The Drive-In Opera Experience by Staatsoper Berlin

Publicity.

If there’s one thing we’ve all learned over the past year, it’s that a lot of things we were used to had to be completely rethought and reinvented. This rings especially true for the cultural and artistic scene which has been completely closed for so long with very few alternatives.

Operas and theaters have suffered some of the most invasive restrictions in the few months they have been allowed to open, reducing audience capacities and shortening seasons. So there were very few opportunities to see anything on stage, only a few people got lucky with tickets and that is still a reality today.

But as they say: difficult circumstances make inventive. That’s what the folks at the Berlin Staatsoper must have thought in view of the premiere of Puccini’s new production. The opera was originally slated to be premiered online, but due to the reopening it actually had a physical premiere with a live audience. Of course, tickets sold out quickly and due to the shortened season there were very few performances. But to give many more people the chance to join in the premiere, they decided to show it in a unique drive-through cinema at Tempelhof Airport.

The abandoned airport has become the spectacular backdrop for this special event. Opera fans and culture-curious gathered in front of the hangars to enjoy the opera on a large digital screen. Drive-in cinemas aren’t very popular in Berlin, so this was a rare opportunity in several ways.

When people arrived and set up their snacks and drinks in their cars while they waited for the show to start, you could tell everyone was excited to finally join a life event. We have all been hungry for experiences like this, so for all who came, it was a joyful time.

Some people came in really original cars, some had super cool convertibles and some even came with carsharing cars because they didn’t have theirs. When I walked between the rows, I could see eyes of anticipation and joy.

When the opera began, all the cars fell silent and their passengers listened to the spectacle with enthusiasm. What presented on the screen was visually not what one would expect from a classic Italian opera. It is one of Puccini’s less famous plays – it was actually the first time it was performed at the Staatsoper in Berlin. And the subject matter is also quite unusual: it’s a story of the Wild West with cowboys and bar girls, a lot of dirt and a lot of drama – well, the drama is of course a given in the opera. .

When the show ended nearly three hours later, the audience was cheering and hissing ecstatically. Much like a typical drive-in cinema, the applause was also accompanied by horns and headlight flickering, which created a pretty impressive soundscape. I can only hope that opera singers can hear some of this special applause at the Staatsoper. The sun had already set when painting the sky in a nice gradient and a few light chains next to the screen created such a beautiful atmosphere.

It was wonderful to see that so many people really enjoyed the evening, not only because of the opera itself, but also because of this unique experience in this beautiful setting. It was one of the first live events we have personally witnessed and it was a joy to be able to do it again. We hope that the summer will have more opportunities like this – we look forward to more …