Blacher: Fanfare Festive (premiered at the opening of the Philharmonie, 1963) Ives: The Unanswered Question Mozart: Serenade No. 8 in D Major, K. 286 (269a) Notturno Penderecki: Emanations for 2 string orchestras Tchaikovsky: Suite No. 3 in G Major, Op. 55 Adams: Short Ride in a Fast Machine

The Berliner Philharmoniker dedicate their New Year's Eve concert to famous lovers from the repertoire, embodied with intensity by French tenor Benjamin Bernheim. On the program: Don José (Carmen by Georges Bizet), Lenski (Eugene Onegin by Tchaikovsky), Werther (in the opera of the same name by Jules Massenet) and Romeo (Charles Gounod's Roméo et Juliette). Conducted by Kirill Petrenko, works by Gabriel Fauré, Emmanuel Chabrier, and George Gershwin round out this festive program.

Like an outcry the elemental force of the orchestra shatters the silence, the storm on the coast of Cyprus rages incessantly. The wind whips, lightening cuts through the roaring skies. As Othello, the great general and commander becomes entangled in Iago's web of machinations; as the calamitous seed of jealousy germinates and Othello's love for his wife Desdemona begins to decay, even on their wedding day; as Desdemona, "nevertheless insists, although she senses or feels that this harm comes her way, and that Othello in his jealousy is really capable of killing her" (Amélie Niermeyer) – with his Otello Verdi created an operatic drama, the likes of which had never before been so tight, so direct, so intensive and so beautiful, and still today unmatched.

The Berlin Philharmonic brings in the New Year with a festive concert featuring performances of music by Gershwin, Bernstein, Porter & Loewe.

Kirill Petrenko conducts this live performance of the Berliner Philharmoniker with Diana Damrau. The programme features works by Richard Rodgers, Kurt Weill, Stephen Sondheim and Harold Arlen.

The annual New Year’s Eve Concert is one of the highlights in the calendar of every classical music fan in Berlin and beyond. On New Year‘s Eve, the Berliner Philharmoniker invite an exceptional soloist for a festive gala. Together, the musicians bid farewell to the old year and welcome the new. The 2019 concert was conducted by Kirill Petrenko and featured soprano Diana Damrau. On the programme: George Gershwin: Girl Crazy - Overture, Richard Rodgers: If I loved you from "Carousel", Leonard Bernstein: I feel pretty from and Dances from "West Side Story", Kurt Weill: Foolish Heart from "One Touch of Venus" and Lady in the Dark - Symphonic Nocturne, Stephen Sondheim: Send in the Clowns from "A Little Night Music", Harold Arlen: Over the Rainbow from "The Wizard of Oz", George Gershwin: An American in Paris, Frederick Loewe: I Could Have Danced All Night from "My Fair Lady", Franz Waxman: The Ride of the Cossacks from "Taras Bulba."

Arvo Pärt: Fratres for string orchestra and percussion György Ligeti: Ramifications for string orchestra Samuel Barber: Adagio for Strings Gustav Mahler: Symphony No. 4 (Erwin Stein arrangement)