© Jan Windszus Photography
Selam Opera!
The program for urban cultures
In 2011, the Komische Oper Berlin launched the intercultural project »Selam Opera!«. It takes the Komische Oper Berlin's self-image as an "opera house for everyone" quite literally and aims to create occasions for encounters between urban society and opera. In the long term, the networks between the opera house and the people in the city are to be strengthened, thereby working toward an improved culture of community life.
The awareness of the »own« and the »other« encourages to leave well-worn patterns and to open up for a broader conception of cultural education. The focus is not on the classic »educational mission«, which often aims to »elevate« the other person to a »higher level«, but on collaborative trying and doing. This cultural self-image is not only evident on the stage of the opera house, but also in the composition of the artistic staff and culturally sensitive employees. The audience is also invited to follow this path.
The awareness of the »own« and the »other« encourages to leave well-worn patterns and to open up for a broader conception of cultural education. The focus is not on the classic »educational mission«, which often aims to »elevate« the other person to a »higher level«, but on collaborative trying and doing. This cultural self-image is not only evident on the stage of the opera house, but also in the composition of the artistic staff and culturally sensitive employees. The audience is also invited to follow this path.
For the Komische Oper Berlin, »opening up to the city« means not only throwing open the gates of opera, its music and its very special art form to everyone, regardless of cultural, social or financial background, but also crossing the threshold of the house itself, among other things with the »Opera Dolmuş« project.
The results of the continued examination of the topic of »multicultural (urban) society« are also reflected in the work on stage, be it in the »Türk Müzik Festivali« organized in the 2016/17 season with the acclaimed performance of the renowned group Kardeş Türküler and superstar Candan Erçetin, be it the world premiere of the children's opera The Bremen Town Musicians (Bremen Mızıkacıları) penned by Antalya-based composer Attila Kadri Şendil. Here, not only has a contemporary Turkish composer set to music a German fairy tale that is also popular in Turkey, but it is also sung side by side in Turkish and German - and quite naturally. In 2022, Kardeş Türküler returned to the stage of the Komische Oper Berlin for the commissioned work »Üçüncü Mevki - Im Wagen dritter Klasse« and presented a special concert project based on poems by Nâzım Hikmet and Bertolt Brecht.
Feel free
to contact us!
Mustafa Akça
Program Manager »Selam Opera!«
Dramaturgy – Urban Cultures
T +49 (0)30 20260 492
m.akca@komische-oper-berlin.de
Dramaturgy – Urban Cultures
T +49 (0)30 20260 492
m.akca@komische-oper-berlin.de
Julia Oesterreich
Staff »Selam Opera!«
Dramaturgy – Urban Cultures
T +49 (0)30 20260 386
j.oesterreich@komische-oper-berlin.de
Dramaturgy – Urban Cultures
T +49 (0)30 20260 386
j.oesterreich@komische-oper-berlin.de
Projects
Restliche Projekte fehlen!
Supporters and sponsors
We sincerely thank all sponsors and supporters for their commitment to Selam Opera! Would you also like to get involved? Then you can find more information here.
Thanks to
Serap Dolu-Leibfried
Serap Dolu-Leibfried