Various Composers - Berlin! Berlin! Berlin! Kabarett und Exil (Anne Sofie von Otter)

Information

1. Walter Jurmann, Bronislaw Kaper - Mein Gorilla hat ‘ne Villa im Zoo
2. Nico Dostal - Heut’ Abend lad’ ich mir die Liebe ein
3. Friedrich Hollaender - Illusions
4. Michael Jary - Der Onkel Jonathan
5. Günter Neumann - Ach, wie schön, man singt immer tiefer
6. Friedrich Hollaender - Keiner weiß, wie ich bin, nur Du
7. Rolf Marbot - Vorbei
8. Hanns Eisler - The Hollywood Songbook : Über den Selbstmord
9. Kurt Weill - Das Berliner Requiem: III. Marterl
10. Lothar Brühne - Kann denn Liebe Sünde sein?
11. Peter Kreuder - Musik! Musik! Musik!
12. Peter Fenyes - Merci, mon ami, es war wunderschön
13. Hanns Eisler - The Hollywood Songbook: An den kleinen Radioapparat
14. Hanns Eisler - Das Vielleicht-Lied
15. Franz S. Brunier - Erinnerung an die Marie A.
16. Friedrich Hollaender - Marion-Tango
17. Michael Jary - Oui, Madame
18. Lothar Brühne - Der Wind hat mir ein Lied erzählt
19. Mischa Spoliansky - Leben ohne Liebe kannst Du nicht

Anne Sofie von Otter, vocalist

Salon Orchestra of the Komische Oper Berlin

Adam Benzwi, piano & musical director

Date: 2026

Label: BIS

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Reflecting a society caught between vitality and despair, this album captures the profound upheaval of Germany from the 1920s to the 1940s. The repertoire blends classical traditions, popular rhythms, and Berlin’s signature "Prussian swing," a style fusing rigid marching rhythms with jazz syncopation. Renowned mezzo-soprano Anne Sofie von Otter, alongside the Salon Orchestra of the Komische Oper Berlin conducted by Adam Benzwi, delivers a colorful recital of cabaret chansons, somber ballads, and operetta numbers. Masking sharp political commentary and deep melancholy behind cheerful melodies, these works serve as a cultural seismograph from the Weimar era through the Third Reich's collapse.

Swedish mezzo-soprano Anne Sofie von Otter boasts an unrivaled, multi-award-winning career spanning over four decades. Renowned for her artistic versatility, she has collaborated with legends ranging from Carlos Kleiber to Elvis Costello. Her ever-evolving operatic repertoire includes definitive performances as Octavian, alongside recent world premieres of contemporary operas like Melancholia and Fanny and Alexander. An exceptional concert and recital singer, she maintains a prolific international schedule, featuring a 2025/26 tour across North America and Asia. As one of today's most recorded artists, her expansive discography includes multiple Grammy Awards for landmark releases with Deutsche Grammophon and Naïve Classique.