German city’s Sinfoniker says aim is not to replace humans but to play music human conductors would find impossible She’s not long on charisma or passion but keeps perfect rhythm and is never prone to temperamental outbursts against the musicians beneath her three batons the next-generation robot conductor who made her debut this weekend in Dresden Her two performances in the eastern German city are intended to show off the latest advances in machine maestros as well as music written explicitly to harness 21st-century technology The artistic director of Dresden’s Sinfoniker said the intention was “not to replace human beings” but to perform complex music that human conductors would find impossible long known for innovation and political statements is celebrating its 25th anniversary with the Robotersinfonie at the Hellerau hall in a concert divided into two parts three-armed MAiRA clutches a trio of stubby lightsabers each responding to its own baton to create cross rhythms Robotersinfonie at the Hellerau hall Photograph: David.Suenderhauf/Hellerau hallThe composer Andreas Gundlach wrote the aptly named Semiconductor’s Masterpiece for 16 brass musicians and four percussionists playing wildly diverging time signatures Some begin slowly and accelerate while the others slow down Gundlach told the local public broadcaster MDR that MAiRA’s technical skills ensured the music sounded smooth Rindt worked with specialists from Technical University Dresden’s CeTI which stands for Centre for Tactile Internet with Human-in-the-Loop It pursues innovation based on the principle that robots and people can cooperate rather than compete Rindt taught MAiRA conducting as he would a human displaying arm movements up to 40 times so she could integrate and adopt them with ever-increasing complexity during two years in development allowing it to move and stretch in all directions a safety mechanism kicks in to prevent her from doing any damage to herself or the musicians Rindt told MDR he had the idea of stepping aside for a sophisticated robot 23 years ago while rehearsing an intricate composition One of the bassoonists told the conductor: “You’re conducting the clarinets in 3/4 time and I have 5/8 a totally different tempo – what should I do no one is conducting me?” And the conductor answered: “I’m not a robot.” Local media reported an enthusiastic reception for the world premiere on Saturday night, which is to be followed by a livestreamed concert on Sunday Free newsletterA digest of the morning's main headlines from the Europe edition emailed direct to you every week day During its quarter-century of existence, Dresden’s Sinfoniker has often pushed the envelope of contemporary music. In 2006, it played an arrangement of the soundtrack of the classic silent film Battleship Potemkin from the balconies of a communist-era housing development in central Dresden, while the British pop duo Pet Shop Boys played on the roof And in 2017, it staged a festival “against isolation and intolerance” during the Trump presidency close to the US-Mexican border wall near Tijuana and performed with Mexican and US musicians The MAiRA Pro S leads the Dresden Sinfoniker in Robotersinfonie at the Hellerau hall in Dresden In Saturday’s (10/13) Guardian (U.K.) “She’s not long on charisma or passion but keeps perfect rhythm and is never prone to temperamental outbursts against the musicians beneath her three batons said the intention was ‘not to replace human beings’ but to perform complex music that human conductors would find impossible The composer Andreas Gundlach wrote the aptly named Semiconductor’s Masterpiece for 16 brass musicians and four percussionists playing wildly diverging time signatures… It pursues innovation based on the principle that robots and people can cooperate rather than compete.” , the award-winning publication of the League of American Orchestras discusses issues critical to the orchestra community and communicates to the American public the value and importance of orchestras and the music they perform to 13.11.2025Application Deadline: Tuesday 23:59 pm CESTIdeal outcome: Spatial Sound Performance (approx We are excited to announce the Global Sonic Research Residency at ZKM | Hertzlab in collaboration with the Arts Council Korea (ARKO) and the European Center for the Arts HELLERAU we select three international artists and researchers working with sound to push the boundaries of sonic arts research by creating immersive experiences that merge spatial sound with speculative narratives on the theme of »Futureproofing Connection«.  This residency offers a unique opportunity to present work at two of Europe's leading centers for spatial sound and performance: ZKM | Hertzlab in Karlsruhe and HELLERAU in Dresden We seek proposals that explore innovative ways to »Futureproof Connection« reimagining how we can maintain and nurture meaningful human connections in a rapidly changing world Residency Theme: Futureproofing ConnectionWe seek artists who investigate how new technologies and creative practices can help us adapt and build resilient forms of connection From immersive soundscapes to experimental performances we invite proposals that utilize spatial sound to create transformative experiences and provoke new perspectives on human connection Concerning the aspects relevant for data protection when using the website https://webform.zkm.de/form/global-sonic-research (hereinafter also referred to as »Website«) (Legal Notice) (hereinafter also referred to as »we« »us« or »ZKM«) in our capacity as Data Controller would like to provide you the following information The processing of your personal data takes place exclusively in 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Privacy Policy here you should therefore read the Privacy Policy again +49 (0) 721 - 8100 - 1200info@zkm.de Dresden Magazin Die Vielfalt von Dresden Elbland im offiziellen Stadtmagazin With special anniversaries such as the 100th birthday of the Palucca University of Dance and the 200th anniversary of the Semperoper Ballett Dresden celebrates its long dance tradition and becomes a place-to-be for dance enthusiasts We have put together the highlights of the 2025 dance year for you and let the stage come alive – Dresden is dancing the city will build on its rich dance heritage and transform into a grand stage celebrating one of the oldest and most beautiful forms of human expression in all its diversity: dance From classical ballet and urban street dance to avant-garde choreographies Adding extra glamour to this exceptional dance year are several major anniversaries: 100 years of the Palucca University of Dance and 100 years of the Semperoper Ball – all shining a well-deserved spotlight on Dresden’s vibrant dance scene Dance lovers can look forward to a year filled with unforgettable moments and breathtaking performances dance festivals and a major anniversary gala Dresden is once again making it clear that it is one of the most exciting dance cities in Europe Whether in the European Centre for the Arts HELLERAU the magnificent Semperoper or the modern Staatsoperette classical masterpieces meet new artistic signatures This diversity has a long tradition: in 1925, Gret Palucca, the icon of German expressive dance, laid the foundation stone for the Palucca University of Dance here, which continues to set dance standards to this day. In 2025, the legendary institution will celebrate its 100th anniversary with an annual programme Also deeply rooted is the Semperoper Ballett which is celebrating one of the oldest ballet traditions in Europe with its 200th anniversary it characterises the international dance scene and never ceases to inspire HELLERAU – the European Centre for the Arts – is one of the leading centres for contemporary dance and offers a varied programme of dance The European dance scene comes together at Highlights 2025 The popular Saxonz format celebrates its anniversary and makes the stage shake different dance styles merge into a rousing competition The audience helps decide which team triumphs Location: European Centre for the Arts HELLERAU 01109 Dresden / Dates: 21 – 22 March 2025 the star choreographer devotes herself to Ludwig van Beethoven’s Symphony No which she reinterprets in a contemporary context The art of dance is accompanied by live electronic sounds by Chilean composer Diego Noguera 01109 Dresden / Dates: 24 – 25 April 2025 The Staatsoperette Dresden blends captivating musical theatre with breathtaking dance artistry making it a key institution in the city’s vibrant dance and stage scene Its in-house ballet ensemble thrills audiences with diverse choreographies in operettas A true standout in the 2025 dance calendar is the DRESDANCE dance gala a must-see event for dance and culture enthusiasts With the DRESDANCE dance gala on 29 March 2025 the Staatsoperette is bringing the entire diversity of Dresden’s dance scene to the stage: the Staatsoperette Ballet the Dresden Frankfurt Dance Company and the Semperoper Ballett will all be taking part An evening full of artistic collaborations This year, the Semper Opera is celebrating the 200th anniversary of the Semperoper Ballet, one of Germany’s leading ballet ensembles. The anniversary programme includes fascinating choreographies such as Nijinski and Swan Lake as well as a large open-air dance and interactive festival on Theaterplatz. As if the festivities were not enough, the Semper Opera Ball will also be 100 years old A spectacle for all the senses: 200 dancers from the Semperoper and the Palucca University of Dance will celebrate the 200th anniversary of the Semperoper Ballett in the open air on 1 April 2025 In this innovative format at Semper Zwei three choreographers compete against each other in alternating teams The task: to further develop one another’s choreography The result is a creative dialogue in three phases that connects the past and future of the Semperoper Ballett One of the most beautiful nights of the year is celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2025: the Semperoper Ball The doors to the anniversary ball will open on 7 February 2025 special tours offer exclusive insights behind the scenes of one of Europe’s oldest balls From the elaborate transformation of the ballroom to exciting stories about award winners and celebrities – let yourself be enchanted The Villa Wigman the former workplace of dancer and choreographer Mary Wigman is now a space for the independent performing arts and an important meeting place for Dresden’s dance scene the Villa Wigman presents a series of performative tours with artistic and installation-based interventions where the pioneer of German expressive dance From April 2025, dance enthusiasts can explore Dresden’s neighbourhoods in a special way on the Silent Disco Dancing Tour participants will dance through the city and learn quirky facts and stories along the way Location: Various districts of Dresden / Dates: from April 2025 You can also find current dates for modern dance and performances in Dresden in the dance calendar of TanzNetzDresden the network of the independent dance scene in the city on the Elbe Experience Dresden Elbland in 360-degree panoramas:More than 60 locations were recorded using drones and high tripods Produced with funding from the Free State of Saxony within the framework of the Tourism Promotion Plan Essenzielle Cookies ermöglichen grundlegende Funktionen und sind für die einwandfreie Funktion der Website erforderlich Inhalte von Videoplattformen und Social-Media-Plattformen werden standardmäßig blockiert Wenn Cookies von externen Medien akzeptiert werden bedarf der Zugriff auf diese Inhalte keiner manuellen Einwilligung mehr Different Kinds of Water Pouring Into a swimming Pool By Andrés Jaque REDCAT.jpg RED CAT Andr+®s Jaque Office for Political Innovation REDCAT Andr+®s Jaque Office for Political Innovation REDCAT Andres Jaque Office for Political Innovation info@accioncultural.es  +34 91 700 4000  José Abascal EXPLOREAbout Us   Activities   PICE Grants   Residencies ACE   Cultural Network   Multimedia   Sitemap   ​Newsletter   Logo and credit for AC/E AC/E Alerts Cookies are small text files that websites can use to make a user's experience more efficient The law states that we can store cookies on your device if they are strictly necessary for the operation of this website This website uses different types of cookies Some cookies are placed by third-party services that appear on our pages You can change or withdraw your consent at any time from the Cookie Declaration on our website and how we process personal data in our Privacy Policy Necessary cookies help make a website usable by enabling basic functions like page navigation and access to secure areas of the website The website cannot function properly without these cookies Preference cookies allow a website to remember information that changes the way the website behaves or looks Marketing cookies are used to track visitors across websites The intention is to display ads that are relevant and engaging for the individual user and thereby more valuable to publishers and third-party advertisers Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker By visiting our site, you agree to our privacy policy regarding cookies Hellerau has a history of artistic innovation that continues to this day and the Festival Theatre was an ideal venue for the 150 pupils and students from Palucca University of Dance to celebrate their year-end in performance has grown into Germany’s first independent University of Dance It is a vibrant centre of creative learning and it has become a much sought after training venue on students’ wish lists linking ballet and contemporary dance and this balance was evident in the summer show which features not only the university students but also the youngsters from both the Orientation Classes and Young Talents Programme There was an overwhelming sense of joy in creativity and movement especially in the performances by the youngsters who seemed to be so potently living in the moment It was 1st and 2nd-year students who opened the programme with Hula from William Forsythe’s The Second Detail Hellerau is home to Dresden Frankfurt Dance Company and Forsythe has a strong presence in the repertoire of Semperoper Ballet enabling the students to benefit from a close collaboration with professionals adept in the style This showed in their confidence in tackling this demanding work and in their clean neo-classical shapes and off-centre pointes Paula Tarragüel and Thomas Badrock danced a pas de deux from Forsythe’s New Suite This is not dance for the faint-hearted and it was a credit to the training that the pair gave a very professional showing The partnering is particularly tricky and the broad smiles Ohad Naharin was featured first in an excerpt from Kamuyot which showed the proficiency of the students in his distinctive movement style In the second half they performed part of Sadeh21 and Zachacha with the line marching back and forth across the stage featured dancers who remove themselves from the ensemble to tell their stories aided by the voice over insecurity all featured and the dancers had a chance to show their talents extended to acting These works came as a culmination of six-months of intensive workshops in Gaga his unique and very popular movement vocabulary a good compliment to their contemporary training More conventional ballet was featured in the Vision Pas de Deux from Aaron Watkin’s Sleeping Beauty Yubin Hwang and Jacob Groot showed beautifully schooled technique competent partnering and considerable charm The juniors had their own ballet duo in A Chance Encounter with a neat comedy edge and Jasmin Arndt and Carl Becker a well-structured work with a strong dramatic line was picked out in sharp lighting accompanied by Valgeir Sigurdsson’s score the dancers looked mature and confident beyond their years and scored in a series of interesting duets Ihsan Rustem also gave the student excellent opportunities in a less confrontational but equally intriguing work for a dozen dancers in Cupid’s Gun There were several fun pieces for the younger pupils Meeting Point choreographed by José Cruz to music by George Gershwin was a show-off piece for up and coming talent ZAHLreich from Angelika Forner featured a wide range of dance styles and skills in an explosion of creativity It was a brilliantly structured work that came across as impetuous and improvised; to be enjoyed by both audience and performers It was packed with clever ideas and smart pairings The relationship of school into the company is proving symbiotic Many of those on the Bachelor’s Programme are already performing with the Dresden Semperoper Company and this close partnership makes a smooth transition for the young dancers and ensures a flow of fresh talent into company ranks The draft federal budget for 2025 provides for a slight increase from €2.15 million to €2.2 billion for the Federal Fund for Culture and Media (BKM) While selected areas—including the Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation German filmmaking and the broadcaster Deutsche Welle—are to receive more money the six federal funds that support the independent cultural scene will lose around half of their budget: €14 million These six funds primarily support non-commercial projects The spectrum ranges from artistic experiments in a laboratory setting to youth work They award scholarships; organise literature jazz and dance festivals; and offer prizes the Fonds Soziokultur awarded prizes to projects designed to promote young people’s engagement with other cultures solidarity with refugees and sensitivity to socially disadvantaged fellow human beings According to Reiner Pöll of the Musikfonds by 2023 only 7.2 percent of music projects worthy of funding could be considered “There is not enough money for the large number of applications,” he said A petition launched by artists in the independent scene which quickly received over 36,000 signatures points out that the “Alliance of International Production Houses an extremely successful cultural model and association of the largest independent international production houses for many years .. has had all federal funding cut in the 10th year of its existence.” The performing arts are particularly affected “because with the loss of the Alliance of International Production Houses and the cutbacks in the Performing Arts Fund a total of 10 million euros less is available for the scene.” The cuts particularly affect cultural areas that “reach a diverse audience of millions with their work,” the petition states And further: “In times of increasing social polarisation and growing anti-democratic forces aesthetically and culturally standing for the freedom of the arts and against any form of group-related hostility.” One example of an acutely endangered project is HELLERAU – European Centre for the Arts Dresden It belongs to the “Alliance of International Production Houses” and looks back on a long history since its foundation in 1911 as a centre of artistic modernism It is today known for its diverse international collaborations and connections in theatre Among its current guests is the Japanese EIZO Theatre The announced cancellation of federal funding “comes at a time,” as artistic director Carena Schlewitt told the online magazine VAN “when international encounters and understanding are more important than ever.” The budget cut came as a surprise to the associations that minimum fees for freelance cultural workers were set at least for projects that are financed or partially financed by the Federal Ministry of Culture implementing this would require an increase in the budget The fact that up to 50 percent of the funds have been cut instead means that numerous projects will have to close The situation is exacerbated by the announcement of the federal states that they will also make drastic cuts in their cultural budgets The federal government’s budget decision must be seen as a targeted political action in relation to cultural life in parallel with the drastic cuts in independent cultural projects some prominent areas are to be financially strengthened serves to further integrate art and culture into foreign policy and government propaganda As for the Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation with its numerous renowned museums in Berlin it is one of the cultural beacons with which the German state is trying to shine internationally has enthusiastically welcomed the budget increase museum visitors and employees should be warned the government will increase its political pressure Museums are already being urged to organise pro-Ukrainian events and to prevent pro-Palestinian protests which belongs to the National Museums and thus to the Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation a Hannah Arendt reading in February was interrupted by participants protesting against the war in Gaza The media subsequently raged about their alleged “antisemitism,” demanded more police protection in the future and criticized the museum management which had allowed the group to participate Hand in hand with the new cultural budget, the federal government is planning an “antisemitism” clause for cultural and scientific projects, which is tantamount to the introduction of censorship. Berlin had previously tried to establish such a clause the German Cultural Council warned that this would mean cultural institutions were “no longer perceived as fundamentally open places” and that “the constitutionally enshrined freedom of art” would be restricted It wrote that “Efforts to introduce clauses into the federal budget code or into the budget codes of the federal states” could lead to “a regular review of applicants by the Office for the Protection of the Constitution,” as the domestic intelligence service is called Even the increased budget for film does not really serve to promote cinematic art It is primarily intended to boost the film industry’s profits The German film industry is to be promoted in order as Minister of State for Culture Claudia Roth (Green Party) explained to “make it more competitive again as an area of the creative industries This will help to attract film productions to Germany and keep productions here.” she is following the demands of the German film industry the industry’s four largest film studios—Bavaria MMC and Penzing Studios—called on the federal government to take action before the summer break as Germany “would otherwise be left behind more and more,” according to Blickpunkt:Film International interest in Germany as a film production location has declined in recent years are increasingly being relocated to Eastern Europe due to the lower costs “All Quiet on the Western Front,” was produced in the Czech Republic At least 30 international film and series projects have been shot in Eastern Europe instead of Germany in the last five years “Modern film funding” should strengthen “cultural film,” said culture minister Roth This is welcomed by some producers and directors insofar as the chaotically fragmented film funding is to be centralised planned automated funding processes have met with criticism high revenues and large audiences cannot be the sole claim of the German film industry; film is also a cultural asset,” is how Helmut Hartung critically sums up the film reform as a whole The character of the 2025 cultural budget is most clearly illustrated by the funding decision for broadcaster Deutsche Welle While public radio and television stations are laying off staff and cutting or reducing cultural programmes to the level of private broadcasters the government wants to strengthen the multilingual foreign broadcaster Roth justifies this decision by saying that it is intended to counter “disinformation”—or Deutsche Welle has played an important role in the Cold War since 1953 which has also had a TV channel since 1992 spread illusions of democracy in the capitalist market economy EU expansion and NATO in the successor states which is financed from tax revenues and not from broadcast fees is directly subordinate to the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and thus to the government The extent to which this broadcaster—officially advertised as the “media voice of Germany”—serves as a government and NATO propaganda organ today is underlined by the presentation of this year’s “Freedom of Speech Award” to Yulia Navalnaya right-wing extremist Russian politician Alexey Navalny In its “Ukraine fact check,” Deutsche Welle drums up support for the right-wing Ukrainian regime and tirelessly argues against anyone who even slightly criticises Prime Minister Zelensky for rejecting a peace agreement The rigorous curtailment of the independent cultural scene by Green Party politician Roth is a state attack on the freedom of art As evidenced by the unequal distribution of funds art and culture are to be adapted to the interests of the German economy and great power politics Last year, the federal government interfered massively in the Berlin Film Festival and misused it to promote its aggressive policy towards Ukraine Zelensky spoke via video right at the beginning and Claudia Roth’s speech was also influenced by this Roth criticised protests against the attendance of parliamentary deputies from the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD)  at the opening of the Berlinale (Berlin International Film Festival) as disregard of the “will of the voters,” and warned that the festival received state funding In the end, a political storm of indignation raged in the media against the Berlinale management because it had allowed declarations of solidarity with the Palestinians at the award ceremony for the film “No Other Land.” The planned reduction of the already small budget for independent art is a right-wing cultural policy and grist to the mill of the AfD This fascistic party has long been engaged in nationalist cultural agitation attacking modern art in a way reminiscent of the Nazis’ vilification of “degenerate art.” It seeks to cut everything that does not promote a “positive image of Germany.” As in the dark past of the country under Hitler the ruling political class is trying to put a stop to internationally oriented The social regression that is currently escalating in all areas is bound up with cultural regression and the artist uses her body of work to examine the legacy of the Bauhaus and other modern movements in everyday life she created furniture sculptures composed primarily of colored panels the contrast of the dark-wood palette of the surface meshing with the soft red that cloaks around it the Kunstmuseen Krefeld invited the American artist to develop a permanent site-specific installation for the Hellerau garden house in the garden of Haus Esters as part of the Bauhaus anniversary exhibition A/ternatives for Living (2019) Zittel adorns the interior of the garden house with Planar Composition in Wood #1 and #2 that comprise tables and stools and Perpendicular Planar Carpet Bench that serves as furnishings for a small cafe in the Summer House at the House Esters and Haus Lange the Kunstmuseen Krefeld presents Zittel’s second work in the interior that ties with the exterior space expanding the spectrum of sculptural forms in the garden of Haus Esters and Haus Lange and stools were created for the interior and a carpet for a bench the installation expands with the entrance of ceiling lights and more stools indoors and bench sculptures outdoors images by Dirk Rose and Kunstmuseen Krefeld / header image by Dirk Jochmann and Kunstmuseen Krefeld intermingling with their surroundings and the living beings that grace the space who invited Andrea Zittel to develop this project notes that she and the team are very pleased that the sculpture garden surrounding the two Mies van der Rohe villas now includes a leading contemporary female position as Zittel’s contribution is the first from a woman artist ‘Andrea Zittel’s sculptural installation reacts to and expands upon the legacy of the Bauhaus and the quest to integrate art into everyday life,’ says Baudin.  Zittel adopted the concept of Planar Panes in the garden house designed and produced by the Hellerau workshops in Dresden and created a usable Gesamtkunstwerk – roughly translates as a “total work of art” – for this project The conceived work deals with the relationship between interior and exterior spaces in modern architecture and with the history of the first prefabricated garden house of the Deutsche Werkstätten Hellerau the garden house designed and produced by the Deutsche Werkstätten Hellerau in the 1920s also features surfaces and drawn from its modular prefabricated construction is dubbed the first of its kind ready for mass production It represents an example of the rationalization of industrialization which increasingly suppressed craftsmanship in the early twentieth century Andrea Zittel’s practice touches upon the strategies Andrea Zittel‘s installation emphasizes this serial quality as she incorporates the garden with bench sculptures glowing in soft red tones using them to connect the interior and exterior spaces in the modern tradition The five rectangular benches on the lawn in front of the garden house invite visitors to take different perspectives on the architecture and the gardens and to come together in different formations her works are experimental arrangements for human interaction and the ensemble around the garden house is repeatedly activated as a social space Andrea Zittel’s second work in the interior ties with the exterior space Interior space with Andrea Zittel’s works Andrea Zittel created five bench sculptures in soft red to gather people at esters garden house name: Andrea Zittel’s Planar Composition for Esters Garden House artist: Andrea Zittel museum: Kunstmuseen Krefeld visitors’ info: here AXOR presents three bathroom concepts that are not merely places of function but destinations in themselves — sanctuaries of style Subscribe From designing and outfitting the interiors for a 150-metre superyacht to turnkey development of a 4,000 sq mhome in the Swiss Alps straight from the set of a James Bond film technology is an essential cog that helps Deutsche Werkstätten Hellerau's (DWH) manage complex design projects for their private clients around the world Technical skill has always played an important part in helping the 115-year-old Dresden-based firm but today this harmony between high technology and craftsmanship is even more important “Beforehand we would only have been given a smaller part of the project now we are given complete projects,” says DWH's managing director Jan Jacobsen “If we are building or are responsible for a construction process in a private house which has 50 rooms or a superyacht this will involve a lot of specialists and special tasks,” he adds We have had to learn to manage the highly complex working processes which are necessary to fulfil our client's requirements adequate pricing levels and keeping deadlines previously agreed,” notes Jacobsen To manage this increasing demand for their engineering and management expertise DWH uses technology in everything from 3D systems for its computer-based machinery to building information modelling software Fritz Straub is visibly proud of this spirit of excellence innovation and craftmanship that suffuse everything that's created at the interiors and architectural firm having resurrected DWH from near extinction in 1992 after persuading Treuhand the agency entrusted with privatising East Germany's state-owned companies It's a spirit that spreads to his private clients who although frequently very wealthy in their own right want to be part of the building process when conceiving or constructing their superyacht or homes Clearly it's a joy to them to craft and make something bespoke,” Straub adds Their calling card is ingenious design solutions completed with top-end finishing by their master craftsmen with examples including a bespoke Gaudi-inspired library in the UK and outfitting a 180-metre 'megayacht'  – the world's largest private motor yacht Yet this spirit of eye-popping innovation hasn't always been present German Arts & Crafts movement pioneer Karl Schmidt blended technology and craftsmanship into the DNA of the Dresden furniture company from its inception in 1898 until the Second World War But following its nationalisation in 1946 as part of the German Democratic Republic (GDR) it was forced to discard making the top-quality furniture it had been synonymous for in pre-war Germany and produce generic furniture for the next 40 years Fast-forward 23 years and DWH is as far removed from its dark days in the GDR as it's possible to be – having exchanged its mass-market focus to design and build for private clients almost exclusively Today it's fused its 115-year-old heritage together with cutting-edge innovation to satisfy the demanding requirements of its international client It typically handles five to 10 projects a year that can range in timescale from one to two years It has completed more than 25 commissions with one of the leading superyacht shipyards in Germany The price tag for outfitting a 150-metre superyacht ranging from € 50 million to 70 million ($56 million to $78 million) rather than market-driven firm and in recent years; demand for its engineering and management capacity has grown One example was when a client travelled with his designer wife and dog to inspect the mock-ups of his new yacht at DWH's headquarters in Dresden he saw the production and the people and he turned to his project manager and says 'I could ask these guys to build a house in Switzerland' “Two months after this encounter here in our workshop with the client and his entourage we signed a contract for a 4,000 sq mhouse in Switzerland.” it would be tempting for Straub and Jacobsen to name-drop any one of their clients But this is not something they would ever consider we have a non-disclosure agreement and you  would not probably like that yourself if we did your house and then led strangers around your home.' Ultimately it's private.” Having demanding clients is not an issue with Straub or Jacobsen “It's an advantage because they demand from us the most incredible things It's the basis for further innovation,” Straub concludes “What was quality five years ago is not quality today.” CampdenFB.com is a wholly owned subsidiary of Campden Wealth © 2001-2022 CampdenFB.com Your use of this site is governed by the Terms and Conditions and even extend to a classic piece by John Cage This is the archive of The Observer up until 21/04/2025 The Observer is now owned and operated by Tortoise Media View upcoming auction estimates and receive personalized email alerts for the artists you follow provoking controversial discussion in the press which not only offered works by artists such as Feininger Moholy-Nagy and Schlemmer but also sold modern tubular steel furniture The general public rubbed their eyes and local art critics were outraged Some of them even purchased the new art – above all probably Dresden’s most famous female collector and art patron to design an interior for one of the rooms in the Bienert family’s residence His 1926 design reveals a visionary sense of space and atmosphere although it was never actually implemented Lissitzky was invited to come from Moscow to Dresden where he constructed a spectacular room for exhibiting abstract art at the International Art Exhibition Its innovative form of presentation challenged visitors’ customary viewing habits The unique experience of these “visionary spaces” which have been revived here in both analogue and virtual form is the central feature of this major exhibition of abstract and constructivist art Schlemmer and other artists from many important international museums and collections have been brought together in Dresden’s Albertinum It shows how this “Art of the Future” inspired by utopian social ideals was exhibited collected and debated in 1920s Dresden – evoking both vehement rejection and enthusiastic approval Mediation platforms in the exhibition encourage visitors to undertake their own creative experiments Rosas danst Rosas goes back to 1983 and has become a standard in the history of post-modern dance Four women on a gloomy stage repeat movements chainlike The forms first recall an awakening and then diverse organic organisms such as shells and sea waves But they also remind of mythological images of mermaids emerging from water or lazy but alert seals on the Earth’s surface neat and accurate movements in repetitive forms and tempo are the striking aspects of the work; and it is that repetition that is the main characteristic Nowadays the piece appears retro with nothing new or innovative in the choreography but as a historic treasure it testifies to what was new back at the beginning of the ’80s when such ideas were fresh The images of the beginning soon transform into compulsive We see four women trapped in their own highly structured life Women at work with their own given duties and ways to be smiling at each other as trying to find a way to keep going homologised dress and movement suggest a group of young female workers in an industrial environment On a stage that includes three pairs of same comfortable shoes and eleven differently designed wooden chairs laying or dancing with rounded movements and spirals They shift and drop their limbs as disconnected parts of their bodies let fall something invisible from the breast to the floor show their shoulder and then immediately cover it up in an endless loop All images that steadily settle in the brain of the spectator All the phrases occur for a prolonged time and it is interesting to reflect upon the differences in the pace of time In the contemporary speedy world we live in such extended repetition transforms into boredom But besides reflecting on the work’s age I also thought about some up-to-date aspects related to the #metoo movement These women appear incapsulated in their own lives where the same events happen and nothing really changes As there seem to be no other feasible possibilities they adapt and make the best out of the tedious practices an ongoing energy and resistance that prevents them from a break down and potentially disconnecting from their given ways to be adapt and tolerate unpleasant circumstances who were able to get stronger from uneasy realities Rosas danst Rosas made me think about changing behaviours and trends and about the women’s infinite resources Get quick access to your favorite articles Manage alerts on breaking news and favorite drivers Make your voice heard with article commenting Cairo-born Williams started his racing career in 1961 initially driving a Mini and then moving into an Austin A40 prior to switching to single-seaters in Formula Junior in 1963 His first season in European competition was punctuated by a big accident in his Merlyn-Ford MkV at Monza Williams claimed a best result of fourth in the Autobahnspinne-Rennen at the Dresden-Hellerau circuit also finishing seventh in the Sachsenringrennen he competed under the Anglo-Swiss Racing banner along with close friend Piers Courage in the new Formula 3 category He finished second in the Preis von Tirol in Innsbruck as well as claiming third in the Eifelrennen at the Nurburgring driving a Lotus 31 Williams and Courage then raced for the new team set up by their old friend Charles Lucas in 1965 This well-run squad allowed Williams to make a real impact winning the Zolder GP and two other high-profile races at Monza Williams then accepted an offer to drive for the works de Sanctis team in 1966 including the first of three wins in the famous Monza Lottery GP This success in Italy led to an offer to drive for Ferrari in Formula 2 the following season Problems with the Ferrari F2 project meant it was a difficult year with Williams's main success coming in the Monza Lottery GP But Williams did get his famous opportunity to race for the F1 team after being sent on standby to the 1967 season-ending Mexican GP with little serious expectation of racing which included some sportscar outings in Ferrari machinery he was not surprised to spend Friday practice on the sidelines watching Chris Amon jump between the team's two 312s Enzo Ferrari had decided he wanted two cars in the race and 24-year-old Williams was pitched into the fray "I'd never even sat in the car," Williams told AUTOSPORT in 2009 "I'd only driven the previous season's for half an hour I was told to bring my overalls just in case but not that there was a 50 per cent chance I would be in the car "Typical Ferrari - they loved to keep you in the dark." Williams was in at the deep end and qualified 16th out of 19 "I had maybe 15 to 20 laps before the race Jean-Pierre Beltoise was a pain in the neck he had a big engine in an F2 Matra and just beat me in the end - very annoying "I was terribly ashamed after Mexico and was walking around in dark glasses hiding from people but despite his ability there would be no more opportunities to race in F1 and Williams parted company with Ferrari although he was subsequently contracted to the stillborn Abarth grand prix car project driving a Brabham BT23C run by old friend Frank Williams (no relation) in which he pipped Alan Rees on the line by two-tenths of a second as his 'Race of My Life' for a feature in AUTOSPORT famously driving the Porsche 908 used to film footage for the Steve McQueen film Le Mans in 1970 Williams was a professional pilot as well as a keen writer and columnist on motorsport AUTOSPORT sends its condolences to his family and friends From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport In order to keep delivering our expert journalism we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker and founder Marie Rambert nurtured some of Britain’s foremost choreographers Today the company’s vibrant take on the contemporary repertoire continues to win fans worldwide In the process of a move from the company’s old London base in Chiswick to their new South Bank headquarters photographs of their history have been catalogued for the first time providing a fascinating record of how an artform was created – and an audience for it Artistic director Mark Baldwin explains all Photograph: Photographer unknown/Rambert Dance Company ROYAL HUISMAN Jotun Coatings Safinah Ltd Teak Solutions Ltd Deutsche Werkstätten Hellerau GmbH delivered directly from The Superyacht Group's editors and market analysts Stay at the forefront of the superyacht industry with SuperyachtNewsweek Please select exactly what you would like to receive from us by ticking the boxes below: The triennial Tanzkongress (Dance Congress) this year comes to Dresden dance and dramaturgy scene will descend on Hellerau for a series of workshops seminars and a number of fascinating fringe events Artistic Director for this festival is the globally acclaimed choreographer Meg Stuart The banner headline for this year’s congress is cryptic: ‘A Long Lasting Affair’. Is this a reference to romantic affairs in the sense of intimacy, promiscuity and sex? Whatever the answer to that question may be, Meg Stuart has consistently made corporeality central to her work. Her first big success came at the 1991 Klapstuk Festival in Belgium with a full-length work called Disfigure Study A nightmarish piece in which bodies appear to be almost dismembered by means of abrupt movements and hectic Stuart brought her show Until Our Hearts Stop (premiered in 2015 at the Munich Kammerspiele) to Dresden A work that shows its performers in particularly intimate situations ranging from harmonious union to total exhaustion and sheer aggression By loading the video, you agree to Vimeo's privacy policy.Learn more Load video So perhaps Long Lasting Affair can also be interpreted in a different way there is always something fleeting about an affair Tanzkongress lasts just under a week – that’s a brief but intense experience The issues currently preoccupying the dance scene are to be analysed communally and in a variety of ways Festspielhaus Hellerau will be the venue for workshops debates and various other formats that are experimental in concept: as ritual or meditation ‘Affair’ is simply a label for the occasion Tanzkongress has been taking place almost every three years since 2006 and each time in a different city: Berlin (2006) And it’s not just limited to those attending the congress itself. Still Untitled@Tanzkongress2019 an artwork by Xavier Le Roy and Scarlet Yu informal meetings and discussions have been part of the build-up the Tanzkongress organisers have signalled that other forms of communication need to be identified – not a bad idea in such politically charged times The historical precursors of Tanzkongress (Dance Congress) were the so-called Tänzerkongresse (Dancers’ Congresses) Initiated by the dramaturge Hanns Niedecken-Gebhard and the choreographer Rudolf von Laban 1928 and 1930 were intended to redefine aesthetic positions and to create a network of like-minded people One of the key issues of the time was choreography in the service of an ideology During a period in which National Socialism was on the rise the two congress founders were leading players in the politics of dance staged the opening ceremony of the 1936 Summer Olympics in Germany The first Dancers’ Congress in Magdeburg in 1927 is remembered above all for its legendary climax: the occasion culminated in an outrageous party dance is characterised by pushing the body to and beyond its limit Anarchic revelry also reigned on Monte Verità another reference point in Stuart’s concept for this year’s congress Monte Verità in the Swiss Ticino region attracted a colony of artists who revolutionised the art of expression and became a hub of ecstasy and spirituality It will therefore be interesting to see which direction the local theatres and ensembles take after Tanzkongress in Dresden comes to an end Does dance point the way to a social utopia A community committed to the idea will experiment with it in Hellerau and ultimately express it by means of their bodies Tanzkongress promises to be a party for all of Dresden to join in, for example on 8th June when Down by the Water is staged on the banks of the River Elbe and on board the steamboat MS Gräfin Cosel It is not a quantum leap from a space given over to the formal discipline of choreography to the dance floor. Consequently, the evening elides into the night as the Tanzkongress participants decamp to the club objekt klein a dance and dramaturgy scene will descend on Hellerau from June 5th to June… 1719 reloaded – Dresden commemorates the wedding of the century with numerous events Augustus the Strong had great plans for0 his son Photographer Therese Debono hopes her portrait spreads Emma’s story around the world and – with a Hellerau award victory – use the prize money for a documentary about Maltese rape victims “I want her and others to get the justice they deserve I want their stories to keep coming up in the media because we cannot forget them And the law courts cannot just postpone such cases.” which took place in Prague from 24th to 26th April presented once again a selection of local contemporary dance productions It is a festival like no other in the course of three days the CDP showcased nine works selected by a programming council consisting of critics Also young critics (students of arts programmes at Czech and Slovak ) had their say within the Be SpectACTive project The council can only choose from works and artists registered for to the platform – this year The final selection is then presented to the audience of mainly professionals from the European The platform format is very popular among the foreign producers as it allows them to see the local production in a condensed form and discover new works and artists This proved successful in the past and helped some Czech and Slovak artists (e.g Tereza Ondrová or Peter Šavel) present their work abroad The attention and feedback from foreign professionals help Czech artists gain more confidence which results in their regular presence at the renown European dance platform Spring Forward This year’s CDP was preceded by a discussion about the legitimacy and the process of selecting works for the platform but also about the amount of subsidies the festival receives form the public budget As a former member of the council for the year 2020/2021 I can only state that I and my fellow council watched responsibly all the registered works we discussed each of them thoroughly and then voted on how much we wished the production to be included into the final selection The talks were inspiring and though-provoking and I certainly did not feel pushed into any kind of decision the council evaluated such aspects as the quality of a piece potential for the European audience (because the goal of the festival is to promote Czech dance to the world) and also the possibility of international touring the subject of genre diversity was tackled to avoid emphasising only one type of work or aesthetic concept The result is a compromise among votes of people with very different personalities diverse professions and aesthetic sensibilities I believe that the same process happened this year and the nine selected works were indeed strongly diversified many could be surprised by the results announced by the the CDP’s international jury so literally from all the corners of Europe from countries with very different political and artistic development They awarded works “which resonated the most and expressed high quality and diversity of the Czech dance scene”: dis pla y by Jitka Čechová and Tereza Lenerová, Call Alice by Tereza Ondrová a Francesca Foscarini and Celestial Odyssey by Andrea Miltnerová, Monika Knoblochová and Jan Komárek The Czech Centres award for a remarkable personality of CDP went to Lucia Kašiarová and her production of Multividual and the harpsichord player Monika Knoblochová received a special mention of the jury for her “ cosmic concert for the eyes” in Celestial Odyssey One could ask: How come one of the main prices went to a “non-dancer”? But isn’t it beautiful that dance professionals were so enthralled by this musician’s impeccable performance that they decided to award her such a prize what did the Czech Dance Platform tell us about Czech dance In terms of the traditional stylistic and thematic diversity a few overlaps and recurring aspects could be spotted this year  One of them was lighting design – many spectators appreciated its sophistication Particularly striking examples were Věra Ondrašíková’s Witness (lights by Pavel Kotlík) Johana Pocková’s To the Madonna with Rust (lights by Jiří Šmirk) Lucia Kašiarová’s Multividual (lights by Štěpán Hejzlar) Sylva Šafková’s INspiraCe (lights by Anna Chrtková) Andrea Miltnerová’s Celestial Odyssey (lights by Jan Komárek) and Martina Talaga’s Sarx (lights by Karel Šimek) The jury member Anikó Racz from the Hungarian arts and cultural centre SÍN pointed out that in this respect Czech dance is far ahead of the Hungarian one The latter still struggles with problems regarding the space and therefore the possibilities for working with lighting design is limited Given the number of works featuring exquisite light design it might seem odd that no prize was awarded in this field this year even though it has been handed out at the festival by the Institute of Lighting Design for the past eleven years The Institute’s representative Jan Rolník justified the decision by stating that the community of lighting designers had decided to reflect the work within the field in a different way The creators do not wish to stand “in the spotlight” themselves the purpose of the award was to emphasize the importance of light design in the domain of performing arts but this mission is now considered complete they would like to open a more sophisticated discussion about lighting design through written and spoken reflections of individual works a series of texts by Ukrainian arts students covering the CDP’s lighting design will be published this year as a form of feedback for the designers and live discussions are set to take place in the coming years which might be also applied in costume design – an area which is still quite underrated and barely spoken (written) about in the Czech milieu Another recurring motif at the CDP was the use of spoken word; in several works the dancers talk to the audience through their voices rather than through their bodies That was especially the case of Silent and Call Alice by Temporary Collective and Tereza Ondrová in which we could hear Johana Pocková’s beautiful singing some artists decided to share the stage with live musicians and integrate various musical instruments The British critic Sanjoy Roy noted: “It was great to hear and see composed music incorporated into the shows with live musicians lighting and costume designers have clearly worked alongside the choreographer in creating works rather than being add-ons.“ INspiraCe and Celestial Odyssey were based on the performative potential of the musicians a discussion opened up on the role of masks grotesque bodies and disappearance/absence of performers the dancers were hidden behind the masks in order to create an extraterrestrial Lucie Kašiarová gradually merged with the scenography to support the idea that everything is connected; in Call Alice one of the performers was only present through her voice The last two works were also directly influenced by the coronavirus and thus related their theme of a performer’s absence covid was certainly not the main point of any discussion at the CDP the selected shows covered the whole spectrum of possibilities - from their effective connection with choreography and concept (To the Madonna with Rust) to nudity (Sarx) In reaction to an interesting debate about nudity in dance Martin Talaga – the creator of Sarx – asked a provocative though legitimate question: “Why to use costume when it has no special meaning in a piece?” Rather than t-shirts and sweatpants he would have the audience watch the naked body in motion Other discussions addressed the role of dance in a dance piece Contemporary choreography seems to recede from dance itself form and technique of movement it shifts attention to the concept and performance as a whole Lucie Kašiarová in Multividual puts the virtuosity of the piece before the virtuosity of movement alone the spectators could also see works that were highly virtuoso and original in the terms of movement for example To the Madonna with Rust and INspiraCe this way of artistic communication still resonates with the spectator  What impression did the foreign guests get from the CDP and do they find any parallels between Czech dance and their home dance scene the professionals I interviewed mentioned other interesting (dis)similarities The artistic director of Norwegian dance festival CODA Stine Nilsen commented on the formal aspect of the works she had seen: “You have some works that are more conceptual with movement vocabulary that is more improvisation based and then there are works with more stylized movement (…) Because of my background as a dancer I am interested in what is the material and the physicality of the body And there was also quite an age range in terms of performers and makers but I did not see a strong difference between them things that almost don’t make sense… and I didn’t see much of that here I have seen more works that have text and storytelling while in Norway I don’t see as many works that use text I don’t think dramaturgy is as common in Norway as here but I see all the artists are using an outside eye The director of South Korean dance festival Sidance Lee Jong-ho finds Czech (and generally European) dance more experimental than the work of South Korean artists and it appreciates contemporary European works which Lee regularly brings to his festival the programme director of Hellerau in Dresden thinks that in terms of topics and style diversity there is not a big difference between Czech and German contemporary dance productions because “many of the artists are already involved in various projects collaborating with international artists.” During the platform he observed a very high level of collaboration between artists which he does not see that often in Germany there is one major difference – it is the system of financial support and there are municipal theatres housing contemporary dance companies “This is maybe also the reason why we see a lot of smaller pieces – solos duets – at the Czech Dance Platform” says Schallenberg Anna Cremonini from Torinodanza (Italy) first explained that for her each platform presents an opportunity to discover new artists as well as those who are more established but give more space to research and experiment She stated that Czech dance creations showcased at the platform are “evidently contemporary because it means that this is a country which is looking ahead.” She also thinks that Czechia and Italy have much in common because we both “carry a strong tradition on our backs a tradition which conditions us and weights down the vision of the future it is very visible when the artists have the possibility of the international contacts because thanks to that they can develop another language The process of the so-called internationalisation is so important for the artists to follow new approaches and expressions but also to reject them.” She sees some similarities in creating the background for dance as well because Italy does not invest very much into culture which affects its development: “Both Czechia and Italy struggle to build a new generation of artists There are not enough resources for creating more ambitious projects – in terms of form and format but also methodology and creative process.” However she has been witnessing some growth and development in the domain of Italian contemporary dance over the past few years as it was given some attention and support from institutions The international network of contacts is crucial for the development of the discipline Alexis Vassiliou from Dance House Lemesos (Cyprus) saw many „strong choreographic voices He stressed the notable presence of female artists (out of ten presented works and the way they are fighting for their place in the society and the world of art and overlapping in many points with his domestic scene This and other similarities made him consider a future collaboration between Czech and Cypriot artists in his residency space and fostering the considerable potential. Vassiliou also appreciated the programming and curation of the festival the way in which its dramaturgy unfolded; not that much in the terms of the content but rather the construction of the audience experience “I was truly amazed by the use of so many atypical venues and spaces because we got to discover the city and visited places we wouldn’t see in other countries.” The variety and diversity of dance venues was highlighted by many foreign professionals as a value added to their festival experience Vassiliou emphasized the importance of the Tanec Praha organisation whose work he has been following on a long-term basis well-developed organisation that has a unique way of working with artists - accompanying them from the research phase to the final product and engaging with them through various workshops and new projects the festival audience was well taken care of: everyone received a totebag and a tag to hang around their necks which featured their name and a list of performances and venues (next time it would be nice to include the times of performances as well) The participants had a perfect overview of their programme during the three days They were transported between the venues by bus otherwise it would be impossible to make it and in order to stay well-nourished during the packed programme Such a perfect service surely contributed to the generally positive Prague experience Czech Dance Platform is a unique event and its crucial role in international promotion of Czech dance cannot be denied Whether we agree with the selection or not however in a certain way (which will be always subjective) it does reflect the state of Czech contemporary dance and as such it is irreplaceable on the Czech festival map As the theatre dramaturge and critic Marta Ljubková mentioned during the final ceremony Czech theatre certainly does not have a similar opportunity to reach foreign audiences Czech dance (also thanks to the Platform) is getting much more attention abroad Written from the Czech Dance Platform 24–26 April 2022 presented once again a selection of local contemporary dance productions.