Berlin (AFP)

A church in Berlin, a piano and flute duo, melodies by the romantic composer Edvard Grieg: the concert could be very classic.

Except that the musicians, like their audience, are entirely dressed in leather.

The evening is called "Classic meets fetisch" and its organizer is very proud to bring together in the place of worship a hundred members of the gay community showing their preference for the thousand and one shades of leather effects: pants , Bermuda shorts, uniforms, harnesses, bracelets, masks ...

"A lot of people think that the fetish scene is all about sex and nothing else. But these are just clothes that we wear," said Tyrone Rontganger at the event that took place this week.

"For a lot of people, it's just another way of expressing yourself, just like music. Music connects people, just like clothes," observes the longtime LGBT activist.

This professional translator, twice crowned "Mr. German Leather", has been organizing since 2015 in the Evangelical Church of the Twelve Apostles, in the heart of Berlin, the concert intended to promote queer culture.

It has the blessing of the local pastor, Burkhard Bornemann, a local figure, openly homosexual, very active in helping drug addicts and prostitutes.

In the public, composed almost exclusively of men, all are far from usually attending churches.

"Religion? Very little for me!" Exclaims Pup Luppi, a spectator.

Spectators, all dressed in leather, to attend the concert "Classic meets Fetisch", September 9, 2021 at the Evangelical Church of the Twelve Apostles, in Berlin John MACDOUGALL AFP

"On the other hand, classical music calms me down and constitutes a kind of game where the tension rises and falls in an incredible way, like BDSM practices" (for "bondage, domination, sadomasochism"), explains this fifty-something dressed a full black jumpsuit decked out with a dog's tail.

- "gin church" -

"At first, it was a bit strange for me. But it was brilliant", abounds Ronald Hartewig in his outfit as a policeman reminiscent of Victor Willis of the disco group Village People, muse of the gay community.

The dress code is also followed to the letter by the ten musicians - violinists, pianist, organist, flautist - who follow the interpretations of "Waltz and Romance" by Sergei Rachmaninov, "La Danse du saber" by Aram Khatchatourian or different melodies. by Edvard Grieg, the common thread of the concert.

The "Classic meets fetish" evening, September 9, 2021 at the Evangelical Church of the Twelve Apostles, in Berlin John MACDOUGALL AFP

"It's funny to be dressed all in leather rather than in costume. It makes it possible to bridge the gap between the gay community and our daily life as a musician," notes Frenchman Eric Beillevaire, bass baritone.

"What a pleasure especially to replay after so much time in front of the public", he rejoices while having fun with the choice of the place: "it is typical of Berlin where one can live so freely without worrying about the eyes of the others" .

Like its pastor, the Church of the Twelve Apostles is not a place of worship like any other.

Located in the Schöneberg district, a hotbed of Berlin homosexual culture, it is also called "the gin church": when it was necessary, after the Second World War, to repair destroyed stained-glass windows, it was the nearby beverage factory which supplied several thousand bottles to replace glass.

Spectators, all dressed in leather, for the "Classic meets Fetisch" evening, September 9, 2021 at the Evangelical Church of the Twelve Apostles, in Berlin John MACDOUGALL AFP

These stained glass windows are now classified as historical monuments, attracting many visitors.

© 2021 AFP