Lunchkonzerte in der Philharmonie

A concert in the Philharmonie foyer, without a cent of admission

It is probably the best-known free offer in Berlin’s culture and at the same time one of the few where world-class and free admission coincide: the lunch concert in the foyer of the Philharmonie on Herbert-von-Karajan-Straße. It is performed where guests usually wait for admission to the main hall, and the house charges nothing for it. There are no reservations, and no tickets either. Instead, all visitors receive a chip at the entrances, which they return after the concert. This chip cannot be pre-ordered, and whoever leaves with it cannot re-enter. The number of seats is limited for safety reasons: If the foyer is full, no one else will be admitted. The house itself therefore advises arriving at least forty-five minutes before the start. There are no fixed seats, brought folding chairs are not allowed, and only a limited number of seats are available for people with severe disability passes.

Forty minutes of music and a kitchen that thinks along

A lunch concert lasts about forty to fifty minutes, making it perfectly timed to fit into a lunch break. Those who wish to stay afterward can get affordable, mostly vegetarian dishes in the house, from pasta to salads, soups, and falafel bowls. However, brought food and personal drinks are not allowed, and sales end shortly before the music begins. A note that the house explicitly makes and which is easily overlooked: All age groups are welcome, but the concerts are not designed for children. Parents should therefore honestly assess whether their child will sit quietly for just under forty-five minutes. Getting there is surprisingly easy for a venue of this size: The U2 stops at Potsdamer Platz and Mendelssohn-Bartholdy-Park, in addition to S-Bahn lines S1, S2, S25, and S26, as well as several regional lines at Potsdamer Platz. Bus lines M48, M85, 200, and 300 stop right outside. One current restriction applies: The Kulturforum stop in the direction of Schöneberg is closed until further notice due to construction work.