This high-flying evening features works by Mozart, Grieg, Rimsky-Korsakov, Nielsen, and Massenet, broadly inspired by the iconic figures from Eastern folk tales: Scheherazade, the storyteller of One Thousand and One Nights, Aladdin, and Thaïs—heroine of the Massenet opera whose Meditation has become one of the most beloved pieces in the entire violin repertoire. Virtuoso Janine Jansen plays it to perfection here, as well as Saint-Saëns's Introduction et rondo capriccioso, which the composer dedicated to the Spanish virtuoso Pablo de Sarasate.

Every year, the Berliner Philharmoniker gives a summer concert at the Waldbühne, one of the most coveted venues in Europe. With over 22,000 in attendance, these events are some of the most popular classical music concerts in the world.

Photo: © Monika Rittershaus