Music as Material and Metaphor at Hamburger Bahnhof

The Hamburger Bahnhof in Berlin presents a series of exhibitions exploring music as material and metaphor, part of a broader trend in museums programming music not just as events but as artistic medium. Sâadane Afif's 'Five Preludes' (Dec 12, 2025–Sep 13, 2026) uses musical terminology and lyrics by friends, with concerts outside the museum. Petrit Halilaj's 'An Opera Out of Time' (Sep 11, 2025–May 31, 2026) features props from his opera 'Syrigana' (2025), composed by Lugh O'Neill, addressing identity and heritage. Annika Kahrs' 'OFF SCORE' closed May 3, 2026; her video 'A Cashier's Opera' (2025) critiques urban transformation. Lina Lapelytė's 'We Make Years Out of Hours' (May 1, 2026–Jan 10, 2027) fills the main hall with 400,000 wooden cubes and 25 singers. The article questions whether music can expand art's interpretative potential without being absorbed by museum codes.