Opera and Ballet on the Rhine for All




What a wonderful evening Friday was as Düsseldorf embraced Opera and Ballet for All.
An audience of 12,000 enjoyed the spectacle on Burgplatz, a few of the RhineBuzz community were disappointed that they did not manage to purchase the few tickets that became available to us for the Opera House - so they went along to Burgplatz and had a fabulous evening as they told me afterwards. The atmosphere was grand, the fireworks were dramatically launched from 2 helicopters; the Opera House performances spectacular.


















Earlier, mesmerised children enjoyed a snippet of Robin Hood as the brightly-coloured soldiers from the children's opera marched onto Burgplatz. I saw this production last December and can only urge all you parents to take your children along next season. The production is in German but I do believe that children of all nationalities will enjoy this, the production is so vibrant - the costumes and energy so bright and gorgeous. The children in the audience in December were glued to their seats, their calls for 'more' at the end deafening!
At the Gala 21 RhineBuzzers joined the 1,300 that took their seats in the Opera House. Elegant visitors relished in glorious performances, Olesya Golovneva was especially memorable with her amusing performance of Bernstsein's "Glitter and be Gay'.


Martin Schläpfer won new fans once again as members of a wider audience had the pleasure of experiencing four pieces by his magnificent ballet company.
The evening was rounded off by a buffet, so at midnight those that could stay, sat down, met new RhineBuzzers and tucked into variations of pasta & wine & especially gorgeous desserts. The gala dinner upstairs in the Opera House was still going strong as we left at around 1.30am.
Photographs ©Frank Heller, ©Bernd Ahrens and 
©Hans Jörg Michel
We were very fortunate that Kerry-Anne O'Brien, a member of the ballet company came to speak with us after the performance. The chance to hear about her work with The Rhine Ballet made the evening very special indeed. Thanks Kerry!


We wish everyone at the Opera House a relaxing and well-deserved summer break. RhineBuzz Opera events will be back in the autumn with newly structured ticket offers so that everyone can enjoy what this marvellous house has to offer us very lucky Düsseldorfers.

Opera Gala and b.05 Rhine Ballet

©Frank Heller
Opera for All 2009


Congratulations Rhine Ballet for being awarded the title of Best Ballet Company in NRW! 
A much deserved accolade for Martin Schläpfer and his ensemble. 
Martin Schläpfer at the Opera House
The wonderful Rhine Ballet premiered on June 12th at the Opera House in Düsseldorf with b.05.
This performance is made up of four pieces, three by Schläpfer and one by the Argentinian Teresa Rotemberg. Expect an evening of high emotion as you are swept along by music that includes piano pieces written by John Cage and a performance which combines saxophone and Schubert waltzes all interpreted by the incredible physicality of Schläpfer's dancers.
The final piece in the b.05, '3' celebrated it's world premier in Mainz in 2007. The words by Wiebke Hüster of the Frankfurter Allgemeine describe “There is hardly another choreographer today who is able to create works with so many layers of depth besides Martin Schläpfer – dances which really come to grips with the music, dances which open up a new terrain of movement, and finally dances which over and beyond the evening can occupy one’s imagination for so long”.
I am anticipating the evening of July 13th, when RhineBuzz will see this performance at the Opera House in Düsseldorf, with great excitement. The ballets b.01 - b.04 have all been mesmerising - I can't wait to see what Herr Schläpfer has in stall for us to round off this incredible season he has celebrated in Düsseldorf.
RhineBuzz at the Premier of b.03
His ballets are of such power. I can only urge anyone who has never seen one of his works to join us. We have had wonderful feedback, especially from ballet novices, you will not be disappointed and will almost certainly get to meet some great new people too. Our groups are a colourful bunch of vibrant characters of all nationalities.
If you wish to join us, please email caroline@rhinebuzz.com. We enjoy discounted tickets for the best seats in the house - you can see right up close the incredible physical effort and feeling that oozes out of theses amazing dancers.
Opera and Ballet for All
©Frank Heller


On 16th July the Opera House will present "Opera and Ballet on the Rhine for All" following the great success of "Opera for All" last year.
With the Rhine majestically as the backdrop, a massive screen of stunning quality is erected on Burgplatz, so that everyone is able to take part in the performance that is transmitted live from the Opera House that evening for free. Take along a deck chair and go along, you'll have a ball!
"Opera for All" had a truly festive atmosphere about it last year and no doubt this new event will encompass the same magic. Entertainment is provided from 3pm on the open-air stage. The performance itself in the Opera House, a stunning program of opera and ballet hosted by well-known personalities from German TV and film, begins at 8pm. RhineBuzz is thrilled to have been able to secure a few tickets.
The entire Opera House will be on stage - the Düsseldorf Symphonic Orchestra, The Choir, The Children's Choir, members of the Opera on the Rhine, the Rhine Ballet and world-renowned guest performers.
A truly magnificent event.

Antenne Düsseldorf Website of the Week!




Hello Rhinebuzzers - a dear German friend has just called me and said that
Antenne Düsseldorf has voted us the website of the week!
How cool is that?
We are very pleased - thank you!

It's a shame I didn't hear what they said about us on June 7th, but apparently it was something along the lines of - cool site that the Düsseldorfers were now also checking for a novel view of what was happening in their city.
The tours and events they said were also well established and highly regarded ...

If you understand German you can read and listen here!

museum kunst palast & the robert schumann hall

 
Le grand geste! opened at museum kunst palast in April and as part of the colourful accompanying program Thursday 6th May saw a talk in English by Vincent Katz, poet and arts critic on 'Artists in New York around 1950'.
This coming Thursday, July 15th the Ed Harris movie "Pollock" will be shown at 6.30pm in the museum. It will be in German.
Every Thursday the museum is open until 9pm. From 15th July until 1st August the mkp is offering two for one entry. Buy one ticket and bring a friend for free!
Le grand geste! features some 200 works in an exhibition of abstract and informal ideas from 1946 - 64 when this new form of painting was being celebrated around the globe. Bold and powerful, including the well-known paintings by Jackson Pollock this is a show not to be missed. A massive 1500 people attended the opening I am told.
Create your own Jackson Pollock!
museum kunst palast shared this fabulous link with us - have a go it's great fun!
Next Arts Session after the summer break: Sept 12th 2 - 4pm and Sept 23rd 7 - 9pm
At the last After Work Arts at mkp the RhineBuzzers had a ball as they put this into practice for real. They had a fabulous time -
"It was the best! Came home full of energy, what a great event, the After Work Art events at Museum Kunst Palast are amazing!"
It was outrageous fun!!! I think it reminded us all of what it once felt like to be in kindergarten and get in touch with our inner child, inner artists as well as work as a team and be creative as a group. I highly recommend it!"
"Loved it!"
email caroline@rhinebuzz.com to reserve your place.
Thank you to Ann-Katrin for the photos.


In June we hosted two dates on a Thursday and a Sunday. Both were a great success. After the summer break in August we will be back fro September every fourth Thursday of the month.
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The 440Hz Series at the robert schumann hall at mkp
Blank and Jones and Alexander Shelley and The Schumann Camerata Orchestra
On Saturday night I was invited to the Blank and Jones and Alexander Shelley concert at the robert schumann hall on the lower floor of mkp.
As part of the 440Hz Series the aim of these concerts is to bring classical music to a younger, broader audience by combining the talents of award-winning British conductor and cellist extrordinare Alexander Shelley with the young (average age 24) Düsseldorf Schumann Camerata Orchestra which he founded and the various genres of music - hip-hop, jazz, a cappella or as on Saturday night, electronica with Blank and Jones.
Now I'm not an electronica fan, but always open to have a listen to something I'm not 100% keen on, my companion and I walked into the cool museum on Saturday evening quite early as I wanted to see who was coming to this concert.
It was indeed a very mixed audience of all ages, including everyone from young dedicated Blank and Jones fans to a few retired folk and everyone in between. I did definitely miss any signs of the international community in those gaining great pleasure from the fantastically air-conditioned foyer. We obviously have yet to discover the joys of 440Hz.
What can I say? The concert was wonderful!!!
Even my vinyl-loving, "real instrument" aficionado companion was quite taken by the atmosphere of the concert, the tones and sheer enjoyment with which these bright young classical musicians wove, blended and performed with the djs.
Conductor Alexander Shelley has a presence on stage that is exhilarating - he so obviously loves his work enormously and his musicians just adore being part of this project. The smiles on their faces said it all.
The evening included pieces by Ravel and a composition by Shelley himself.
Can't wait for the next 44Hz concert which if I understood the introduction correctly will involve a karoke-singing opera singer and the orchestra ... don't ask me! Just make sure you are there. We will let you know in plenty of time when it is.
RhineBuzz really enjoyed the Schumann Quartett event we took part in earlier in the year and now we know about more of your great program.
Thanks mkp for another wonderful evening!

Private Landscapes Young Hungarian Photography


Péter Puklus, Alexander Emese Lázár






As part of the festival of Scene Hungary that is taking place in North Rhein-Westfalia right now Kunstverein Rheinland Westfalen, in the Altstadt, is hosting the photography exhibition Private Landscapes Young Photography from Hungry from 10 - 25 July with award-winning work by Hungarian artists offering a personal insight into their everyday lives: the parties, the environment, the development of cities, the longing for nature ....

You are invited to the opening on July 9th at 7pm. The artists, who all speak English, will be present at 6pm to talk about their work with you.
Salon des Amateurs, next door, will then be hosting the opening party into the night.
Admission is free.

For those that wish to go to the special Julian Schnabel. Polaroids tour at the NRW-Forum that evening at 8pm, the walking distance between the two house is about 10 minutes. So you can certainly do it all!



Become the 300th member of RhineBuzz on facebook & win!


Win the wonderful "South Africa" cd from Putumayo to kick off the World Cup this Friday!
Simply become our 300th member on facebook to win. You will have to pick the cd up from the NRW-Forum on a Friday night - we are there from 8pm until midnight!

"South Africa" A celebration of the musical diversity of South Africa, from Afrojazz and township jive to mbaqanga and Afropop

The range of Putumayo music is available from El Martin on Nordstrasse in Pempelfort,
they will also have a stand at the
Book Market on the Königsallee in the city this coming weekend.

A portion of Putumayo’s proceeds from the sale of this CD

will be donated to Artists for a New South Africa (ANSA),

a non-profit organization working in South Africa

to combat HIV/AIDS and advance human rights.


Julian Schnabel. Polaroids Tour 9th July

Julian Schnabel. Camera

A new show opens on May 30 - July 11 at the NRW-Forum

Julian Schnabel, American painter, sculptor, writer and filmmaker likes things big.
His paintings are huge. The rooms at his home in Manhattan are enormous, the place he built is a real Venetian palace in the West Village.
He has also taken numerous photographs using a massive 20 x 24 inch 1970's Polaroid camera on wheels, weighing over 200 pounds. Portraits of family and friends, including Lou Reed, Mickey Rourke and Placido Domingo, scenes from his life, shots of his home, Palazzo Chupi in New York; some photographs he has painted on. Many of these large photographs, measuring 51 x 61 cm, are being shown for the very first time.
I'm intrigued by this exhibition and look forward to the press conference on Friday. Then I can tell you more.

Julian Schnabel. Polaroids runs from 30th May until 11th July.
After 6pm entry to both this exhibition and the
Robert Mapplethorpe Retrospective is reduced to €3.80.
There is a free tour in English of the Mapplethorpe show at 9pm.


The Opening
The great thing about the NRW-Forum is the spontaneity in which it often works.
Tours are generally not offered for the shows upstairs, but I found that Schnabel had so much to share with us at the press conference that I was keen to offer a mini tour of this exhibition.
So on July 9th RhineBuzz will give a special tour in English. Cost €2.00.
We are at the NRW-Forum every Friday from 8pm until midnight.

©RhineBuzz
Julian signs autographs for the press "lay the posters all out on the floor" he tells us

At first he seems reluctant to speak about the photographs. Then he peers at them and shares with us that he is seeing them hung in an exhibition this way for the very first time. So now he is discovering aspects in the images that he is also seeing for the first time. He is very pensive as he looks at his work. It is almost as though together with him we are able to share, quite intimately, scenes and stories from his life. He even tells us what he dreamt about last night, in his hotel bed in Düsseldorf.
These photographs are special. Their size, appearance, and themes have a great sense of nostalgia about them. And yet, they actually offer a rare glimpse into the life of one of the present arts world's most talked about artists, who also just happens to be an award-winning director. There's much to say about Mr Schnabel.

©Ralf Goertz, filmmaker based at the NRW-Forum, visited Schnabel in New York

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The tour at the beginning of June went very well. We had 31 guests followed by an very entertaining
evening on the lovely terrace and in the bar. 
Thank you all for turning up.



Here a very nice piece about the show by Felisworld

A Soulful Voice, A Gorgeous Smile, Laura Vane at the Jazz Rally


Setting Stone on fire on Sunday night

Laura Vane and the Vipertones, voted best r&b newcomers on UK itunes in February 2010, treated a packed, jumping audience to a concert bursting with energy on Sunday in the legendary club Stone in the Altstadt, rounding up the sunny weekend Jazz Rally.


Laura takes time to chat with us after the soundcheck
©RhineBuzz

I met Laura during the soundcheck at Stone and afterwards asked her if she could ever imaging doing anything else. Immediately shook her mass of blonde curls and answered a definite 'no'. Then she gave this question a moment's thought and said that at some point she might have thought about taking care of sick dogs but no, not really. She grew up with music, both parents are musicians, she loves performing and so of course singing was all she'd ever wanted to do. Seeing her on stage this becomes so very obvious. She is fabulous at what she does, her voice is real, clear and very funky and in no time at all she had the crowd lapping up every moment.

The allure of Laura also comes from an attractive simplicity and friendliness about her. We talked about their performance at WOMAD in the Canary Islands last year where she appeared before an audience of 1000s without having anticipated that the crowd would be so huge and welcoming. Having experienced WOMAD myself for many years I too know how extraordinary these festivals can be.
She's realistic about how tough it is to make it in the music business without being jaded; her goals are grounded and very modest, even though she has performed with big names such as The Streets, Omar and Carleen Anderson. I do hope your wish comes true Laura. I'm sure it will!

As we left the club we heard more than one new, beaming fan exclaim that the gig had been the highlight of the weekend. I could easily see why some said this. Laura and her Dutch band just had the greatest time on stage - their joy, musicality and soul oozed effortlessly over to the crowd. They were obliged to play several encores, the keen crowd just wanted to groove on and certainly didn't want to let them go.

Let's hope that we will see more of Laura Vane and the Vipertones in Düsseldorf. They are signed to the Düsseldorf label Unique so please Henry Storch, founder of Unique, there must be a plan to bring this smiling lady from the south coast of England back to us soon ...


I gave Laura a RhineBuzz Robert Mapplethorpe Retrospective postcard. She seemed very amused by it, just as many of the ladies are!



























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