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Wall Street Journal

Opera in Europe: Established but Adventurous

Berlin; Dresden, Germany; Amsterdam New Yorkers who visit Berlin often feel at home—the German city is busy, sprawling, decidedly unquaint, has efficient public transportation, and is packed with culture. Glass-enclosed malls rub up against Prussian monuments; pierced and tattooed Goth teens ride the U-Bahn with commuters. Unlike New York, however, the establishment opera scene matches that modern vibe. During my recent visit, there was nothing cautious or old-fashioned on view at the city's three large opera companies, and the houses were packed. In five days of opera-going, which included a day trip south to the Semperoper Dresden, the only standard repertory title was Richard Strauss's 'Elektra' (1909). And the oldest one, Jacques Offenbach's opera buffa 'Die Schöne Helena' (1864), at the Komische Oper, was by far the nuttiest.