The Deutsche Oper Berlin bids farewell to the year with a diverse programme. December 2025 will be dominated by great Italian opera: in addition to a new production of Umberto Giordano’s Fedora, Andrea Chénier, a classic in a tried-and-tested production, will return to the stage. The programme is complemented by Puccini’s Madama Butterfly, popular Christmas classics such as Humperdinck’s Hänsel und Gretel and Strauss’ Die Fledermaus, as well as Rossini’s lively Barbier von Sevilla. A special concert with a tongue-in-cheek look at musical ‘guilty pleasures’ rounds off the December programme.
Fig. above: Die Fledermaus, premiere on 28 April 2018 at the Deutsche Oper Berlin, © Thomas Jauk.
It must be a rare exception in opera house schedules to be able to stage two productions by Umberto Giordano in the same month. In December, the Deutsche Oper Berlin is offering four performances of the new production of Giordano’s FEDORA as well as the last three performances of John Dew’s 1994 production of ANDREA CHENIER.
The new production of FEDORA, under the musical direction of John Fiore and staged by Christof Loy, features an outstanding cast: Vida Miknevičiūtė in the title role and Jonathan Tetelman as Loris Ipanoff can be seen after the premiere on 27 November and again on 1 and 5 December. In the last two performances of this series on 7 and 10 December, Rodrigo Garull, already acclaimed in FRANCESCA DA RIMINI, will take over the tenor role.
Under the musical direction of Andrea Battistoni, ANDREA CHÉNIER features the highly acclaimed tenor Martin Muehle in the title role alongside Roman Burdenko as Carlo Gérard – who recently received much applause at our theatre for his portrayal of Macbeth. The role of Maddalena di Coigny will be performed by Maria Motolygina (in her role debut), that of the Contessa by Stephanie Wake-Edwards, that of Bersi by Lucy Baker, and Doris Soffel will appear as Madelon. The performances will take place on 8, 13 and 18 December.
Giacomo Puccini’s MADAMA BUTTERFLY thrives on the character portrayal of Cio-Cio-San, played in the performances on 12 and 15 December by the multi-award-winning Italian Carmen Giannattasio – also celebrated at the theatre for her interpretations of Tosca, Gioconda and Giorgetta (IL TABARRO). Alongside her, Attilio Glaser makes his role debut as Pinkerton, Thomas Lehman appears as Sharpless and Karis Tucker as Suzuki. The musical direction is in the hands of Stephan Zilias, former Kapellmeister of the Deutsche Oper Berlin and current General Music Director of the Staatsoper Hannover, who has just been appointed Music Director of the Flemish Opera, Oper Ballet Vlaanderen, in Antwerp and Ghent (from September 2026).
Christmas programme
Visitors can also look forward to the classics in the Christmas programme: with HÄNSEL UND GRETEL (11, 14, 23 (2 x) December and 2 January), Engelbert Humperdinck has written an opera that appeals to children and adults alike. Director Andreas Homoki tells the fairy tale in a child-friendly and straightforward manner, contrasting the opulence of the music with lightness and poetic imagery. Friedrich Praetorius, who recently won third prize at the renowned German Conducting Award at the Cologne Philharmonic Hall, will be conducting.
The perfect programme for the end of the year: Johann Strauss and his FLEDERMAUS. With this work, he created the prototype of the Viennese operetta – full of waltzes, comedic mix-ups and yet bitter irony. Rolando Villazón stages it as a whimsical journey through time. Under the musical direction of Patrick Hahn, the Deutsche Oper invites you to performances on 20, 21, 27 and 31 December and on 3 January. Singers include Thomas Blondelle, Hulkar Sabirova, Flurina Stucki, Karis Tucker, Thomas Lehman, Philipp Jekal, Kieran Carrel, Thomas Cilluffo and many more.
Rossini’s IL BARBIERE DI SIVIGLIA also takes a comedic approach: in her production, Katharina Thalbach transposes the action to a bustling seaside resort, where a mysterious theatre wagon with characters from the Commedia dell’arte turns everyday life in the town upside down. Dean Murphy / Philipp Jekal (25 December) takes centre stage as the wily Figaro in this lively ensemble, with Aleksandra Meteleva as Rosina, Kieran Carrel / Kangyoon Shine Lee (25 December) as Count Almaviva and Misha Kiria as Bartolo. Performances on 22, 25 and 28 December.
2nd Tischlerei Concert: Guilty Pleasures – An Evening of Schmalzy Ballads
Even in classical music, there are works that border on kitsch. In the Tischlereikonzerte series on 17 December, musicians and soloists from the ensemble will present music for the heart and soul with verve and humour. The programme includes Jules Massenet’s Méditation for violin and harp from THAÏS, Rachmaninov’s Vocalise for clarinet and harp, and Antonín Dvořák’s Serenade in D minor for 10 wind instruments, violoncello and double bass, as well as music by Fritz Kreisler and Edith Piaf and jazz standards.
WHERE?
Deutsche Oper Berlin
Bismarckstraße 35
10627 Berlin-Charlottenburg
