Leipzig is celebrating the 200th birthday of Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy with a program, Aug. 21-Sept. 18, 2009, at the concert hall where the composer staged his works, Gewandhaus zu Leipziger (Augustusplatz 8, 04109 Leipzig, Germany; phone +49 341 12 70-0, www.gewandhaus.de). For schedule, prices and tickets, call the ticket hotline (+49 341 12 70 280) or fax (341 12 70-200).

Learn more about him at his last residence, Mendelssohn House (Goldschmidtstraße 12, 04103 Leipzig, Germany...

The 176th Oktoberfest takes place in Munich, Sept. 19-Oct. 4, 2009. Fourteen large tents from beer distributors across Germany will crowd the Theresienwiesen festival grounds.

Table reservations are arranged through each tent (on the website www.oktoberfest.de, see “Tents”) but may not be necessary for those arriving in the morning on weekends or before 2 p.m. on weekdays. No seat, no beer! At the previous festival, a liter of beer cost about €8 (near $11).

During the festival...

Saudi Arabia now requires visitors to declare jewelry, cash and any monetary instrument worth more than 60,000 riyals ($16,000). The move is to combat money laundering and the funding of terrorists.