Performer: Staatskapelle Berlin

Diana Damrau doesn't quite soar in the Four Last Songs, but this was an Alpensinfonie to treasure. 

Carlo Rizzi’s conducting and a strong vocal cast led by Sonya Yoncheva partially make up for Lydia Steier's misdirected staging in the Staatsoper Unter den Linden’s production of Spontini’s opera.

Andrea Moses transforms Mozart’s opera into a hybrid of Singspiel, stand-up comedy and cabaret, a concept that rarely deepens the work and often competed directly with it.

At the Staatsoper Unter den Linden, Rafael R Villalobos addresses the problems he perceives with Verdi’s Un ballo in maschera, although the musical performances – led by Anna Netrebko – compensate.

Patricia Nolz makes an outstanding role debut as Christian Thielemann conducts a thrusting Rosenkavalier to open the Staatsoper Unter den Linden's Festtage. 

Bei einem Berlin-Besuch stehen Klassikfans vor der Qual der Wahl. Um die Entscheidung zu erleichtern geben wir Einblicke über die Vielzahl der Berliner Klassik-Bühnen, von groß bis klein, von traditionell bis alternativ, von Weltstars bis hin zu jenen, die es werden wollen.

From music venues galore to countless architectural gems, vibrant Berlin is anything but staunchly Teutonic. Here's Clara Colotti's run-down.