzerthausorchester Berlin is among the orchestras with the highest number of regular visitors in Germany.
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