Fri, November 15, 2019 at 7:30 PM
WASMUTH LECTURE
COLM TÓIBÍN
Pierre Boulez Saal
In the annual Wasmuth Lectures, renowned authors and scholars address philosophical, political, and artistic issues of our time. This year’s speaker is Colm Tóibín, one of today’s leading Irish writers.
The Three Europes: A Fortress in the Mind
“All of us live in our towns and cities, our countries, but we also inhabit a Europe of the imagination. This is a Europe that has become like the nation once was, something to be dreamed of, something essential to our spiritual life, but something also capable of moving out of our grasp. For immigrants, Europe is merely a troublesome word or set of rules, as people seek to put down roots and find work in the richest or best-known places. Although European history in the 20th century is filled with displacement, one theory of Europe is that it is a stable place with stable cultures. The suggestion is that Europe could only be destabilized by outsiders, could have its culture diluted. We have almost no one in public life ready to argue that Europe could be enriched by immigration, that there is a deadness at the heart of our culture that requires renewal, fresh voices, rather than new barriers.”
—Colm Tóibín
In English with simultaneous German translation. Headphones will be provided. A valid photo ID (or alternatively € 20) must be presented as a security deposit.
The Wasmuth Lectures are supported by the Johannes Wasmuth Foundation, in honor of the German gallery owner, impresario, and curator who died in 1997.
Artists
Lecture
Violin
Viola
Violoncello
Program
EVENT TIMELINE
YOUR VISIT
How To Get There
Pierre Boulez Saal
Barenboim-Said Akademie
Französische Straße 33d
10117 Berlin
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Public Transport
U-Bahn U2 Hausvogteiplatz, U5 Museumsinsel, U6 Unter den Linden
S-Bahn S / U Friedrichstraße
Tram M1, 12 Mitte / Am Kupfergraben
Bus 147 Werderscher Markt; 100, 300, N5 Staatsoper
Bicycle
Bicycle racks are available on the street “Hinter der Katholischen Kirche.”
Car
Q-PARK parking garage Unter den Linden / Staatsoper
Bebelplatz 2
10117 Berlin
Theater rate (5.30 pm – 11.30 pm, paid in advance): €10
More information on getting there by public transport, bike, or car is available on our Getting there page.
Opening Hours
Box Office
During the summer, the box office will be closed from June 30 to August 1 and from August 11 to September 5, 2025.
Monday to Friday 2 pm to 6 pm
Closed on weekends and holidays
On performance days, the box office opens one hour prior to an event on weekdays and two hours on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays.
Papagena Call Center
Ticket hotline +49 30 4799 7411
Monday to Saturday 9am to 8pm
Sunday and public holidays 2pm to 8pm
Food & Drinks
Casalot Catering welcomes Pierre Boulez Saal visitors before and after concerts, serving a variety of dishes of Arab cuisine.
On concert nights, the bar opens one hour before the start of an event and remains open after the performance. You may also place pre-orders for intermission right at the counter.
More informantion on our catering can be found here.
Coat Check
Small bags up to a maximum size of A4 (21x30 cm) and jackets may be taken into the concert hall. Luggage, helmets, large umbrellas, and other bulky items must be stored at the coat check.
The coat check is free and located behind the staircase in the foyer, on the left-hand side.
Accessibility
To book wheelchair-accessible seating, other seats for visitors with disabilities, or companion seats, please contact us directly.
+49 30 4799 7411
tickets@boulezsaal.de
All wheelchair seats are accessible by elevator. All visitors, including patrons using a wheelchair, will enter the Pierre Boulez Saal through the main entrance. Tickets will be checked at the hall doors.
In order to make access as easy as possible, we kindly ask that you inform us of your requirements when booking your tickets.
Restrooms for visitors with disabilities are located in the basement and on the balcony level and are accessible by elevator.
Four parking spaces for visitors with disabilities are available on the street Hinter der Katholischen Kirche.
