A compilation of happenings that transpired during the month of May.
May Matters in Hamburg: Straight Talk with Annabel Trautwein
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Musical Miscellany
Guitar Tunes and Spot-On Rhymes
"You ain't a bum, you ain't homeless, their lowbrow ways ain't what I don't dig about you..." The band "Das Heinrich Manoeuvre" aims to clap back at discrimination against minorities with a scathing rebuttal, and they stay on target in their song "Politically Correct". Musically, the Hamburg-based crew playfully pushes boundaries, with the beats for raps coming from instruments live and joyously out of rhythm, and rhymes carelessly spilling into the next verse. At the gig at Harburg Station, the band "Mikrophone" injects an energetic dose of pogo and headbanging beats.
Stellwerk, Hannoversche Straße 85, Sat, 3.5., Doors 8 PM, Entry 9,92 Euro (adv.), Tickets
Dramatic Delights
Feast for the Eyes
Each year, a lone arbiter takes it upon himself to select the crème de la crème of theater performances from the German-speaking world, inviting them to grace Hamburg's stages. This time, Intendant Nikolaus Besch has shown impeccable taste: The Berliner Ensemble brings a highly-regarded "Threepenny Opera" to the Schauspielhaus, Ulrich Matthes delivers a stellar performance in "Das Dinner" at the Thalia, and "Ich weiß nicht, was ein Ort ist, ich kenne nur seinen Preis" by the late René Pollesch makes its debut in Hamburg.
Hamburger Theater Festival, various stages, from 2.5., all info and program: Festival Info
Dramatic Delights
In Search of Europe
In Greek mythology, Europa remains forever elusive: Those who venture out to find her never return. Building on this tale, the German-Italian ensemble TÒ SU creates their performance "Oh Europa! Dangerous Games". In this multimedia piece, five refugees share stories of their search for Europe, their dreams, the perils of crossing European borders, and their fears for loved ones left behind.
Kampnagel, Jarrestraße 20, Wed-Fri, 7.-9.5., 7 PM, Sat, 10.5., 8 PM, artist talk after 9.5., Entry: Low: 15 Euro, High: 9 Euro, Tickets
Cinematic Highlights
Each Individual Matters
Marty Rosenbluth's relentless fight for prisoners' rights in the USA is a Sisyphean task, but it never stops the human rights lawyer from advocating for each individual. The doc "An Hour from the Middle of Nowhere" captures Rosenbluth's grit. The film can be seen at Planet Harburg, a branch of the Archaeological Museum, where the Kinemathek Hamburg operates a pop-up cinema.
Planet Harburg, Herbert-und-Greta-Wehner-Platz, Sun, 4.5., 6:30 PM, Entry Low: 9 Euro, High: 6 Euro, Tickets
Open-Air Entertainment
A Green Getaway
Experience live music, interactive activities, art, and tours through urban nature at the Asphalt Sprenger Festival - right in the heart of Hammerbrook. Children will find much to explore, like the theatre piece "Das große Gewusel" or a kid-friendly bike demo. As always, it's all about participating to make Hamburg greener.
PARKS Gelände, Bullerdeich 6, and Park am Hochwasserbassin, Süderstraße 112, Sun, 10.5., 13-20 Uhr, Free admission: More Info
Subversive Service
Laziness as a Revolutionary Idea
What if we did absolutely nothing? The performance duo Meyer&Kowski tried it for three months and now presents the fruits of their labor. In the double monologue "The Idlers", idleness is celebrated as a subversive practice of post-capitalism that might just go viral.
Rentzel, Spielstätte des Lichthof Theaters, Rentzelstraße 36, Tue+Fri, 15.+16.5., each evening at 8:15 PM, Entry: Low: 8 Euro, High: 28 Euro, Tickets
Artistic Exploration
Artistic Freedom at Its Best
Westwerk serves as a bridge between art, music, space, and discourse. It hosts exhibitions, encourages artist exchange, and welcomes artists in residence to its "Experimentierfeld" program. In May, artists from the MAERZ association in Linz, Austria, join the festivities. Look for photographs, films, and sculptures with a view of Hamburg and the public space.
Westwerk, Admiralitätstraße 74, Project presentation Tue, 22.5., Presentation of results Fri, 30.5., each evening at 7 PM, Admission free, More Info
Musical Maestros
Warning: Political Overtones
OPUS 45 weighs in on the state of the nation with powerful undercurrents: The wind quartet with reciter Roman Knižka specializes in literary chamber music evenings that provoke thought on current debates. In the form of a "warning love declaration", they turn their attention to the Basic Law and its central pledge: The dignity of man is inviolable. Works by Bach, Beethoven, Ravel, and more will be performed, along with literary and philosophical texts, moments, telegrams, or newspaper articles that question whether and how we are keeping our promises to the constitution.
Hl.-Dreieinigkeitskirche, St. Georgs Kirchhof 3, Fri, 23.5., 7 PM, Admission free, More Info
Open-Air Fun
Sunshine Soiree
The Jupiter voyage is over: After packing up furniture and decor at the end of April from the upper floors of the former Karstadt Sport building on Mönckebergstraße, the Hansemats team moved the party to the popular sun deck in the Oberhafen. This season opener features DJ sets, live music, and family day.
Sonnendeck, Stockmeyerstraße 41-43, Wed, 22.-24.5., Entry: Low: 5 Euro, High: 15 Euro, Sun, 25.5., Entry: Low: 5 Euro, High: 15 Euro, Kids free, More Info
Emotional Laundry
Spin Cycle of Feelings
Life gets you down? Worried or scared? The Laundromat of Emotions is here to help. While textiles rotate in the background, passersby can select the emotion that resonates with their mood, and artist Naama Freedman will perform a purifying soundtrack, letting them step back into everyday life with fresh thoughts.
Goldbekhaus, Moorfuhrtweg 9, Sat, 24.5., 11 AM-4 PM, and Zinnschmelze, Maurienstraße 19, Fri, 30.5., 3 PM-7 PM, Free admission, More Info
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In the heart of Hammerbrook, the Asphalt Sprenger Festival offers a green getaway with live music, interactive activities, art, and tours through urban nature, providing an ideal opportunity for outdoor-living and family-friendly entertainment.
Westwerk, a bridge between art, music, space, and discourse, hosts exhibitions, encourages artist exchange, and welcomes artists in residence as part of its "Experimentierfeld" program, offering a chance to immerse oneself in artistic freedom for home-and-garden aficionados.
Music enthusiasts should not miss the energetic dose of pogo and headbanging beats at the Mikrophone gig at Harburg Station, or the powerful undercurrents of OPUS 45's literary chamber music performances, which weigh in on current debates and offer a refreshing take on entertainment.
