Umbrellas on and it was cool too: a damp start to the 30th anniversary of the Classic Open Air Photo: DAVIDS/Sven Darmer
By Claudia von Duehren
“We’ll definitely play, even if the orchestra gets wet feet,” Mario Hempel, head of the Classic Open Air, swore his guests to stay on Thursday at 7:50 p.m.
5,300 classic fans held out in the pouring rain with umbrellas and capes. The first beat of the 30th anniversary of the Classic Open Air on the Gendarmenmarkt sounded 20 minutes late. The Berliner Symphoniker played the overture from Johann Strauss’s Fledermaus. Conductor Robert Reimer then claimed: “My tuxedo is waterproof, so I could also conduct in the Spree.”
Key god Joja Wendt then interpreted Grieg’s Peer Gynt suite to a rock spectacle in the still heavy showers. And Max Mutzke, who had his first time at the Gendarmenmarkt, was amazed: “Actually, the sun rises when I come on stage.” The audience remained loyal to their festival to the last bar – Berlin has the sun in its heart.
Soprano Lindsay Funchal shivered on stage Photo: DAVIDS/Sven Darmer
Singer Lars Redlich at least had a dry sense of humour Photo: DAVIDS/Sven Darmer
Not chic, but useful: The spectators protected themselves from the masses of water with capes Photo: DAVIDS/Sven Darmer
The last clouds were blown away during the final fireworks display, so that the classic party can be celebrated without a hitch until July 11th.
