Belgian theater company BERLIN is set to conclude its Holocene Cycle, a two-decade-long series of cinematic city portraits, with The Making of Berlin. The production will make its Asian debut in Shanghai this November, with tickets now on sale.
Directed by Yves Degryse, The Making of Berlin blends music, film, and theater innovatively. Using documentary techniques, the performance interweaves personal stories with Berlin’s historical narrative, exploring the city's scars, contradictions, and renewal.
Since its premiere in 2022, the show has been staged in cities including Paris, Rome, and Berlin, earning widespread acclaim.
The narrative begins at the end of World War II, when the German orchestra Berliner Philharmoniker planned to broadcast Richard Wagner's Siegfried's Funeral March live on state radio. The performance was halted by air raids and technical difficulties. Seventy-five years later, the unfinished project is revisited, centering on Friedrich Mohr, the wartime stage manager of the Berliner Philharmoniker. The production uncovers long-buried truths, including Mohr's struggle with his inaction in protecting his expelled Jewish musician colleagues.
Performance details:
- Dates and times: Nov 21 (Friday) at 7:30 pm; Nov 22 (Saturday) at 2 pm and 7:30 pm
- Location: Main stage at Theatre Young (No 1155 Kongjiang Road, Yangpu district)
- Duration: Approximately 110 minutes (no intermission)
- Languages: Performed in Dutch, German, and English, with Chinese and English subtitles
- Ticket prices: 180 yuan ($25.16) to 480 yuan. Early bird discounts are available until Aug 28, offering 15 percent off 480 yuan tickets and 10 percent off 380 yuan tickets.
- Tickets purchase: Available through the official ticketing mini program (search for "Young剧场微票务" in WeChat)