Berlin, September 3rd, 2026 (The Berlin Spectator) – In 2017, a big event took place up there in Hamburg: On January 11th of that year, ten years ago, Hamburg’s Elbe Philharmonic was inaugurated.
In Hamburg, life was supposed to become even better than it already was, when the city state decided to go ahead and build a new landmark. The Elbe Philharmonic Hall would spread beauty, brilliant music and impress not only tourists with their Nikons and Canons, but also Hamburgers with cheese and onions. The building the Germans call Elbphilharmonie was not supposed to be built at some square somewhere in the city, but right inside another landmark Hamburg calls its own, namely the port. They basically wanted to place the new concert hall in the water.
To some, the plans were exaggerated, pretentious, unnecessary and far too expensive. In 2001, the architect Jacques Herzog presented the original idea to the Hamburg Senate. At first, First Mayor Ole von Beust was not too enthusiastic, but a year later, he announced the construction of a new concert hall at the port. The price he mentioned was 50 million Euro (58 million U.S. Dollars or 43 million Pounds Sterling).
Price Tag
Herzog teamed up with his colleague Pierre de Meuron. They presented their architect’s plan in 2003, just before the Hamburg Senate finally decided to go ahead and implement the project. In Germany, things take time. In 2005, a feasibility study was available. Things looked good, except for the price tag the amount of which had more than tripled to 186 million Euro (216 million Dollars or 160 million Pounds), even before the first turn of the shovel.
In 2013, seven years after the construction had commenced, the next First Mayor, whose name was Olaf Scholz (hint!), announced the taxpayer’s contribution to the Elbe Philharmonic would be 789 million Euro (915 million Dollars or 677 million Pounds). On top of this issue, there were tons of other problems, including technical ones. At this point, it was too late to dump the project.
Then, on January 11th, 2017, the big moment had arrived. Everyone showed up at the two inauguration concerts, including former critics of the project. When they saw the majestic building standing there, they finally shut up. And when they experienced the concert, they were in love with the acoustics too.
So were First Mayor Olaf Scholz, Chancellor Angela Merkel, President Joachim Gauck, countless other prominent guests and 1,000 Hamburgers with cheese and onions who won their tickets in a lottery. They needed a lot of patience. Before they could finally present their evening attire to everyone else, they had to listen to eleven compositions that night, played by the Elbe Philharmonic Orchestra, from Benjamin Britten to Ludwig van Beethoven.
Erudite Music
What kind of festivities will be staged for the tenth anniversary of a major concert hall? Hint: No, they will not install a giant disco ball and dance to Earth, Wind & Fire or Chic. Conducted by the man himself, chief conductor Alan Gilbert, the Elbphilharmonie Orchestra will be playing some Ludwig van Beethoven and John Adams on January 11th, 2027.
Around the anniversary, a million festivals will be taking place at the most sexy concert hall ever erected by man.
Chief organist Iveta Apkalna will be playing at one of them on her own. She is scheduled to present highlights from the first ten years, including Shostakovich, Liszt, Kalējs, Glass and Bach, on January 27th.
