Arts

2021 was supposed to be the post- pandemic year for pop music. Such was the prevailing hope as Germany’s Covid-stricken music and event industry embarked on a summer of culture in which, at least for a brief spell, everything seemed almost normal again. But then came the fourth wave and made one thing clear: optimism and creativity won’t keep anyone afloat if the money and strategy are running short.

Techno started in Detroit and went around the world, but nowhere else did the futuristic sound find such fertile ground as in Germany. As a soundtrack to the end of the Cold War, the ensuing scene experienced classic highs and lows before experiencing a new resurgence at the end of the noughties.
 

We love music. Some pieces accompany us a whole lifetime, other songs we most definitely steer clear of. What role does our taste in music play with respect to our personality, to our identity, to social affiliation – and to social exclusion? And why is music so important, especially during puberty?
 

Choreographer Sasha Waltz has added a chapter to the history of dance with choreographic opera. It combines different genres to create dialogue between the disciplines and broaden the audience’s point of reference.

Pressure on the German theatre and cultural landscape has increased significantly since the right-wing populist Alternative for Germany party won seats in parliament. The institutions have developed ways to deal with right-wing attacks – in part by joining together in solidarity.

Germany has more theatres and concert halls than almost any other country in the world. From its many small, private theatres to the large opera houses, stage designers are always working to ensure a special theatre-going experience.