Berlin

===Performing arts===
{{Main|Music in Berlin}}
[[File:Rattle BPH-Rittershaus1-Wikipedia.jpg|thumb|right|Sir [[Simon Rattle]] conducting the renowned [[Berlin Philharmonic]]]]

Berlin is home to 44 theaters and stages.<ref name="berlin.de"/> The [[Deutsches Theater (Berlin)|Deutsches Theater]] in Mitte was built in 1849–50 and has operated almost continuously since then. The [[Volksbühne]] at [[Rosa-Luxemburg-Platz]] was built in 1913–14, though the company had been founded in 1890. The [[Berliner Ensemble]], famous for performing the works of [[Bertolt Brecht]], was established in 1949. The [[Schaubühne]] was founded in 1962 and moved to the building of the former Universum Cinema on Kurfürstendamm in 1981. With a [[seating capacity]] of 1,895 and a stage floor of {{convert|2854|m2|0|sp=us}}, the [[Friedrichstadt-Palast]] in Berlin Mitte is the largest show palace in Europe. For Berlin's independent dance and theatre scene, venues such as the Sophiensäle in Mitte and the three houses of the [[Hebbel-Theater|Hebbel am Ufer (HAU)]] in Kreuzberg are important. Most productions there are also accessible to an English-speaking audience. Some of the dance and theatre groups that also work internationally ([[Gob Squad]], [[Rimini Protokoll]]) are based there, as well as festivals such as the international festival [[Tanz im August|Dance in August]].

Berlin has three major [[opera house]]s: the [[Deutsche Oper]], the [[Berlin State Opera]], and the [[Komische Oper]]. The Berlin State Opera on [[Unter den Linden]] opened in 1742 and is the oldest of the three. Its musical director is [[Daniel Barenboim]]. The Komische Oper has traditionally specialized in [[operetta]]s and is also at Unter den Linden. The Deutsche Oper opened in 1912 in Charlottenburg.

The city's main venue for musical theater performances are the Theater am Potsdamer Platz and [[Theater des Westens]] (built in 1895). Contemporary dance can be seen at the ''Radialsystem V''. The [[Tempodrom]] is host to concerts and circus-inspired entertainment. It also houses a multi-sensory spa experience. The [[Admiralspalast]] in Mitte has a vibrant program of variety and music events.

There are seven symphony orchestras in Berlin. The [[Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra]] is one of the preeminent orchestras in the world;<ref>{{cite news |author=Charlotte Higgins and Ben Aris in Berlin |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2004/apr/29/germany.arts |title=Is Rattle's Berlin honeymoon over? |newspaper=Guardian |date=29 April 2004 |access-date=7 April 2012 |location=London |archive-date=28 August 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130828013033/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2004/apr/29/germany.arts |url-status=live }}</ref> it is housed in the [[Berliner Philharmonie]] near Potsdamer Platz on a street named for the orchestra's longest-serving conductor, [[Herbert von Karajan]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://travel2.nytimes.com/2005/09/25/travel/25berlin.html |title=Music: Berlin |first=Daniel J. |last=Wakin |work=The New York Times |date=25 September 2005 |access-date=7 November 2006}}{{dead link|date=July 2019|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> [[Simon Rattle]] was its principal conductor from 1999 to 2018, a position now held by [[Kirill Petrenko]]. The [[Konzerthausorchester Berlin]] was founded in 1952 as the orchestra for East Berlin. [[Christoph Eschenbach]] is its principal conductor. The [[Haus der Kulturen der Welt]] presents exhibitions dealing with intercultural issues and stages world music and conferences.<ref>{{cite web |author=D |url=https://www.hkw.de/en/bottom/impressum/impressum.php |title=Haus der Kulturen der Welt |publisher=Hkw.de |access-date=7 April 2012 |archive-date=3 May 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120503225327/https://www.hkw.de/en/bottom/impressum/impressum.php |url-status=live }}</ref> The ''Kookaburra'' and the ''Quatsch Comedy Club'' are known for satire and comedy shows. In 2018, the ''[[The New York Times|New York Times]]'' described Berlin as "arguably the world capital of underground [[electronic music]]".<ref>{{Cite news|last=Wilder|first=Charly|date=21 June 2018|title=In the Capital of Electronic Music, Women Rule the Scene|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/21/arts/music/women-djs-berlin.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220101/https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/21/arts/music/women-djs-berlin.html |archive-date=1 January 2022 |url-access=limited|access-date=7 August 2020|issn=0362-4331}}</ref>