Berlin Surprise Concert

As our last days in Berlin wind down, we find it more difficult to walk around, and we stay closer to the center. One of the squares we missed in previous canvassing of the town was charming Gendarmenmarkt.

On one side of the square is Franzoesischer Dom, where French Hugenots were allowed to worship during the time when they were being prosecuted in France. Opposite to it is almost identical building of Deutscher Dom, from which this picture was taken. Between the two mirrored buildings is Berlin Konzerthaus - in this photo, the building to the left. It was built in 1821, and its acoustic is fantastic.

As we peeked inside, an orchestra was in full practice, but we weren't allowed to listen, because they were preparing a "surprise concert" to introduce the new conductor of the orchestra, Ivan Fischer. Not to be deterred by being turned away, we bought the tickets for the concert.

It was an indescribable experience - the building itself, the concert hall was a feast for the eyes, but even better was the surprise maestro Fischer cooked for us: Liszt, Mahler, Brucker and a piece of contemporary cellist Giovanni Sollima, who solo-ed himself.

Earlier, we came across a graffitti artist at work on a patch of a white wall.