Merry Christmas!

©C. IIlsley Photography
RhineBuzz wishes everyone a very 
Merry Christmas and a most peaceful New Year!

2012 has been busy, 2013 will be busier!

From January we can found in the heart of the Altstadt at the 
The English Language Forum, Neustrasse 39, 40213 Düsseldorf


A Great British Pantomime - Cinderella


Sinclair Arts Theater Company and RhineBuzz present a great british pantomime for Christmas 2012!

The panto Cinderella will bring smiles to all your faces
Audience participation is essential!
Come and join us at the theatre at the International School Düsseldorf on December 15 and 16 at 7.30pm


Tickets can be purchase online here and from 
The English Language Forum, Neustrasse 39 in the Altstadt.
Sponsored by

http://mein-berufsziel.de/


Trailing Spouses Workshop 2013



       
                             Postponed until March 2013

 Following the excellent feedback from the first event, (this is the most comfortable I have felt since being here ...") The International School on the Rhine in Neuss (ISR) and RhineBuzz will be presenting the second Trailing Spouses Workshop on January 8 2013 from 9.30am to 3pm at E.ON

Whether you have been here for a while, or have just arrived, you will leave the day with us, not only having met folks in a similar position to yourself, but you will take with you much information about essentials here in Germany such as how the health insurance system works to filling your free time in this culturally-rich city to tips on boutique shopping off the Königsallee and what to order at the butchers and much, much more ....

Speakers include Heide Koch, from the Deutsche Oper am Rhein, Peter Inhoven, master butcher extraordinaire, Mike Woodiwiss, Spectrum International, advisor to the politicians on the complex German health insurance system, John Vilardo, yoga instructor and Christina Dehn of Loretto 360˚

We will have all kinds of goodies to give away including tickets for the Deutsche Oper am Rhein, entry tickets for Museum Kunstpalast and places on city tours in English.

Lunch will be provided as will childcare!

Please register here.

This event is kindly sponsored by E.ON 

Kraftwerk


Kraftwerk at K20
Düsseldorf


11 - 20 January 2013







11.01.13 Autobahn (1974)
12.01.13 Radio Aktivität (1975)
13.01.13 Trans Europa Express (1977)
16.01.13 Die Mensch-Maschine (1978)
17.01.13 Computerwelt (1981)
18.01.13 Techno Pop (1986)
19.01.13 The Mix (1991)
20.01.13 Tour de France (2003)

with 3-D visualisations


Tickets on sale 10am 10.11.12 




Andreas Gursky at Museum Kunstpalast




Andreas Gursky is without a doubt, one of the world's most important photographic artists of the current day.
His work, his painterly photographs are intense, certainly eye catching, thought-provoking and indeed spectacular on both an emotional and physical scale and yet, also miniscule in detail.
International broadsheets announce record prices for his work, arts students think of him as a great influence on their studies and discoveries.

 And, Gursky is a Düsseldorf artist. He came to the city as a young child, studied here at the art academy after initial studies at the Folkwang University in Essen. He works here from his studio of over 30 years in Oberkassel and is now professor for free art at the art academy where he once was a student himself of hugely influential Bernd and Hilla Becher.

 Consequently the media interest at the press conference for the Andreas Gursky exhibition at Museum Kunstpalast was quite something. These affairs tend to be quite tame in Düsseldorf, but not only did only over 130 representatives turn up but the questions were also penetrating to the point of Gursky declining to answer, on the grounds that the question was 'too personal' at one point. 
Gursky at the press conference at mkp
photo: ©Bernd Ahrens

 Each work, these days, is the product of a lengthy process which begins, he enchanting told us, with a photograph taken with his mobile phone! He then investigates the depth of the image, what he sees and what it could be. He may go to extraordinary lengths to take photographs such as in the new piece 'Katar' on show at Museum Kunstpalast for the very first time. Gursky climbed 40 meters down a ladder into an enormous gas tank to capture these images which he finally made into the work of a golden-coloured space. Down on the ground one can spot a minuscule man, cleaning the gas tank from within a tent. It's an extraordinary image. Detailed and astounding.
Beat Wismer, director of mkp, and co-curator of this exhibition and
Gursky who also co-curated
photo: ©Bernd Ahrens

 This is, without a doubt, a show of great depth. Simply put, Gursky creates a piece that imitates what the eye actually sees when positioned from a bird's eye view. This is an image a camera not capture in all complexity. By working with numerous images of the same scene and then spending 'months in exile' in his studio, Gursky then comes out with an often spectacular piece of work that is both immediate and yet deep; his wishes that his work will stand the test of time and indeed they are a great document of our massive world today and the intricate creatures, we human beings, that create extraordinary scenarios in such an all encompassing way. 
Finally, Gursky told us that he still likes to believe in the one shot photograph!

 A must-see show.






Elektra



Morenike Fadayomi as Chrysothemis
©Matthias Jung

On Saturday September 22, the Deutsche Oper am Rhein opened its current season with the premier performance of Elektra, a one-act opera with music by Richard Strauss and a German libretto by Hugo von Hofmannsthal. This opera was first performed in 1909 and was the first of many joint ventures between the two artists.  

The story is based on ancient Greek mythology. Elektra was the daughter of Agamemnon, king of Mycenae.  In the opera we first see her in the courtyard of the palace of Mycenae.  Her family is very dysfunctional and has been plagued by betrayal, cruelty and killings. Those who have survived, so far, are broken and wounded people haunted by terrible nightmares.  

Strauss and von Hofmannsthal interpreted this ancient story in a modern and expressionistic way.  There is a psychological examination of the characters and a great deal of emotion is expressed, although nearly all the focus is on Elektra. The style of the music was clearly influenced by Wagner and was played by a huge orchestra (around 100 musicians).  Like Wagner, Strauss characterised the figures in the story with leitmotifs.  

On Saturday, Linda Watson, a world-renowned Wagnerian soprano, superbly performed the complex and demanding role of Elektra.  Another Wagnerian whose performance stood out was Hans-Peter König (bass) in the role of Orestes.

The set throughout was the Palace of Mycenae, which also has a role as a metaphor for its inhabitants.  It revolves in a sort of vicious circle, it too is broken and wounded and, ultimately, we cannot know the full horror of what goes on inside.

There are just 3 more performances of Elektra in the next two weeks so you'll have to hurry if you don't want to miss this great opera. 

Jadwiga Bobrowska for RhineBuzz

düsseldorf festival!




The düsseldorf festival! kicks off on September 12 and runs until October 3 2012.

 Now in its twenty second year, formerly known as the altstadtherbst, this splendid festival of the performing arts brings together hip hop, new circus, jazz, Baroque music, acrobatics, choral music, tai-chi, world music, dance, classical highlights, both well known and as yet undiscovered and so very, very much more!
Noemi Waysfeld 
September 16 Festival Marquee, Burgplatz
photo ©Alexis Rimbaud

 A festival in the true sense of the word, the three weeks not only bring new and stimulating experiences to its curious audience, but also creates a precious time when artists from around the globe meet and exchange moments and ideas, often in the communal kitchen which is traditionally run by volunteers. Historical city tours are also on offer and with the venues all around town from the main festival marquee on Burgplatz to churches, K21 - the museum of contemporary art, the Tonhalle and the intimate Heinrich-Heine bookstore café and more, it's also a great way of discovering the endless stages we have in the city.
Zimmermann & de Perrot 
September 19 - 21 Festival Marquee, Burgplatz
photo ©Mario Del Curto Strates

 All info how to purchase your tickets here

 RhineBuzz has tickets for you to win for this great festival!
The first person who tells us the impressive venue for the concert "In paradisum" wins two tickets to this concert. 
Answers to win@rhinebuzz.com
RhineBuzz Facebook admins cannot take part - sorry!

Golzheim Fest September 1 and 2


Wonderful free festival - live music from Düsseldorf 

 Saturday and Sunday Sept 1 and 2 around the 
Theodor-Heuss-Bridge
After Show Party in the Blue Note, Kurze Strasse 13, Düsseldorf Altstadt from 11pm

Kunstpunkte, Düsseldorf artists open their studios



"What an amazing adventure on a rainy day. Thank you so much for this wonderful opportunity to meet other people, see artist studios and get some invaluable information about the art scene here in Dusseldorf. I can't wait for next weekend." 


Kunstpunkte happens over two weekends on August 25 and 26 and September 1 and 2 2012 when some 500+ Düsseldorf artists open their studios to the general public. Finding your way around all those studios is tricky to say the least, I've been going regularly for years but have still only seen a fraction of the wonderful work that is created in these often hidden spaces in the city. The studios can be anyway from disused harbour buildings to right next door to your apartment!

 This year for the very first time RhineBuzz is pleased to be offering two tours in English. On each of the Sundays, so on August 26 and September 2 at 3pm you can visit 4 or 5 selected studios accompanied by myself and a Düsseldorf artist. We will guide you about the work you are about to see and the artist you will meet and encourage you to meet and speak with the artists.

Studio Abdelhahi El Aidi
Visitors are transported around town in a gorgeous oldtimer bus, which leaves from the Rheinterrasse, the tour lasts approximately 3 hours and costs €15.00 per person. Limited tickets available from Petra Weiss at the Department of Culture Düsseldorf 0211-89-24197 during office hours or petra.weiss@duesseldorf.de or tours@rhinebuzz.com


Come and join us and do what RhineBuzz does best - we open doors, we help you to discover new worlds in this, lively and colourful, adopted city of ours.

 Kunstpunkte is organised and financed by the Kulturamt Düsseldorf and the new RhineBuzz tours wouldn't be possible without the generous sponsorship of the International School in Neuss on the Rhine, ISR. Many thanks :)




Many of the artists we visit came to Düsseldorf because of the renowned Art Academy. Here, a movie approved by CNN I set up last year to give a privileged glimpse inside with one of its many well known former students: Emil Schult and the Art Academy

El Greco and Modernism at Museum Kunstpalast

28 April - August 12 2012

For the very first time in Germany, to rave reviews by the national and international press, 40 El Greco masterpieces are being shown at the Museum Kunstpalast.
Combined with 100 works by modernist painters the exhibition shows how modernism was greatly influenced by El Grecos works. 
 El Greco Laocoön 1610-14
©Bernd Ahrens
Visitors have the rare opportunity to see works by Max Beckmann, Cezanne and Picasso along side the only remaining picture panel of El Greco 'Laocoön' or the Opening of the Fifth Seal, painting which could have been painted 300 years before its time.
Works have been collected from some of the top art houses around the globe, such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art, NY, The National Gallery, London and the National gallery of Art, Washington, the Musée du Louvre, Paris and the MoMA, NY.

El Greco 1580-1595 The Disrobing of Christ 
Museum director, Beat Wismer, prepares for another interview.
©Bernd Ahrens


The Independent, one of the UK's top broadsheets compliments curator and museum's director Beat Wismer: "In its quiet, reasonable way, the Kunstpalast rewrites the history of a strand of modern art".

©Bernd Ahrens

The Museum Kunstpalast is offereing public tours in English on June 10 and 24, July 8 and 22 and August 5 at 4pm. Please reserve via the museum, 0211-899 01 90 or el.greco@smkp.de


Extended opening hours for this exhibition:
Opening hours for the exhibition EL GRECO AND MODERNISM
Monday 1 pm - 6 pm
Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Sunday 10 am - 8 pm
Thursday, Saturday 10 am - 9 pm


Open Source Festival 2012



The Editors at Open Source 2011
©Bernd Ahrens Photography

Music festival season has definitely hit town, with the next great musical event at the end of the month with the Open Source Festival on June 30 at the horse racing course, Galloprennbahn in Düsseldorf.

What a brilliant venue for an open air festival!

After the live shows on the edge of the Grafenberger Forest, the party continues late into the night at Stahlwerk.


Tom Smith of the Editors at Open Source 2011
©Bernd Ahrens Photography


Düsseldorf is of course the birth place of electronic music with the iconic band Kraftwerk coming out of the city. In this very spirit Phillip Maiburg, of the drum and bass setup Phoneheads, brings us a feast of independent, new and electronic music to the city with a programme that brings us live acts from New Mexico to Australia and all that's in between.



Day pass €28
Day and Night pass €36 for entrance to the party at Stahlwerk too
You can purchase tickets online here


Thanks to Phillip Maiburg, RhineBuzzers can win a pair of tickets to the festival by telling us which award-winning Düsseldorf band is performing at the Open Source Festival this year?





Answers to win@rhinebuzz.com
facebook admins of the RhineBuzz group cannot take part - sorry!

Transatlantic Festival Overture - Opening the Schumannfest

Martin Grubinger does his incredible stuff!
Photo ©Petra Weiss


The 'Transatlantische Festovertüre' at the Tonhalle, opening the Schumannfest last week, was such an incredible experience I  had a lot of trouble starting this write-up.
It's very difficult to find the words that can mirror that feeling of pleasure I experienced that evening. Trusty to the programme's name, the musical travels I experienced were far-reaching and exhilarating. 

The Grammy-winning Emerson String Quartet opened with a wonderfully romantic piece from Schumann, many warm pictures of nature's joyful peace and playfulness came to mind. After the break, the Quartet pushed forward the concept of crossing over new boundaries to undiscovered territories; for example, I later found out that Samuel Barber's heart wrenching composition (recognizable from a war movie's soundtrack) was a regular at funerals for high dignitaries. 

The highlight of the evening: watching 'the Conjurer' call forth evil spirits, remains indescribable for me. Casting his magical spells, one of the world's fastest percussionists, Martin Grubinger, had the entire audience spellbound as he raced around the stage playing an undefinable number of instruments. If I distanced myself from the depth of the music for a moment, his enraptured playing was enthralling in itself. With his incredible talent and passion, he successfully charmed forward the glassy-eyed smiles of everyone there.


Martin Grubinger
photo ©Felix Broede


Ending the trip, the young and enthusiastic Salzburg Camerata performed the swirling 'West Side Story' suite, that city-bustling, emotional journey of the heart and mind. There were numerous charming surprises in this performance and the encore had the audience singing "Amen" in true gospel style. Another truly unique magical moment.
Here, the transatlantic destination to the new world had been reached. The influential Robert Schumann was the beginning of a new romantic revolution, and being so, this concert was the perfect way to begin this festival. I'm looking forward to many more pathways at the Schumannfest to journey along to. 

Tim D. Morand for RhineBuzz

RhineBuzz offer discounted tickets to all concerts of the Schumannfest up until 
June 4. 
Email schumann@rhinebuzz.com for details.

CAG e.V. present Jesus Christ Superstar


CAG e.V present Andrew Lloyd Weber's Jesus Christ Superstar on 
Saturday 30 June at 8pm
Sunday 1 July at 2pm
Sunday 1 July at 6pm
at the 
Stadthalle 
Neanderstraße 63 
 40699 Erkrath 

in aid of MS-Treff Erkrath, a group for the benefit of suffers of multiple sclerosis and 
Hephata Am Schellenberg in Mettmann, a home for the handicapped.

Tickets €20 and €15.00 available here

Düsseldorfer Salons - Up Close and Personal

I will hold my soul tender

Valentin Radutiu


The biennial Schumann festival starts this Thursday May 24. To get us into the Romantic mood, in the run-up, there is a series of so-called Salon concerts.  But if you think that Romantic means candlelight, kitsch and corn - think again!  With its emphasis on subjectivity, individualism as well as a fascination with the past it is, in fact, a mood whose time has come - again.

The Salon concerts have all these ingredients and more.  The first in the series, held on Saturday May 19, was in a charming, old private house near the Hofgarten.  Visitors were welcomed very warmly and generously by the owners.  The house itself has a history going back more than 100 years (there was even a Byronesque ivied ruin in the garden).  Music has always been a feature of the family who has now lived there for three generations.

On Saturday evening the visitors, gathered cosily around the piano on an assortment of chairs, sofas, armchairs and benches, delighted in the exquisite music played by Valentin Radutiu, on the cello, and Per Rundberg, on the piano.  On the programme, of course, music by the Romantic composers such as Schumann himself and Chopin, pieces that would have been played at these type of social gatherings in the 19th century. There was also very dramatic music by Albéric Magnard who could be described as a bit of a rebel in the Romantic tradition. Bird song, floating in from the open windows in the airy conservatory where the piano was placed, punctuated the dreamy, relaxed atmosphere.  All in all it was a wonderful, Romantic evening.


Jadwiga Bobrowska for RhineBuzz


Feedback from some of the concert goers last night:
"Wonderful concert in a beautiful home last night!
Thanks again for letting me in on this.  We enjoyed it very much."

"Caroline THANK YOU! I'd never had known about this without RhineBuzz, it was a very special evening" 


"The Salon was utterly delightful.  Thank you so much for telling me about it and for sorting out the tickets"

Please contact schumann@rhinebuzz.com for discounted tickets for this incredible festival May 24 - June 4 

Intimate Salon Concerts, a taster for the Schumannfest

"I will allow myself to be intoxicated by the power of my feelings"

I'm often asked about secret spots in city, places no one knows about where extraordinary things take place ....


Valentin Radutiu in the salon of Rosenstrasse 49, Pempelfort
photo @Susanne Diesner

It's true, the Altstadt is very a huge part of life in Düsseldorf and it's easy to hang out there and never venture further afield, but if you do scratch the surface, do a little research, there are some absolute treasures this city has to discover! Yes, some behind otherwise 'closed' doors ....

The theme of the bi-annual Schmannfest 'Get Romantic' isn't about hearts and roses, it's about taking time and creating peace, allowing your senses to be tickled, inspired ... it's a time to escape from the hustle and bustle of industry and commerce. To sink into another world.


Along the theme of historical ninetieth century 'Salon Concerts' when Chopin and Liszt entertained the gentry in grand city palaces a created a place were politics and philosophy were discussed with musicians and writers, a series of very intimate concerts are being played in exceptional locations in the city in the lead up to the Schumannfest.


The first will be a grand city house in the Rosenstrasse in Pempelfort near the Hofgarten. The owners, a musician and dramatist, have kindly opened their beautiful home to host a recital for cello and piano with Valentin Radutiu and Per Rundberg.

Cellist Valentin Radutiu talked of how very special such a performance is, that a concert hall full of 1000 guests can be most powerful but one can also sometimes lose the sensual feeling of the music connecting with your audience. He was obviously looking forward to this salon concert on May 19 immensely.

Call the ticket hotline now, 0211 13 32 40, and reserve one of the very limited tickets for one of these very special concerts. Tickets for the recital in the Rosenstrasse are just €19.00. Certainly one of a kind and certainly an experience that will stay with you for quite some time.

There will be four Düsseldorfer Salons concerts, please see link for details.




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