Berlin

On Oct. 15, Kirsten Harms' production of "Germania", a lyrical drama by Alberto Franchetti, is premiering at the Deutsche Oper in Berlin.

Another premiere on the program this season is Charles Gounod's opera "Romeo and Juliet," which opens on Dec. 7.

The jazz-loving members of the Deutsche Oper orchestra got together in May 2005 to form the Deutsche Oper Big Band. After over a year of preparation, they will perform jazz and swing favorites from the 1930's and 40's in a debut concert on Sept. 23.

Düsseldorf

While the opera house in Düsseldorf is under construction -- probably until January 2007 -- the Deutsche Oper am Rhein and its accompanying orchestra will be performing on the "RheinOper Mobil" stage. The ensemble's interim domicile, dubbed ROM, is a spacey, silver building made of 16 circularly-placed wall panels.

Georg Friedrich Händel's "Giulio Cesare in Egitto," an opera in three acts, will premiere there on Sept. 30. The other two premieres in the upcoming season are based on works by Shakespeare: Benjamin Britten's "Midsummer Night's Dream," sung in German, and Giorgio Battistelli's "Richard III," sung in English.

Halle

The Opernhaus in Halle is one of many cultural centers in Germany preparing to open a new season this month with a diverse and interesting program. One of the highlights will be a co-production of "The Marriage of Figaro" by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart premiering on Sept. 30.

This year Mozart would have turned 250 years old and, continuing the year-long celebration of the composer, Papageno from his opera "The Magic Flute" will appear in a stage version specially adapted for children on Oct. 20.

As for musical theater, Helmut Baumann's production of "Cabaret", set in Berlin in 1929, is set to re-open in Halle on Sept. 16.

Munich

An entourage of top directors and designers are involved in this season's premieres at the Bayerische Staatsoper in Munich.

A new production of "Salome" by famed film-maker William Friedkin will open on Oct. 27, for example. Friedkin, who made movie history with films like "The French Connection" and "The Exorcist," is the youngest Oscar-winning director of all time.

Renowned conductor Kent Nagano is replacing Zubin Mehta this season as the general music director of the Bayerische Staatsoper.