BERLIN FESTIVAL OF EARLY MUSIC – The Fascination of the Renaissance

At the BERLINER FESTIVAL ALTER MUSIK, the Renaissance is not presented as a closed era, but as an invitation to ask questions—through music that tells of the past, resonates in the present, and points toward the future.

The program ranges from Italian-influenced madrigals by Johann Hermann Schein to nature-inspired music featuring Renaissance instruments and modern analog synthesizers, Venetian frottole set amidst masterpieces of glass art, Lucas Cranach as reflected in the music of the Berlin Renaissance court, a Renaissance dance festival and shadow theater for families, all the way to the sounds of violas da gamba and wind instruments, the Italian madrigal and the Leuven Chansonnier, Renaissance flute and drum in a convivial atmosphere, Jacob Obrecht’s *Missa Maria zart*, music by the little-known Caspar Kittel, as well as an opulent Advent program featuring Heinrich Schütz.

PROGRAM OVERVIEW
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2026

6:00 p.m., St. Matthäus at the Kulturforum
OPENING: TITANS RISING Ensemble & Alexander Bonus

FRIDAY, November 27, 2026

12:00 PM, Gemäldegalerie at the Kulturforum
GUIDED TOUR: Lucas Cranach and Renaissance Painting

3:00 p.m., Museum of Decorative Arts at the Kulturforum
MUSICAL GUIDED TOUR: Alla veneziana – Cor di Cristallo

6:00 p.m., Villa Elisabeth
CONCERT: Ensemble Art d’Echo – Juliane Laake: CRANACH Reflected in the Music of the Berlin Renaissance Court

8:00 p.m., Villa Elisabeth
DANCE FESTIVAL with The Playfords: The English Dancing Master (1651) – Dance Music from England

SATURDAY, November 28, 2026

11:00 a.m., Villa Elisabeth
FAMILY CONCERT with Double Reed Tales Berlin: The Berlin Town Musicians

3:00 p.m., Villa Elisabeth and St. Elisabeth
STREET CONCERT: Serenade à trois with tiefsaits, Alta Bellezza, and a surprise guest

4:30 p.m., St. Elisabeth (alternatively in the foyer of Villa Elisabeth)
Coffee break with TRED Talk (Renaissance Meeting Place: Discovery & Dialogue)

6:00 p.m., Villa Elisabeth
CONCERT: Profeti della Quinta: From the Synagogue to the Palace – Music by Salomone Rossi and Claudio Monteverdi

7:15 PM, Foyer of Villa Elisabeth
Culinary interlude with Zweigulden: Fresh German Songs – Pop Hits of the 1550s (catering to be arranged)

8:30 p.m., Villa Elisabeth
CONCERT: Sollazzo Ensemble: The Leuven Chansonnier

SUNDAY, November 29, 2026

2:00 p.m., St. Elisabeth
CONCERT: Cappella Pratensis: Missa Maria zart

3:15 p.m., Foyer of Villa Elisabeth
Coffee break (mulled wine to be arranged)

4:00 p.m., Villa Elisabeth
CONCERT: Joel Frederiksen and Ensemble Phoenix Munich: “My Love, How Beautiful You Are” – Arias and Cantatas by Schütz’s Student Caspar Kittel

6:00 p.m., Sophienstraße
Environmental and Christmas Market: Advent songs with sing-along at the Christmas market

7:00 p.m., Sophienkirche
CONCERT: B’Rock Orchestra & Vocal Consort: Da Pacem

Further information about the program can be found here: https://www.berlinerfestivalaltermusik.de/berliner-festival-alter-musik/

Tickets:
Festival pass €180, reduced €150
; Friday day ticket €35, reduced €30
; Saturday day ticket €55, reduced 45€
; Sunday day pass: 65€, reduced 55€
; individual concert tickets: 25€, reduced 20€*All
prices are subject to fees and available online via Eventim and at the box office starting at 6:00 PM.
The festival pass is only available as an Early Bird offer during advance sales.

Performers:
Titans Rising Ensemble | Ensemble Art d’Echo | The Playfords | tiefsaits | Alta Bellezza | Profeti della Quinta | Sollazzo Ensemble | Cappella Pratensis | Ensemble Phoenix Munich | B’Rock Orchestra & Vocal Consort | Alexander Bonus