Berlin’s Cultural Landscape – Opera Gala Adds an International Night to the Capital’s Autumn Season

The Filharmonie Brno, Maestro Arkady Beryn and soloists René Barbera, Florian Sempey and Alisa Medvedeva come together at the Philharmonie Berlin on 2 November 2026.

Berlin’s position as one of Europe’s major cultural capitals is built not only on its permanent institutions, but also on the constant arrival of artists, orchestras and productions from abroad. Concert halls, opera houses, museums and festivals form part of a cultural sector that attracts both local audiences and international visitors throughout the year.

On Monday, 2 November 2026, that international character will be reflected at the Philharmonie Berlin, where the Operngala-Nacht brings the Filharmonie Brno to the Großer Saal under Maestro Arkady Beryn, joined by American tenor René Barbera, French baritone Florian Sempey and soprano Alisa Medvedeva.

Events of this kind are part of the wider cultural life of a city whose international reputation is closely connected with music and the performing arts. The Philharmonie itself is one of Berlin’s defining cultural institutions. Designed by Hans Scharoun and opened in 1963, it is home to the Berliner Philharmoniker while also welcoming guest concerts and visiting ensembles.

The artists arriving for the November gala reflect that international circulation.

René Barbera became the first singer to win all three top prizes at Plácido Domingo’s Operalia competition in 2011 and has since appeared at the Metropolitan Opera, La Scala, the Opéra national de Paris, the Vienna State Opera and the Bavarian State Opera.

French baritone Florian Sempey has built his career across major European opera houses and festivals. Particularly associated with Rossini’s Figaro, he has appeared at the Opéra national de Paris, the Royal Opera House in London and the Rossini Opera Festival in Pesaro. In 2022, he was appointed Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres.

Soprano Alisa Medvedeva, a graduate of the Saint Petersburg Conservatoire, has performed at venues including Dubai Opera, Wiener Stadthalle and Mozarthaus Vienna, with further appearances in Paris, Monaco, Porto Cervo, St. Moritz and Bucharest. She has shared the stage with artists including Andrea Bocelli, Il Divo, Vittorio Grigolo and Luca Salsi.

The Filharmonie Brno brings another European cultural institution to the programme. Founded in 1956, it is one of the Czech Republic’s principal orchestras and has developed an extensive international presence through tours and festival appearances.

The orchestra will perform under Maestro Prof. Arkady Beryn, whose career spans more than four decades and much of Europe. Chief Conductor of the Internationale Symphoniker Deutschland from 2003 to 2011, he has worked with the Berliner Symphoniker, the Leipziger Symphoniker, the Württembergische Philharmonie, the Camerata Salzburg, the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra and the Győr Philharmonic, and has appeared at the Philharmonie Berlin, the Vienna Musikverein and the Amsterdam Concertgebouw. Beryn holds the Grand Prix of an international competition in Luxembourg and, as a professor of conducting, gives regular international masterclasses, several of his former students now hold leading positions with major orchestras.

The programme combines opera arias and duets with orchestral works, presenting music from several European traditions in a single evening. Rather than focusing on one staged production, the gala brings different composers, voices and orchestral works together in concert form.

For Berlin, evenings such as this form part of a much larger cultural ecosystem: established institutions provide the stage, visiting artists and ensembles bring new programmes to the city, and audiences encounter performers whose careers extend far beyond Germany. The Operngala-Nacht is one example of how an international cultural capital continually renews its calendar.

The Operngala-Nacht takes place at the Philharmonie Berlin on Monday, 2 November 2026, at 20:00.

EVENT INFORMATION

Operngala-Nacht – Opera Gala at the Philharmonie Berlin

Monday, 2 November 2026, 20:00

Philharmonie Berlin – Großer Saal

Herbert-von-Karajan-Straße 1, 10785 Berlin, Germany

Conductor: Maestro Arkady Beryn

Soloists: René Barbera, tenor; Florian Sempey, baritone; Alisa Medvedeva, soprano

Orchestra: Filharmonie Brno (Brno Philharmonic)

Programme: Arias, duets, overtures and intermezzi by Tchaikovsky, Mozart, Puccini, Bizet, Verdi, Mascagni, Bellini, Donizetti, Rossini, Dvořák and Zequinha de Abreu

Tickets: from €26.50 via Eventim – eventim.de/artist/philharmonie-berlin/operngala-nacht-philhamonie-berlin-4122419

Event page: Philharmonie Berlin – berliner-philharmoniker.de/en/concert/calendar/57371

Event listing: visitBerlin – visitberlin.de/en/event/brno-philharmonic-opera-gala-night