When they founded the Deutsche Oper Berlin in 1912, the burghers of Charlottenburg were pushing for democratic reform of the cultural landscape. Their ideals informed the work of architect Fritz Bornemann, who rebuilt the institution in 1961 following the ravages of World War II.

Excellent acoustics and lines of sight provide the setting for exceptional musical theatre; the opera’s spacious foyers are gathering places for the capital’s lovers of high culture. International stars, a first class ensemble and directors of distinction present a repertoire ranging from Mozart to modern-day opera and encompassing Verdi, Wagner, Puccini, Strauss, Meyerbeer, Berlioz and Britten. The orchestra headed by Donald Runnicles is world famous and a regular guest at the Musikfest Berlin and the BBC Proms.

Artistic director since 2012 has been Dietmar Schwarz. Among his achievements has been the development of the “Tischlerei” into an institution for participatory musical theatre and premieres of new works.