Christmas is approaching fast. Time to venture into musical highs and lows. At the Neuköllner Oper, however, the focus is not on the birth of a holy baby, but on the deaths of three pop icons who all passed away ten years ago: Prince, George Michael and David Bowie. Three exceptional artists, three evenings, three tributes – led by musicians LEGION SEVEN, Sarah Taylor Ellis and Niko Meinhold. Christmas music for everyone who loves the holiday hustle and bustle… or hates it.
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PRINCE
Storyteller LEGION SEVEN kicks things off with a tribute to Prince. Two electric basses, one synthesizer – and an attempt to make the bass weep. Prince may be famous for his rhythm section, but he was also a dramatist: longing, lament, tremendous emotional swings. Seven strips things back, zooms in: a vocal line, a guitar lick – at what point does the song stop being recognisable? Until the story and the drama take centre stage.
27 November to 1 December 2026
George Michael
Together with the string players of the Naked String Quartet, Sarah Taylor Ellis and music performer Mara SNIP (1000 AIRPLANES ON THE ROOF) dive into the album Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1 and hauntingly schmaltzy mega-hits such as Careless Whisper. At the heart of it all is a songwriter far more sophisticated and political than the Christmas playlist might suggest. A pop star who died on the very day his most famous song is played everywhere: Dark Christmas, I gave you my heart!
19 to 27 December 2026
David Bowie
In January, jazz and improvisation musician Niko Meinhold and his ensemble turn their attention to David Bowie – who assembled a jazz band around him shortly before his death.
17 to 24 January 2027
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