When does Shepherd songs go opera! take place?

The concert takes place on Friday, October 9, 2026, from 7:00 PM to 8:30 PM.

Where is the concert held?

The venue is the Water Hall of the Orangerie at Schlossgarten 1 in 91054 Erlangen.

What is the cost of admission?

Admission is free. A cost-covering donation is kindly requested.

What music will be played?

The program includes secular cantatas as well as excerpts from Johann Christoph Pepusch's Beggar’s Opera and works by contemporaries.

Who will perform at the concert?

Performers include Katrin Küsswetter, soprano, Julia Scherer, violin, Dietrich Haböck, viola da gamba, and Helene Lerch, harpsichord.

How long does the event last?

The concert lasts about one and a half hours and is expected to end around 8:30 PM.

Shepherd songs go opera in Erlangen

Name: Shepherd songs go opera!
Start: 2026-10-09T19:00:00+02:00
End: 2026-10-09T20:30:00+02:00
Location: Orangerie - Wassersaal

Baroque Sound Worlds Between Shepherd Idyl and Opera Stage

On October 9, 2026, a musical window opens into 18th century England in the Water Hall of the Erlangen Orangerie. Shepherd songs go opera! connects secular cantatas with excerpts from Johann Christoph Pepusch's Beggar’s Opera and shows how close delicate shepherd images, passionate love scenes, and biting stage music are to each other.

From Pastoral Elegance to Grand Stage Impact

At the center of the program is Johann Christoph Pepusch, whose Beggar’s Opera, premiered in 1728, brought musical societal contrasts to the stage long before Brecht and Weill. His cantatas and the chamber music of his contemporaries create a fascinating bridge between Italian stylistic art, English musical tradition, and the emerging spirit of the Enlightenment.

Four Musicians Bring the Baroque Era to Life

Katrin Küsswetter shapes the vocal centerpiece of the concert as a soprano. Together with Julia Scherer on the violin, Dietrich Haböck on the viola da gamba, and Helene Lerch on the harpsichord, she forms a colorful ensemble. The historical instrumentation lends transparency, immediate presence, and that fine tension that allows Baroque music to emerge between elaborate orchestration and spontaneous stage performance.

Musical Mediation with Wit and Closeness

A lively moderation also leads listeners without significant musical background right into the concert experience. Between harpsichord contouring, vocal ornamentation, and the warm sound of the viola da gamba, an atmospheric journey through the feel of life, society, and musical language of the Baroque period unfolds. The concert lasts about one hour without intermission and is aimed at interested parties aged 12 and up.

Live Atmosphere in the Water Hall

The historic Water Hall of the Orangerie provides the fitting backdrop for this intimate concert experience. Clear voices, chamber music synchronization, and the immediate audience mood meet in a space where every ornament and every instrumental dialogue remains precisely audible.

Conclusion: Old Music with Surprisingly Modern Energy

Shepherd songs go opera! makes it experienceable how shepherdesses, nymphs, and lovers naturally become figures of the opera and social world musically. Visitors can expect an entertaining Baroque concert with historical sound colors, humorous mediation, and free admission. The organizer kindly requests a cost-covering donation.