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Matthias Pintscher Premieres Bold New Opera in Berlin

1/10/2026

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Summary

Story summary

Matthias Pintscher, composer known for the Kansas City Symphony, premieres Das kalte Herz at the Berlin State Opera on Sunday.
The opera is based on a German fairy tale about a charcoal burner who trades his heart for wealth, and it is Pintscher's first opera in two decades.
He says the work is a breakthrough inviting personal interpretation.
The production will travel to Paris's Opéra-Comique on March 11.

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Story summary

Matthias Pintscher, composer known for the Kansas City Symphony, premieres Das kalte Herz at the Berlin State Opera on Sunday.
The opera is based on a German fairy tale about a charcoal burner who trades his heart for wealth, and it is Pintscher's first opera in two decades.
He says the work is a breakthrough inviting personal interpretation.
The production will travel to Paris's Opéra-Comique on March 11.