_{Sponsors and friends in our lobby © Max Zerrahn}

 

Dear opera lovers,
Dear opera enthusiasts,

We warmly welcome you to the 2026/27 season, which will set our historic theatre on a new course within the international opera world. The members of the Förderkreis der Deutschen Oper Berlin e. V. play a particularly important role in this: through our financial and voluntary commitment, we are a cornerstone of an impressive development that we actively and enthusiastically support. As members of the Förderkreis, we are in close contact with the opera’s management and their ideas, gain exclusive insights into the magnificent orchestra, attend key rehearsals and know the otherwise inaccessible corners of one of the world’s greatest opera houses like the back of our hand. We celebrate our community in Berlin, travel together to exciting performances at home and abroad, collaborate with key organisations worldwide and thus continually broaden our horizons. Our cheerful camaraderie, which has grown over many years, strengthens us in our support of all those areas where the future takes shape: in nurturing young talent, enabling ambitious productions, and being close to artistic highlights that have an impact far beyond the curtain into the world of musical theatre.

It would be a great pleasure for us to welcome you to the Friends of the Deutsche Oper Berlin e. V. and to actively shape the future of this institution together with you.

Warm regards, Heike Maria von Joest
Chair of the Board

A key focus of our commitment is providing financial support for forward-looking productions and special projects. Where government funding alone is insufficient, the Förderkreis creates additional scope and helps to bring artistic projects of the highest quality to fruition. In this way, we ensure diversity, innovation and high artistic standards.

In the 2026/27 season, you will be able to experience numerous performances «with the support of the Förderkreis», presenting the full spectrum of artistic diversity across a range of directorial styles, from timeless classics to conceptual interpretations: Rigoletto, The Magic Flute, Carmen, Don Carlo, La forza del destino, The Queen of Spades, Elektra, Hansel and Gretel, Nixon in China, Lohengrin, Salome and Nabucco, as well as the new productions of Wednesday from Light, Sunville, The Flying Dutchman and Around the World in 80 Days.

Through the «Talent Circle», the Förderkreis is dedicated to supporting the next generation of singers. By awarding scholarships, we enable young singers to gain experience at a major opera house at an early stage, to work with professional ensembles, and to develop their skills in real-world stage conditions. Many of these talents go on to make their mark in renowned ensembles both at home and abroad. Names such as Flurina Stucki, Annika Schlicht, Attilio Glaser, Andrei Danilov and Artur Garbas are impressive testament to the lasting impact of our support.

Our young singers, who will be enriching our ensemble as scholarship recipients during the 26/27 season:

Tom Nicholson 
Scholarship recipient in the Talent Circle of the  Förderkreises

Sophie Salvesani
Scholarship recipient of the Opera Foundation Australia

Christopher Humbert Jr.
Lauryn Davis
Scholarship recipients of the Opera Foundation New York

Young Choi
Scholarship recipient of the Korean National Opera

  How do you become a scholarship recipient?

The orchestra is also at the heart of our commitment. In the Orchestra Academy, young, up-and-coming talents undergo a year of intensive training to prepare them for a role in the orchestra of the Deutsche Oper Berlin. Through personalised training and direct involvement in opera productions, they gain valuable practical experience within an internationally renowned orchestra.

Our Orchestra Academy Students 2026/27

Rebecca Thies, Yujeong Nam, Balthasar Thom, Emma Pircher, Jihae Bae (violin), Eden Meyer Khaiat, Hoyoon Kim (viola), Sofia Blandu, Johann Eilrich (cello), Simone Kreuzpointner, Pablo Mascarós Molina (double bass), Annika Rast (flute), Anton Franz (bassoon), Antoni Ivars Bertomeu (trumpet), Darian Keller (trombone).

The Förderkreis acts as a bridge between the opera house and the wider community. Through its diverse range of activities and events, it brings together audiences, culture enthusiasts, educational institutions and business partners, thereby strengthening the Deutsche Oper Berlin’s place within the cultural landscape of the capital.

Patron

Dr Richard von Weizsäcker [1920 – 2015]

Honorary Chair and Honorary Member

Honorary Chair
Edzard Reuter [1928 – 2024]

Honorary Members
Dr Marion Knauf, Dr Karlheinz Knauthe, Prof. Dr Klaus Pohle, André Schmitz

Executive Committee

Chair
Dr Heike Maria von Joest

1st Deputy Chair
Dr Kilian Jay von Seldeneck

2nd Deputy Chair
Dr Philipp Semmer

Treasurer
Klaus Siegers

Dr Aviel Cahn, Prof. Dr Karsten E. Dreinhöfer, Prof. Dr Axel Fischer, Sophie Princess of Prussia, Theodora Schnauck-Betow

Head of the Secretariat
Ulrike Sweetwood

Coordination of Young Friends
Rufus Franzen

Board of Curators

Evelyn Herlitzius, Dr. Marion Knauf, Prof. Dr. Hermann Parzinger, Georg Friedrich Prinz von Preussen, Stephan Schwarz, Jonathan Tetelman, Christoph Waltz 

Corporate Partnership / Patrons

3n.berlin, Berliner Pflegehilfe BPHE – Ambulante Pflege GmbH, Donner & Reuschel AG, International Music and Art Foundation, Kreuzberger Kinderstiftung, Scholz Umzüge Möbelspedition GmbH, Siegfried Schwert, Siemens AG, VON POLL IMMOBILIEN Berlin City-West, Weberbank Actiengesellschaft, zkkh Partnerschaft mbB

Mecenates

Sabine Prinzessin von Anhalt, Dr. Siegfried und Stefan Bartho, Berliner Sparkasse, Berliner Volksbank
e. G. [Yvonne Heidemann], Wolf Dieter und Annette Borchert, Julian und Nina Dames, Claus-Jürgen und Renate Diederich, Willibald Diefenthäler, Serap Dolu-Leibfried, Dr. Annelie Forbriger, Axel Goedicke, Dieter und Erina Graalfs, Bert Günzburger und Lothar Matthiak, Franz Reinhard Hauk, Dr. Heike Maria von Joest, Dr. Dr. Peter Kaulen und Eliseo Diroma, Dorothee Kexel, Dr. Marion Knauf, Dr. Karlheinz Knauthe, Marlene Krug, Dr. Constanze und Olfert Landt, Marcel Lau, Dr. Marlies Machens, Dr. Bernd Freiherr von Maltzan, Marco Freiherr von Maltzan, Martina Maruhn, Verbena Meyer, Michael Moritz und Jessica Algner, Cameron Munro, Ingeborg Neumann, Dr. Kirk Nordwald, Dr. Arend Oetker, Dr. Alejandra Perez-Cantó, Andrea Proft, Robert Bosch GmbH, Walter Sandvoss, Theodora Schnauck-
Betow, Dr. Rainer W. Schoene, Dr. Fabian Sell, Heike Steinmeier, Manfred Strohscheer, J. Patrick Truhn, Klaus D. und Gesa B. Vogt

Supporters

Karin Arnold, Ingrid Ashmore, Dietmar F. Aust, Francois Avenas und Leo Balk, Hildburg Bartels, Helga Bayer, Dr. Bernard Bengs, Dr. Monique Béringer, Karl H. und Roswitha Blatz, Gerd-U. Blümel, Karin Bothke, Dr. Viktor Büber, Ricarda Büchsel, Jutta Buschenhagen-Herzog, Sigurd Butenschön, Dr. Yves Clairmont, Erhard Czemper, Stephan Danner, Ingeborg van Delden, Wolfgang Deutz, Dr. Horst und Ingeborg Dietz, Robert Döring-Strohscheer, Markus Egerer und Udo Niemann, Hildegard Engel, Dr. Andrea Fahrholz, Rainer Fineske, Berthold Finke, Prof. Dr. Axel Fischer, Dr. Thomas Fischer und Maria Paulus, Ernst Freiberger, Dr. Mario Friedmann, Hartmut Fromm und Dr. Inge Groth-Fromm, Franz Gescher, Dr. Brigitte Günzel und Johannes Misler, Rolf H. Haeger und Florian A. Chiutu-Haeger, Dr. Rainer Hafer, Maria Hamacher, Isa Gräfin von Hardenberg, Detlef Hasse, Martin Hattenbach, Dagmar Herbst, Rainer Herrmann, Ingrid Hoffmann, Ingrid Hoffmann und Eberhard-Eike Schur, Roland Volker und Ursula Hoffmann, Dr. Jan Holthues, Dr. Ferdinand Hundt und Elke Frommann, Horst Ihloff, Karin von Joest, Harald und Christiane Joos, Dr. Marc Kastrup, Rolf Kelm, Arwed und Gritta Kemna, Dr. Hans-Ulrich Kilian und Klaus Peter Conrad, Dr. Peter Kern, Tobias Kielinger, Prof. Dr. Stefan Kirmße, Helgard Klempin, Dr. Joachim Klimas, Dr. Wolf-Ulrich Klotz, Klaus und Katharina Kneisel, Carola Koerner, Klaus Köhler, Dr. Gerhard Krause und Annette Krause-Weilbier, Rolf und Stefanie Kromat, Joachim Krüger, Dr. Gunhild Kühn und Armin Schafberger, Sieglinde Kurz, Hans Kusche, Bodo und Gabriela Lamché, Otfried Laur, Dieter Lauzat, Dr. Christoph und Dr. Petra Lehmann, Hannemarie Leube, Lars-Uwe Luther, Dr. Erwin Marggraf, Ingrid Mattausch, Ernst-Ulrich und Dorothea Matz, Dr. Constanze Merkelbach und Dr. Boris Scholtka, Dr. Christian Messer und Ian Dickinson, Dr. Gernot Moegelin und Marleen Moegelin, Sylvia Möller, Ursela Monn, Rotraud Mörschner, Erika Müller, Jutta Müller, Heike Neugebauer, Monika Neumann, Renate Nigam, Prof. Dr. Roland und Dr. Hedwig Oberhänsli, Hede Ohle, Klaus Christian und Ramona Olasz, Dr. Peter R. und Edeltraud Pawlik, Jörg Pettka, Ernst-Alexander Pistor, Christel Pixa-Weiße, Werner Pohl, Norbert und Angelika Rather, Prof. Dr. Peter Raue, Kristina Rebsch, Elisabeth Rehder-Schlungbaum und Silvia Lutter, Dr. Stefan Richter, Gabriele Rick, Heinz-Jürgen Rickert, Gisela Rochow, Dr. A. O. Rohlfs, Dr. Katrin Roscher, Monika Rowe, Joachim Rudnitzky, Bernadette und Rainer Ruff, Dr. Ursula Rühl, Matthias Ruoff und Friederike von Poser,  Dr. Dr. Florian Sachs, Dr. Lutz und Margarete Schaffron, Dr. Thomas Schimming, Eleonore Schlegel, Dr. Gert und Margarita Schmalenbach, André Schmitz, Harald Schneider, Wolfgang Schoele, Karin Schopp, Irene Schubert und Ingrid Kombatzke, Schultheiss Brauerei [Wolfhard Buß], Bernd Schultz, Dr. Cornelius Schwarz, Prof. Dr. Jürgen Schwarz,Stephan Schwarz, Dr. Wolfgang Schweitzer, Peter Sechehaye und Sylvio Krause, Gabriele Seidel-Schellert, Jutta Schrader, Dr. Manfred Semmer, Dr. Philipp Semmer, Dr. Sebastian Sendler, Eva Spitzley, Friede Springer, Dr. Eberhard Stecher, Dr. Salma Teimoori und Dr. Bernd Haase, Markus Thiem, Rolf und Carola Thinius, Susanne Trampe, Dr. Christoph Ufer und Stephan Heinig, Wolfgang und Sabine Usinger, Dr. Verena Varnholt, Susanne Wagenmann, Ute Warning, Dr. Ulrich Weber, Klaus Weck, Dr. Helena Weigert-Marx, Dr. Angelika Westerwelle, Prof. Dr. Harald Wiedmann, Richard Winger, Gunter Wirth, Dr. Angelika Wrede, Dietmar Zielke

Friends

Silke Alsweiler-Lösch, Sara Alves de Souza und Johannes Graner, Christopher Bade, Eva Bayreuther, Polly Benecke, Ulrike Benz, Larissa Berger, Anke Bergmann, Prof. Dr. Ulrich Bernsau, Gisela Bittermann, Eike Böhm, Dr. Marela und Prof. Dr. Stephan Bone-Winkel, Karin Bräunig, Jean-Pierre Brunet und Laurence Krauss-Brunet, Christoph Brzezinski, Desirée Buschsieweke, Inge Carlsen, Andrzej Ceglar, Dr. Olaf Christiansen, Nina Crönert, Sigrid Cuneus, Ingrid Dencks, Patricia Denke-Steinmann, Ulf Domgörgen, Dr. Ingeborg Donder, Volker Doppelfeld, Dr. Susan Ebeling-Zimmermann, Monika Eberstein-Reichl, Prof. Dr. Kai-Uwe Eckardt und Dr. Heike Eckardt, Heinz-Joachim Elbe, Hannelore Elsig-Bauer, Dr. Elmar und Gisela Engels, Dr. Ingeborg Espermann, Marianne Esser, Christina Feilchenfeldt und Bernhard Mueller, Hans Jürgen und Christine Fink, Ulrike Flaig und Dr. Frank Roitzsch, Dr. Renate Fogel-Horak, Fabian Friehe, Dr. Michael Garmer, Birgit Gebhardt, Dr. Hans-Michael Giesen, Prof. Dr. Jutta Glock, Thomas Goebel, Axel Goedecke, Hanna Goeters, Prof. Dr. Günther und Dr. Ingrid Groth, Prof. Dr. Anja Grothe-Wohnlich und Martin Wohnlich, Annette Grünberg, Christian Gründler, Waltraud Guhn, Ulrike Haagen und Dr. Joachim Struck, Gabriele Haas, Monika Hachtel, Helga von Hammerstein-Loxten, Gabriele Gloria Hartmann, Prof. Dr. Timo und Natalya Hartmann, Dr. Harald Hasselmann und Anja Hasselmann, Tobias Hauck, Dr. Volker Heenes, Klaus Hentges, Barbara Hering, Dr. Rainer und Dr. Angelika Herter, Stephanie Hinke, Hans-Joachim Hirsch, Monika Hofer-Scharl und Dr. Curt Hofer, Christine Holfeld-Özuysal, Manfred Huber, Barbara Ihnow, Astrid Jäger Fricke und Detlev U. Fricke, , Dr. Kilian Jay von Seldeneck, Dr. Thomas Jestädt, Elisabeth Kaltenbach und Dr. Solvejg Müller, Frank Kantereit-Remigio, Lieselotte Karbach und Brigitte Schröder, Dr. Peter Kersandt, Dr. Anemone Kleberberger-Isani, Thomas Kliche und Thomas Grosser, Prof. Dr. Herbert Koop, Constanze Krüger und Kai Schulz, Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Küpker, Ralf Kwasny, Jörg R. Lammersen und Marion Uhrig-Lammersen, Arno Lange, Edith Lechner, Friederike Leithner, Rainer Lettau, Brigitte Lichtfeldt, Julian Lietzow, Julian von Lucius, Tim Maczynski, Doris Mahlke und Gisela Bittermann, Eva-Maria Marx-Thiele, Petra und Martin Mirus, Carolina Mojto, Alexander Müller, Bernhard Müller und Christina Feilchenfeldt,  Lisa Nöth, Alexandra Oetker, Lutz Ohlendorf, Birgit Ohlsen-Goronzy, Erhard Oppermann und Manfred Walther, Georgii Orlov und Donald Orlov-Wehmann, Grazyna Pawelczyk-Senger, Bernhard und Gisela von der Planitz, Dietrich Plate, Stephan Polomski, Dr. Bernhard Potratz, Dr. Ursula Prinz, Joachim Albrecht Prinz von Preußen, Sophie Prinzessin von Preussen, Andrea Rammisch, Heinz-Joachim Reinhardt, Dr. Manfred und Gertrud Richter-Reichhelm, Dr. Bettina Rentsch, Ute Rößner-Vinzing, Ute Sahm, Irene Salat, Dr. Wolfgang Schirp, Dr. Wolf-Michael und Dr. Susanne Schmid, Tanja Schneider, Tim Schneider, Florian Schoeller, Dr. Julia Schöller, Dr. Imke Schoen, Dr. Gudrun Schollmeyer, Gerhard und Angelika Schulte, Wilfried A. Schultze und Uta Bauer-Schultze, Bernd und Petra Schwab, Kerstin Schweiger, Silvia Sell, Dr. Pablo Serrano, Holger Stiesy, Dr. Gunnar und Eva-Maria Streidt, Kornelia Tappe, Prof. Dr. Bettina Thormann, Ariane Vinolo, Dr. Markus Vogel, Dr. Angelika Volle, Brigitte Wagner und Cathrin Wagner-Lammek, Elizabeth Walbröl, Ita Walter-Hell, Gerrit-Michael Wedel, Brigitte Weiland, Dr. Leopold Winter, Cornelia Wirth und Dr. Wolfgang Wagner, Benedikt S. Zeitner

Young Friends

Fanny Arslantepe, Konstantin Barteleit, Simon Becker, Bennett Biehl, Allan Böhner, Bernardo Bötel, Paolo Bozzi, Tim Alexander Burdack, Nemo Buschmann, Marianne Cesto-Vincent, Philip Dernedde, Dr. Maximilian Doppelbauer, Lea Fernandez, Isabella Franzen, Lukas Fries, Felix S. Gusenburger, Adele Heidemann, Lars Hemmerich, Robert Hilke, Elgin Ihloff, Justus Jansen, Annie von Joest, Adriana-Lena Kindt, Patrick Maximilian Klein, Axel F. Kreppner, Friedrich Kühn, Lennart Kumlehn, Robert Löprick, Avelina de Ment, Charlotte Moors, David Nikolai Müller, Michele Narduzzi-Giese, Felicia Okcu, Adelina Phiong, Moritz Podlech, Julia Poslada, Ivo Torre Prokop, Johannes Rohrer, Sarah Olivia Rudnitzky, Judith Sachs, Jakob Robert Schepers, Christian Schnauck, Sophia Schnauck, Lea Flavia Schopp, Gustav Schwenk, Albert Engelhard Sonntag, Daniil Starikov, Samu/elle Striewski, Erik Strobl, Lance Sweetwood, Felicia von Rohr, Svea von Wegen, Dustin Wawoczny, Alice Wegener, Alexander Wilming, Maurice Wothe, Roman Zhdanov

The Deutsche Oper Berlin ranks among the leading institutions of international musical theatre. At the very highest artistic level, it offers its guests moving experiences, delightful evenings and unforgettable moments. The central aim of the Foundation for the Deutsche Oper Berlin is to strengthen this unique art form within this special venue on a lasting and long-term basis – and to preserve it for future generations.

By providing the initial capital, the Förderkreis of the Deutsche Oper Berlin laid the foundation for the Foundation. It opens up the possibility of providing sustainable support for this extraordinary opera house, independent of the current programme, day-to-day requirements or the people involved.

The Foundation is deliberately designed for the long term: it offers scope for commitment that extends beyond one’s own lifetime – whether through endowments, donations or a bequest. In this way, personal values can be passed on and cultural responsibility firmly established. Despite the challenging global circumstances, we can say today: the Foundation is stable – and it is growing.

In 2025, for instance, the Foundation was able to support the Deutsche Oper Berlin with a grant of 50,000 euros. This funding made it possible to prevent an increase in ticket prices for children and young people following significant cuts to Berlin’s cultural budget, thereby ensuring that young people continue to have affordable access to the world of opera.

Your contacts
Thomas Fehrle, Managing Director
Tel: +49 30 343 84 680
kontakt@stiftungfuerdiedeutscheoperberlin.de

Ulrike Sweetwood, Head of the office
Förderkreis der Deutschen Oper Berlin e.V.
Tel: +49 30 343 84 240
sweetwood@deutscheoperberlin.de

Address
Richard-Wagner-Str. 10, 10585 Berlin
stiftungfuerdiedeutscheoperberlin.de

As a patron or partner of the Deutsche Oper Berlin, you will be associated with one of Europe’s leading opera houses – firmly rooted in Berlin yet with an international reach. You will be supporting an institution that views artistic excellence, innovation and social engagement as an inseparable whole.
Each season, the Deutsche Oper Berlin develops musical theatre that addresses the major questions of our time. Productions that bring tradition and the present into dialogue with one another. Artistic signatures, international perspectives and new formats that broaden and deepen the experience of opera. With the new Unlimited programme, additional spaces are created for new narrative styles, new aesthetic approaches, new encounters and new audiences.

Your philanthropic commitment makes these ambitions possible. It enables artistic risks, supports new productions, innovative formats and technological development, and strengthens the theatre’s openness to different generations, backgrounds and life experiences. You help to shape opera as a living art form – accessible, relevant, connected and contemporary.

The forms of engagement are diverse: supporting a production, an artist or an entire season; fostering new artistic developments; committing to cultural education, the promotion of young talent and participation; and supporting projects that open up new approaches to opera, facilitate collaborations and assume social responsibility.

Whether as a private individual, through a foundation or as a company: your involvement takes shape through close, personal dialogue with the management of the Deutsche Oper Berlin. It is tailored to your vision and can be high-profile or discreet, one-off or long-term. In any case, it offers you a special closeness to the artistic process, exclusive behind-the-scenes insights and the opportunity to experience great artistic moments alongside the defining artists of our time.

The Deutsche Oper Berlin welcomes you as part of an institution that shapes its future together with committed partners.

The Deutsche Oper Berlin is supported by

Mecenates and patrons

Partners

Supporters

Stiftung für die Deutsche Oper Berlin • Heinz und Heide Dürr Stiftung • Dr. Karlheinz Knauthe und Dr. Manfred Semmer • MAC Cosmetics • Ingeborg Neumann • Arend und Brigitte Oetker • Karl Schlecht Stiftung • Ernst von Siemens Musikstiftung

Partnerships

Townhouse Berlin • a Vagabond Club • Living Berlin Berlin • Capital Club

Media partnerships

Euroarts • radio3 • Tagesspiegel • taz • Wall / Die Draußenwerber • Yorck Kinogruppe