The true story of Vera Brandes, teenage patron saint of the 1970s Cologne music scene, who risked everything to organize the greatest solo concert in music history: Keith Jarrett’s legendary Köln Concert.

Personal interviews with Haftbefehl and those closest to him reveal the story behind the German rap icon as he takes a brutally honest look at his life.

At Neuschwanstein Castle in Germany, Croatian cellist Stjepan Hauser blends genres alongside the Munich Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by maestro Ulf Schirmer. The soloist performs Bach's famous Air on the G String, the theme from The Godfather by Ennio Morricone, and music from the series Game of Thrones, composed by Ramin Djawadi.

A deep dive into Berlin’s club scene, following a musician over one night in a legendary techno club, which turns into a rave odyssey.

Heidi Klum hosts a big pre-Oktoberfest party. A spin-off from Germany's Next Topmodel, the inaugural "HeidiFest" is like a chart show with old hits and tons of beer. The Bavarian festival in Munich is joined by her and her ex-husband Seal's sons and daughters being immersed in her German culture and heritage.

Visionary composer and performer Meredith Monk overcame hostile critics to become one of the great artists of her time. In her seventh decade of creativity, she ponders how such singular work can continue without her.

Ageing misfit Sir Morosus lives alone in an old-style apartment in Charlottenburg in Berlin. He is wealthy, but also lonely and a bit grumpy. Then his nephew Henry moves in with him and his life takes a turn for the better. Director Jan Philipp Gloger homes in on two of the most pressing problems of the day: loneliness and the housing shortage. The Staatskapelle Berlin is conducted by Christian Thielemann.

In December 2025, the extraordinary artist Hildegard Knef would have celebrated her 100th birthday. Her life was shaped by numerous talents, an unshakeable will to succeed and the ability to keep pushing herself forward. This documentary sheds light on the life of the legendary actress and singer.

From a school band from Essen to an internationally celebrated thrash metal legend: To mark Kreator's 40th anniversary in 2024, frontman Mille Petrozza plans to re-record his greatest hits at the famous Hansa Studios in Berlin together with greats from the metal scene such as Metallica, Sepultura, Slayer, Anthrax and many more. With exclusive private archive material, the story of Kreator is told for the first time.

When Ovid's “Metamorphoses” meet Vivaldi's music: conceived and directed by Barrie Kosky, an effervescent show presented at the 2025 Salzburg Festival. With Cecilia Bartoli, Lea Desandre, Nadezhda Karyazina, and Philippe Jaroussky, as well as actress Angela Winkler in the spoken role of Orpheus.

Born in 1960 in Hagen, North Rhine-Westphalia, Nena, whose real name is Gabriele Susanne Kerner, grew up under the influence of a father who encouraged her from childhood to follow her instincts. As a teenager, she tried her hand at music. It wasn't long before a band was formed, The Stripes. 99 Luftballons, their second single, launched Nenamania in Germany and around the world.

Fifty years after the death of Dmitri Shostakovich, the Gewandhaus in Leipzig is paying tribute to one of the most played composers of the 20th century with a festival entirely dedicated to him. The programme for the opening concert in the futuristic setting of the Great Hall includes the Piano Concerto No. 2 in F major, with Daniil Trifonov as soloist, and the Symphony No. 4 in C minor.

The Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen, conducted by Omer Meir Wellber, takes over Neuschwanstein Castle in southern Germany for a lyrical concert featuring soprano Golda Schultz, tenor Rolando Villazón, and baritone Ludovic Tézier. In this grandiose building constructed by Ludwig II of Bavaria, the prestigious trio performs works by Mozart, Verdi, and Lehár.

He has never been more successful than he is today: in 2024, Roland Kaiser broke all audience records on his sold-out anniversary tour, was awarded his third Golden Hen, honored with four stamps of his own, and immortalized as a wax figure. And in 2025, the charismatic singer and entertainer is once again in top creative form—among other things, with the release of his new LP “Marathon.” In 2025, Kaiser will also be seen on the big screen for the first time.

The film accompanies Jacques Palminger (Studio Braun, Fraktus) and Carsten Meyer (aka Erobique) on their music theater project Songs for Joy, which was created in May 2024 in collaboration with the Deutsches Schauspielhaus on the Veddel and was celebrated in 2 concerts in front of a full house on the big stage.

At the Lightroom in London, pianist Yuja Wang offers an extraordinary recital at the heart of the immersive exhibition devoted to David Hockney. In this concert, the British painter's brightly coloured canvases enter into communion with the musical works performed, ranging from Bach to Samuel Barber. An unusual unison of the visual and audio arts.

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.

“As I child, I always had music in my head. I thought everybody did,” the legendary conductor Sir Simon Rattle recalls. His charming and humorous reflections on the unifying magic of conducting are complemented by interviews with well-known contemporaries and accompanied by thrilling concert footage. His music is a joy to all those who listen to it!

A gay artist flees the repressive laws and war in Russia to go to Berlin, leaving his boyfriend behind. Meanwhile, life in Berlin turns out to be less inclusive he had expected.

The story of a great friendship between Bruno Balz and Michael Jary. The most successful duo in schlager and film music has shaped German-language popular culture for five decades. The wild twenties, then cinema glamour and Gestapo imprisonment, new beginnings, and swinging sixties - their songs are still alive today.

With The World of Hans Zimmer - A New Dimension, the music of the Oscar winner conquers the big screen. This concert in Krakow displays the entire spectrum of Hans Zimmer's work and allows the audience to experience his film music with overwhelming intensity. At this concert in Krakow, Zimmer himself is on stage for only one evening of the tour, which has just won the Opus Klassik "Tour of the Year" Award. The orchestra invites the audience into Hans Zimmer's world - a world of unforgettable soundscapes that have made cinematic history. New arrangements of his masterpieces from Dune: Part Two, The Lion King, Gladiator, Interstellar, and many other hit movies are staged in an energetic, visually stunning setting.

Eva Ries – alias Evil-E – was for many years the marketing manager of the Wu-Tang Clan. A woman from the Baden provinces who held her own in the male-dominated world of US hip-hop and became a key figure in a global cultural phenomenon. The documentary tells the story of an unusual career between metal, grunge, and rap, of family dynamics, chaos on tour, and cultural misunderstandings – but also of loyalty, empowerment, and the question of how a woman can claim her place in a world full of alpha males.

"La Dolce Doku" is a master's thesis by Leonard Stern. The film delves into the pop-cultural phenomenon of Roy Bianco & Die Abbrunzati Boys – a band that represents far more than "just" Italian pop music. It explores authenticity, musical DNA, a longing for Italy, and the question: Why does this project work so well – and why does it resonate with so many people? Through interviews, studio footage from Vienna, concert moments, expert opinions from figures such as Dieter Thomas Kuhn, Dr. Richard Brütting, and Prof. Dr. Christoph Jacke, as well as insights from longtime associates of the band, the film attempts to paint a multifaceted picture – without shattering the myth. The documentary aims to explain why RB&DAB are not just a fleeting phenomenon, but a band with lasting relevance.

Returning to the archives of this memorable recital, from which it presents numerous excerpts, this documentary is punctuated with testimonials from its principal performers, music critics and several big names in piano, including Lang Lang, Gabriela Montero, David Salmon and Manuel Vieillard, whose Geister Duo is considered one of the most promising duos of their generation.

Francesco Cavalli's incandescent opera, where tragedy rubs shoulders with comedy, and burlesque alternates with deep emotion. Max Emanuel Cenčić directs a lively production, drawing on the codes of commedia dell'arte. This game of love and chance combines passion, betrayal, and power struggles. The countertenor takes on the title role, while Leonardo García Alarcón conducts the Cappella Mediterranea.

A memorable event: Martha Argerich and Daniel Barenboim in a piano duo in Buenos Aires! Together, the two friends had already performed almost everywhere in the world, except in their hometown. This first concert at the Teatro Colón was a great musical moment and, in a way, also a popular celebration.

A musical show combining pop, theater, and circus inspired by Johann Strauss's operetta “Cagliostro in Vienna,” written by Thomas Brezina and presented by the Roncalli circus company.

DON'T TRY THIS AT HOME.

The Konzerthausorchester Berlin, conducted by Joana Mallwitz, opens the 2025–2026 season with Maurice Ravel's hypnotic Boléro. This will be followed by Bryce Dessner's Piano Concerto, inspired and performed by pianist Alice Sara Ott. Also on the programme: Anna Meredith's Nautilus, a work brimming with energy, and Ludwig van Beethoven's First Symphony.

This film portrait of organist Iveta Apkalna reveals her journey from her native Latvia to the world's greatest stages. Her name is synonymous with virtuosity and complete dedication to music. "Iveta has the ability to bring music to life," says Finnish composer Esa-Pekka Salonen. The film shows the contrasts in Iveta Apkalna's professional life — from the glamour of the stage to lonely hours of rehearsal at night. The film features her performances with virtuoso violinist Hilary Hahn, outstanding conductor Paavo Järvi, and contemporary music composer Nico Muhly, as well as audience ovations and adrenaline.

From the first steps of an emerging singer to the final bow of a celebrated soprano, 'PRIMADONNA OR NOTHING' follows three relentless women who sacrifice everything to be an opera star.

That year, political tensions between the two enemy states had eased, and the aim was to deepen their cultural relationship. This event became a musical highlight, significant for the bond it forged between these two cultures.

In Vienna, at the Schönbrunn Palace Theater, director Nikolaus Habjan, in collaboration with conductor Hannah Eisendle, presents the operetta “Wiener Blut,” based on waltzes by Johann Strauss Jr.

The inaugural season of Tobias Kratzer and Omer Meir Wellber's partnership at the Hamburg State Opera kicks off. The director and conductor present Schumann's rarely performed oratorio Paradise and the Peri. The Peri's quest for redemption, brilliantly interpreted by Vera-Lotte Boecker, illustrates many of today's issues, such as the need for empathy in a world shaken by crises.

In Duisburg, Canadian pianist Marc-André Hamelin—world-renowned for his exceptional technique—delivered a standout performance at the Ruhr Piano Festival, to great acclaim from both audiences and critics alike. The program featured works by Joseph Haydn, John Oswald, Nikolai Medtner, and Sergei Rachmaninoff, as well as one of his own compositions, “Boîte à musique.”

A man escapes to a bar late at night to avoid being alone. But when more and more partying people come into the bar and start encouraging him to join in, he is faced with the question: fit in or remain himself.

Norwegian conductor Tabita Berglund leads the Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra in Anna Thorvaldsdottir's Archora, Wagner's Prelude to Tristan and Isolde, and Sibelius' Seventh Symphony. In the first half, Julian Steckel performs Shostakovich's Cello Concerto No. 1.

Blues, gospel, jazz: Jon Batiste has been immersed in music since childhood. He played in his family's band, studied piano and went on to become a Master of Jazz at the Julliard School in New York. In Basel, he performed a piano and vocal repertoire: a resolutely contemporary return to his roots that has earned him seven Grammy Awards and an Oscar.

In Lithuania, soprano Asmik Grigorian and tenor Dmytro Popov join forces with the Kaunas Symphony Orchestra for a high-profile opera concert at the city's St. Peter and St. Paul Cathedral. The programme features excerpts from works by Verdi, Bellini and César Franck.

Attila, the King of the Huns, has conquered the strategically and economically significant Italian city of Aquileia during his campaign of conquest. Admiring the bravery of Odabella, a duke's daughter, Attila spares her life and presents her with his sword. But she swears bloody revenge for his conquest of her city. When she prevents an attempt on Attila's life by her former lover Foresto, which he has planned with the Roman general Ezio, she finally wins the Hun's trust. But has she abandoned her murderous plan?

An exceptional event took place from 31 October to 1 November 2025 in St Thomas Church in Leipzig, where Bach was cantor: Johannes Lang performed the complete organ works of his illustrious predecessor. The 22-hour programme followed the liturgical year. The works in this first part celebrate Advent and Christmas.

At the Saarland Modern Galerie in Saarbrücken, Germany, songs from Unfurl, Asaf Avidan's new album, blend with masterpieces from a contemporary art collection that is as socially conscious as it is inspiring.

A key figure in modern folk rock, Amy Macdonald captivates audiences with her haunting melodies and unique voice. Her sixth album, Is This What You've Been Waiting For?, continues her musical odyssey. On stage, the singer exudes boundless energy and irresistible charm.

At the age of 24, Sicilian Alberto d'Ascola decided to move to Jamaica to get closer to reggae and his roots. Over the years, he has established himself and won respect in the very place where the music was born.

Max Richter recomposed Vivaldi’s Four Seasons in 2012, premiered by superstar violinist Daniel Hope. This reimagining brought one of the classical canon’s greatest hits to new audiences in techno clubs and on music platforms. To celebrate the tricentennial of the original, ARTE is showing a filmed staging of Richter’s work from 2014.

Latvian mezzo-soprano Elīna Garanča is one of the greatest voices of our time. Accompanied by the CHAARTS ensemble, she performs the most beautiful arias from Bizet's Carmen, including the famous Habanera, in a unique arrangement for chamber ensemble.

From heartbreak to ecstasy, the Berliner Philharmoniker’s New Year’s Eve Concert takes you on an emotional roller-coaster ride. With his velvety, lyrical voice, star tenor Benjamin Bernheim revels in the lovesick agonies of famous opera heroes: Don José from Bizet’s Carmen, Lenski from Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin, Massenet’s Werther and Gounod’s Romeo. Chief conductor Kirill Petrenko provides some sunnier touches with works by Chabrier and Gershwin.

On an open-air stage in the castle courtyard, Klaus Florian Vogt and the Munich Symphony Orchestra present a varied program featuring works by Mozart, Wagner, and Strauss.

Now a global benchmark for blending medieval sounds with contemporary music, Faun began in 1999 in Gräfelfing, in the western suburbs of Munich. The Bavarian band has always remained faithful to its “pagan folk” roots and even attempted to qualify for Eurovision in 2015! Their twelfth studio album, entitled “Hex,” is scheduled for release in September. A great way to get us in the mood.

Mortimer's compositions blend roots reggae with more contemporary influences. His remarkable voice moves with disconcerting ease from a deep, raw timbre to a delicate falsetto.

In this music video for SALÒ, a customer is lost in the DIY store and desperately looking for help. But the seemingly only employee far and wide involves him in a chaotic chase that leads deeper and deeper into a labyrinth of shelves, aisles and departments. The snotty punk soundtrack thumps to the beat of a playful, childlike DIY stop-motion look. And fast jump cuts ensure that both the customer and the viewer end up with a few screws loose.

An adult man decides to take a substance that makes him feel like a child again.

For Aloe Blacc, a song is more than just a track. Both a producer and performer, he combines funk, soul and political engagement in songs such as ‘I Need a Dollar’ and ‘The Man’. He is a musician who has mastered groove and the art of making bodies and minds dance.

An exclusive documentary featuring a detailed look into Souly's life between 2022 and 2025, and into the creative process behind the making of his long-awaited second studio album, Traence.

The Bayreuth Festival's annual new production is one of the most eagerly awaited events of the operatic calendar, and in 2025 Matthias Davids brings his experience as a multi-award-winning director of musical theatre to Wagner's only mature comedy, Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg. This highly anticipated staging is matched by a superb musical line-up, with Daniele Gatti conducting an international cast including Georg Zeppenfeld as Hans Sachs, Michael Spyres as Walther von Stolzing and the young Swedish soprano Christina Nilsson as Eva. All in all, it promises to be a fresh and revitalizing take on this most inspiring of Wagner's works, which asks fundamental questions about art, inspiration and what it means to be truly creative.

Fazıl Say concludes the Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival at the Elbphilharmonie with the Borusan Istanbul Philharmonic Orchestra and conductor Carlo Tenan. The programme for this eclectic evening includes works by Gershwin, Ravel and Tüzün, as well as Turkish pianist Fazıl Say's Sixth Symphony, composed in 2022 under the title A Hundred-Year-Old Child.

What a prestigious cast for this Brahms evening! Renaud Capuçon and Julia Hagen, two internationally acclaimed artists, first perform the Double Concerto for violin and cello. They are accompanied by the Bamberg Symphony Orchestra conducted by Jakub Hrůša. The concert ends in style with Symphony No. 4.