The Long Night of Opera and Theatre takes performance to the streets

For those of you who know a thing or two about your Stoppards or Thomas Manns, have memorized the libretto of Carmen or ever prided yourself on your ability to distinguish new wave from indie music, then it is easy to get cocky or otherwise cringe when faced with the smorgasbord of offerings in the likes of New York or London. You have done your time in the never-ending half-tix queues and then finally nirvana comes as you take your front-row seat (or standing room allocated squat space) at Covent Garden or Broadway. Right?

Wrong. Welcome to Berlin; currently giving New York and London some serious cultural Konkurrenz. The second annual ‘Long Night of Opera and Theatre’ in Berlin today starts at 7pm and for those who can withstand it, will finish at 1am. It is based on a simple and successful formula pioneered by Berlin for its ‘Long Night of the Museums’ (now in its 13^th year) – an event aimed at introducing new individuals to the cultural institutions who otherwise found it too costly or intimidating to attend a museum. The concept has risen in popularity dramatically, so much so that it has now spread to over 120 other cities throughout Europe.

The ‘Lange Nacht der Opern und Theater’ as it is known offers visitors the chance to see (where humanly possible) around 200 theatre, opera and dance performances which are mostly snippets of longer musical or theatrical pieces or short plays. 68 different theatres across the city are participating and each time slot is between 30 minutes to one hour long. Each performance, depending on the size of theatre and the type of performance, is either repeated or alternates between several different pieces throughout the night.

One ticket allows visitors access to all 68 theatres, as well as to public transportation. In true German style, efficiency reigns and the shuttle buses operate different ‘routes’ to the participating venues, leaving at 10-15 minute intervals. The bus rides to and from each venue are a large part of the fun – on one ride, you could be sitting next to a Linguistics Professor, on the next, find yourself chatting to a cabbie. The seamless logistics enable visitors to hop from venue to venue, according to their personal predilection and the programme.

It is theatrical tapas – a veritable feast for the eyes and ears. You could first sample some glamour and glitz jamón at the Friedrichstadtpalast while watching the cabaret show ‘Qi’. Or maybe swig down some sangria – ballet moves at the Komische Oper as it presents “Sonett XVIII” from  ‘Shut Up And Dance! Reloaded’, a modern ballet. Or, to top off the night, try some tasty patatas bravas in the form of ‘Buried Child’, the 1979 Pulitzer prize winning play from American Playwright, Sam Shepard being performed jointly by the English Theatre of Berlin and Theater Thikwa (the Theatre for the Disabled).

Public transport is organised to ensure a seamless evening of culture in Berlin

The Lange Nacht as it is affectionately known, has grown since it first started in 2009, where 50 theatres participated and approximately 20,000 visitors out of a city that only has a population of around 3.8 million. This year, numbers are expected in excess of 30, 000.

So, whether you want to get more closely acquainted with German Schlager music, take your young ones to the Puppet Theatre or have a penchant for the avantgarde – there is something for everyone. In a city where culture is so accessible and fun, going along to the Lange Nacht will surely be making our transatlantic cousins incredibly envious.

For more information and to buy tickets, see online here.