The focal point of the Easter Festival, in addition to the extraordinary personality of the conductor himself, is the mastery of the Berlin Philharmonic. Not only do they serve up an array of symphony concerts, they are also responsible for the operatic orchestral arrangements.

The festival begins every year on the Saturday before Palm Sunday with an opera premiere. It lasts until Easter Monday and concludes with a second performance of the same opera. On the six evenings in between, the program brings us three concerts with the Berlin Philharmonic. Also scheduled are special concerts, matinees and the so-called "Kontrapunkte" (a platform for contemporary music).