(Credits: www.opera-online.com / © Katrin Penschke)

The Musikfest Berlin has announced its 2021 slate.

For the purposes of this article, we will focus on the vocal works only.

The Inaugural concert will feature the Bundesjugendchor performing choral works by Brahms, Schumann, di Lasso, Harvey, Hofmeyr, Rihm, Denner, and MacMillan. Anne Kohler conducts.

Performance date: Aug. 28, 2021

Famed American soprano Renée Fleming will perform Olivier Messiaen’s “Poèmes pour Mi” alongside conductor Daniel Harding and the Concertgebouworkest Amsterdam.

Performance date: Aug. 31, 2021

Alto Helena Rasker will present the world premiere of Cathy Milliken’s “Night Shift – The Rehearsal” alongside the Neuer Kammerchor Berlin. Catherine Larsen-Maguire conducts the Ensemble Modern.

Performance date: Sep. 1, 2021

Mezzo-soprano Ann Hallenberg will sing Händel‘s “Donna, che in ciel di tanta luce splendi” alongside the Monteverdi Choir. In the rest of the program, the Monteverdi Choir and English baroque soloists will present Händel’s “Dixit Dominus” and Bach’s “Christ Lag in Todes Banden.” Sir John Eliot Gardiner conducts.

Performance date: Sep. 3, 2021

Baritone Georg Nigl presents Stravinsky‘s “Abraham and Isaak” alongside conductor Vladimir Jurowski and the Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin.

Performance date: Sep. 4, 2021

Soprano Anna Prohaska performs works by John Tavener, Franz Tunder, Georg Friedrich Händel, Jörg Widmann, and Wolfgang Rihm. Francesco Corti plays the harpsichord and organ, while Nicolas Altstaedt plays the cello.

Performance date: Sep. 4, 2021, Philharmonie, Chamber Music Hall

A performance of Gabriel Fauré’s “Requiem” will spotlight soprano Dorothee Mields and baritone Krešimir Stražanac. The rest of the program will include choral works by Anton Bruckner. Philippe Herreweghe conducts the Orchestre des Champs-Élysées and Collegium Vocale Gent.

Performance date: Sep. 6, 2021

Mezzo-soprano Magdalena Kožená sings Ondřej Adámek’s Song cycle for mezzo-soprano and orchestra “Where are you?” alongside Sir Simon Rattle and the London Symphony Orchestra.

Performance date: Sep. 7, 2021

Performances of Don Carlo Gesualdo da Venosa’s “Madrigali a cinque voci” spotlight soprano Miriam Allan, mezzo-soprano Barbora Kabátková, alto/countertenor Marine Fribourg, tenors Benedict Hymas and Tore Tom Denys, and bass Jimmy Holliday. Philippe Herreweghe conducts the Collegium Vocale Gent.

Performances date: Sep. 8, 2021, 5 p.m. CET and 9 p.m. CET, Philharmonie, Chamber Music Hall

Soprano Flurina Stucki, tenor Matthew Newlin, and baritone Markus Brück perform Benjamin Britten’s “War Requiem” alongside the Chor der Deutschen Oper Berlin and Kinderchor der Deutschen Oper Berlin. Sir Donald Runnicles conducts the Orchester der Deutschen Oper Berlin.

Performance date: Sep. 10, 2021

Countertenor Andrew Watts presents the world premiere of Olga Neuwirth’s Musical Calligrams in memoriam Hester Diamond for Countertenor, Children’s Choir and Orchestra “Keyframes for a Hippogriff” alongside the Kinderchor der Staatsoper Berlin. Jakub Hrůša conducts the Berliner Philharmoniker.

Performance dates: Sep. 11 – 12, 2021

François-Xavier Roth conducts Les Siècles and tenor and baritone soloists yet to be announced in the performance of Igor Stravinsky’s “Canticum sacrum ad honorem Sancti Marci nominis.” Isabelle Faust plays the violin, while Gijs Leenaars conducts the Rundfunkchor Berlin.

Performance date: Sep. 13, 2021

The RIAS Kammerchor Berlin and the soloists of the RIAS Kammerchor Berlin perform choral works by William Byrd, Thomas Tallis, Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina, Don Carlo Gesualdo da Venosa, and Igor Stravinsky. Justin Doyle conducts the Kammerakademie Potsdam.

Performance date: Sep. 15, 2021

Alto Catriona Morison and bass Matthias Winckhler perform works by Igor Stravinsky alongside the Rundfunkchor Berlin. Robin Ticciati conducts the Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin.

Performance date: Sep. 19, 2021