Foreign Affairs 2016 took place from 5 to 16 July 2016.

Berliner Festspiele

What’s On

Exhibitions

William Kentridge’s 45-metre film projection “More Sweetly Play the Dance”, a part of the project “NO IT IS !”, can be seen not only at Martin-Gropius-Bau but also on the facade of the Festspielhaus. This large-scale projection of a procession is the entrance to a night exhibition which will be open from 22:00 every night and which will lead visitors into the lower depths of the building, where more installations and films by William Kentridge will be revealed. “I Am Not Me The Horse Is Not Mine”, “Breathe (Dissolve, Return)”, “Ubu Tells the Truth” as well as some “Drawing Lessons”-videos will be presented on this nightly course through the theatre’s basement.

Ausstellung

Exhibition

Foreign Affairs 2016

Foreign Affairs

Haus der Berliner Festspiele

William Kentridge - More Sweetly Play The Dance

William Kentridge

William Kentridge: „More Sweetly Play The Dance“ u.a.

William Kentridge &amp; Joanna Dudley

By <a href="artist_connector">Mary Reid Kelley</a>Performance and set design Mary Reid Kelley and Patrick Kelley

A pun-filled work of existentialist feminist horror, “This Is Offal” by Mary Reid Kelley and Patrick Kelley ghoulishly enacts Camus’ philosophy of the absurd as a counter to suicide. As the organs liver, heart and brain argue over what happened at night in the pathology room, they also deny any hope of a rational, unified explanation for the most tragic and motivationally complex of human actions. Mary Reid Kelley, born in Greenville, South Carolina, in 1979, often produces her videos in collaboration with her partner Patrick Kelley. “This Is Offal” is their first work for a live audience, debuting at the Haus der Berliner Festspiele.

Mary Reid Kelley

Concept <a href="artist_connector">Dries Verhoeven</a>

The continual availability of news on laptops, televisions and smartphones makes us permanent witnesses to ‘foreign affairs’ on the other side of the world. With the video installation “Guilty Landscapes”, Dries Verhoeven confronts us with the reality of uncomfortable news images in immediate proximity. What if those images were to turn around and look back at their witnesses? In 2016, Dries Verhoeven is creating a series of episodes of “Guilty Landscapes”, commissioned by and for various international festivals.

Dries Verhoeven

Concept, performance <a href="artist_connector">Nelisiwe Xaba</a> Music Siya Makhuzeni Video, assistance Candida Merwe Artistic advice Mocke J van Veuren

Born and raised in Dube, Soweto, Nelisiwe Xaba began her international career in dance almost 20 years ago. Returning to South Africa in 1997, Xaba joined Pact Dance Company and later launched her solo career, addressing the politics attached to being a black, female dancer. Throughout all her projects Xaba’s gender activism stays related to her artistic work. “The Urban Mermaid” takes its inspiration from the mermaid myth. Like the siren that causes shipwreck, the urban mermaid humorously and tragically wreaks havoc in the swimming pools of suburban Johannesburg. Ironically, the Urban Mermaid cannot swim and the drought situation in South Africa forces her to look for donations from Valpre and Evian for water to fill her plastic swimming pool.

Nelisiwe Xaba

South African William Kentridge is one of the most internationally significant contemporary artists. He is not just a visual artist but also a filmmaker, director and a great raconteur. His comprehensive body of works has spanned several artistic disciplines for more than three decades now. Berliner Festspiele will present his complete interdisciplinary oeuvre for the first time: at the Martin-Gropius-Bau (May 12th to August 21st 2016) and in the Haus der Berliner Festspiele during the Festival Foreign Affairs (5th to 17th July 2016).At the center of his creative process is his visual work. It is the point of departure for the large-scale show curated by Wulf Herzogenrath in the Martin-Gropius-Bau. The spectrum of works presented here ranges from drawings through the famous animated films dedicated to Georges Méliès (2003) and Drawings for Projection (1989-2011) to the monumental film projection More Sweetly Play the Dance (2015) and the spatial installation The Refusal of Time, which premiered at the Documenta in 2012. The two “cabinets of wonders” to be seen in the Martin-Gropius-Bau lead into the atmosphere of the studio, the creative locus: Works from Kentridge’s collection, including etchings by Goya, D&uuml;rer and Hopper, are his source of inspiration, and correspond to his sketches, collages, and pictures, which proceed through various media in the course of the creative process, growing ever more complex.The title NO IT IS !, evokes the contradiction of the images. It also transcends the boundaries of the museum itself, extending to the lecture performances Six Drawing Lessons (2012), an autobiographical, artistic and political story that gathers the themes of his oeuvre from the earliest days to the present and links the two venues – the Martin-Gropius-Bau and the Haus der Berliner Festspiele. In the lectures and the two cabinets of wonders, his work and the processes of its creation are condensed and intensified. In the same way as performance is brought into the museum (to be seen are Paper Music (2014) and A Guided Tour of the Exhibition for Soprano with Handbag (2016)), further works by Kentridge can be experienced at the 11-day Foreign Affairs festival.William Kentridge studied political sciences and African studies before he changed to fine arts. He studied art, drama studies and theater studies in Johannesburg and Paris. ‘Uncertainty’ is a central concept in his show – it releases pressure from the artistic practice which cannot be pinned down to a specific medium. It shows pictures ‘along the way,’ that means in constant transformation and transition. Kentridge chooses pictorial subjects which always address the uncertainty of life. This makes his oeuvre more relevant than ever.

Gropius Bau 2023

Gropius Bau

NO IT IS ! William Kentridge

NO IT IS ! William&nbsp;Kentridge

Past Events

2016

Der schnellste Weg zu unseren Festivals, Ausstellungen und Programmreihen: 
The quickest way to our festivals, exhibitions and programme series:

<ul>
	<li><a href="${link:{uuid:{55f81055-59ad-4284-b7c4-a3019f95610e},repository:{website},path:{/bfs-de/gropius-bau}}}">Gropius&nbsp;Bau</a></li>
</ul>

<ul>
	<li><a href="${link:{uuid:{26e11d22-b6fe-47cb-a18a-b6b29d9136a7},repository:{website},path:{/bfs-de/jazzfest-berlin}}}">Jazzfest&nbsp;Berlin</a></li>
	<li><a href="${link:{uuid:{3295227e-266e-442b-9094-c484230f623f},repository:{website},path:{/bfs-de/maerzmusik}}}">MaerzMusik</a></li>
	<li><a href="${link:{uuid:{6633a1a2-5791-4d37-85a7-e0b06fa105f2},repository:{website},path:{/bfs-de/musikfest-berlin}}}">Musikfest&nbsp;Berlin</a></li>
	<li><a href="${link:{uuid:{af5afe78-6bdd-4e71-aae7-9589124d87bd},repository:{website},path:{/bfs-de/performing-arts-season}}}">Performing Arts Season</a></li>
	<li><a href="${link:{uuid:{fa672cb2-855e-469b-8212-4dec36fe248c},repository:{website},path:{/bfs-de/theatertreffen}}}">Theatertreffen</a></li>
	<li><a href="${link:{uuid:{4edae657-6eda-4c0e-bca1-0ce354742029},repository:{website},path:{/bfs-de/treffen-junge-szene}}}">Treffen junge Szene</a>&nbsp;</li>
</ul>

Dar&uuml;ber hinaus geht es hier zu den folgenden Seiten: 
In addition, click here to go to the following pages:

<ul>
	<li><a href="${link:{uuid:{f9e53754-08cb-44b3-8aef-d1bc11968779},repository:{website},path:{/bfs-de}}}">Startseite</a>&nbsp;(Home Page)</li>
	<li><a href="${link:{uuid:{9e5a1240-2f96-4b76-be7b-a8c3f2a22bbd},repository:{website},path:{/bfs-de/programm/kalender}}}">Kalender</a>&nbsp;(Calendar)</li>
	<li><a href="${link:{uuid:{1c781ff7-4d77-4925-af10-b8f846eb2b8a},repository:{website},path:{/bfs-de/besuch/anfahrt-kontakt}}}">Anfahrt &amp; Kontakt</a>&nbsp;(Visit &amp; Contact)</li>
	<li><a href="https://tickets.kbb.eu/kbb.webshop/webticket/shop?language=de">Webshop</a>&nbsp;(Online Shop)</li>
</ul>

Falls das auch nicht hilft, finden Sie unsere Veranstaltungen auch auf externen Seiten: 
If that doesn&#39;t help you can find our event on external pages:

<ul>
	<li><a href="http://www.berlin-buehnen.de/de/spielplan/?locations=80" target="_blank" title="Berlin Bühnen">Berlin B&uuml;hnen</a></li>
	<li><a href="http://www.museumsportal-berlin.de/de/museen/martin-gropius-bau/#section-exhibitions" target="_blank" title="Museumsportal Berlin">Museumsportal Berlin</a></li>
</ul>

M&ouml;chten Sie uns helfen? Schicken Sie uns gerne eine Nachricht mit dem Hinweis, wo der Fehler aufgetreten ist: 
You want to help us? Please send us a message with a hint where the error occurred: 
<a href="mailto:online-plattformen@berlinerfestspiele.de">online-plattformen@berlinerfestspiele.de</a>

<ul>
</ul>

Die Seite wurde nicht gefunden! /&nbsp;The page was not found!

The Berliner Festspiele organise a range of festivals and art exhibitions, concerts, dance and theatre performances, readings, lectures, debates and much more throughout the year. These events are presented at a range of locations across Berlin but are concentrated primarily at their own two venues: the Gropius Bau and the Haus der Berliner Festspiele.

The Berliner Festspiele programme archive includes all events from 2004 onwards.

The archive pages of the current festivals and programme series can be found in the menu of the respective festival under Programme/Archive.

Berliner Festspiele&rsquo;s own events, guest events and past festivals and programme series are listed on this page.

Foreign Affairs 2016 took place from 5 to 16 July 2016.

Foreign Affairs was the Berliner Festspiele&#39;s international performing arts festival with an intercultural, discursive and politically informed interdisciplinary programme.

Archiv

programm

Programme

No events of Berliner Festspiele today

Today’s Events

Exhibitions & Projects

Berliner Festspiele linksbündig_neu

appFooterBfsLogo

Gropius Bau linksbündig_neu

appFooterFestivals0

Jazzfest Berlin linksbündig_neu

appFooterFestivals1

MaerzMusik linksbündig_neu

appFooterFestivals2

Musikfest Berlin linksbündig_neu

appFooterFestivals3

Performing Arts Season_neu

appFooterFestivals4

Theatertreffen linksbündig_neu

appFooterFestivals5

Treffen junge Szene linksbündig_neu

appFooterFestivals6

appFooterLinks0

appFooterLinks1

appFooterLinks2

appFooterLinks3

appFooterLinks4

appFooterLinks5

appFooterLinks6

appFooterLinks7

appFooterSocials0

appFooterSocials1

appFooterSocials2

appFooterSocials3

BKM-Logo englisch

appFooterSponsors0

appHeaderFestivalPages0

appHeaderFestivalPages1

appHeaderFestivalPages2

appHeaderFestivalPages3

appHeaderFestivalPages4

appHeaderFestivalPages5

appHeaderFestivalPages6

appHeaderFestivalPages7

appHeaderFestivalPages8

appHeaderFestivalPages9

appHeaderFestivalPages10

appHeaderFestivalPages11

appHeaderMenuFestivals0

appHeaderMenuFestivals1

appHeaderMenuFestivals2

appHeaderMenuFestivals3

appHeaderMenuFestivals4

appHeaderMenuFestivals5

links0

links1

links2

appHeaderMenuGroups0

appHeaderMenuGroups1

links3

appHeaderMenuGroups2

appHeaderMenuGroups3

appHeaderMenuHouses0

appHeaderMenuLinks0

Leichte Sprache

appHeaderNavbarLinks0

appHeaderSaveEnergyLink

appHeaderSearchPage

Fallback-Bild Berliner Festspiele

chatbotConfigs0

chatbotConfigs1

In accordance with the ePrivacy Directive (2002/58/EC), you must consent to the use and storage of cookies when you visit our website. In addition to the strictly necessary, functional cookies, we recommend that you also activate further cookies in order to be able to use all the functions on our website.

furtherInformation

cookieConsent

Der schnellste Weg zu unseren Festivals, Ausstellungen und Programmreihen: The quickest way to our festivals, exhibitions and programme series:<ul> <li><a href="${link:{uuid:{55f81055-59ad-4284-b7c4-a3019f95610e},repository:{website},path:{/bfs-de/gropius-bau}}}">Gropius&nbsp;Bau</a></li></ul><ul> <li><a href="${link:{uuid:{26e11d22-b6fe-47cb-a18a-b6b29d9136a7},repository:{website},path:{/bfs-de/jazzfest-berlin}}}">Jazzfest&nbsp;Berlin</a></li> <li><a href="${link:{uuid:{3295227e-266e-442b-9094-c484230f623f},repository:{website},path:{/bfs-de/maerzmusik}}}">MaerzMusik</a></li> <li><a href="${link:{uuid:{6633a1a2-5791-4d37-85a7-e0b06fa105f2},repository:{website},path:{/bfs-de/musikfest-berlin}}}">Musikfest&nbsp;Berlin</a></li> <li><a href="${link:{uuid:{af5afe78-6bdd-4e71-aae7-9589124d87bd},repository:{website},path:{/bfs-de/performing-arts-season}}}">Performing Arts Season</a></li> <li><a href="${link:{uuid:{fa672cb2-855e-469b-8212-4dec36fe248c},repository:{website},path:{/bfs-de/theatertreffen}}}">Theatertreffen</a></li> <li><a href="${link:{uuid:{4edae657-6eda-4c0e-bca1-0ce354742029},repository:{website},path:{/bfs-de/treffen-junge-szene}}}">Treffen junge Szene</a>&nbsp;</li></ul>Dar&uuml;ber hinaus geht es hier zu den folgenden Seiten: In addition, click here to go to the following pages:<ul> <li><a href="${link:{uuid:{f9e53754-08cb-44b3-8aef-d1bc11968779},repository:{website},path:{/bfs-de}}}">Startseite</a>&nbsp;(Home Page)</li> <li><a href="${link:{uuid:{9e5a1240-2f96-4b76-be7b-a8c3f2a22bbd},repository:{website},path:{/bfs-de/programm/kalender}}}">Kalender</a>&nbsp;(Calendar)</li> <li><a href="${link:{uuid:{1c781ff7-4d77-4925-af10-b8f846eb2b8a},repository:{website},path:{/bfs-de/besuch/anfahrt-kontakt}}}">Anfahrt &amp; Kontakt</a>&nbsp;(Visit &amp; Contact)</li> <li><a href="https://tickets.kbb.eu/kbb.webshop/webticket/shop?language=de">Webshop</a>&nbsp;(Online Shop)</li></ul>Falls das auch nicht hilft, finden Sie unsere Veranstaltungen auch auf externen Seiten: If that doesn't help you can find our event on external pages:<ul> <li><a href="http://www.berlin-buehnen.de/de/spielplan/?locations=80" target="_blank" title="Berlin B&uuml;hnen">Berlin B&uuml;hnen</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.museumsportal-berlin.de/de/museen/martin-gropius-bau/#section-exhibitions" target="_blank" title="Museumsportal Berlin">Museumsportal Berlin</a></li></ul>M&ouml;chten Sie uns helfen? Schicken Sie uns gerne eine Nachricht mit dem Hinweis, wo der Fehler aufgetreten ist: You want to help us? Please send us a message with a hint where the error occurred: <a href="mailto:online-plattformen@berlinerfestspiele.de">online-plattformen@berlinerfestspiele.de</a><ul></ul>

Die Seite wurde nicht gefunden! /&nbsp;The page was not found!

teasers

ctaButton

Fallback-Bild Musikfest Berlin 2024 neu

teasers0

You can listen to some of our events this year digitally in the Berliner Festspiele Media Library after the live concerts.&nbsp;In addition, On Demand offers from past years are available.

Musikfest Berlin in the Media Library

jfb24_research_lab_web_visual_neu

teasers1

The international Jazzfest Research Lab&nbsp;welcomes academics and students to take a critical look at the festival’s archive, its programmes, creators, musicians and – last but not least – its myths. In two seminars during the summer semester of 2024, students from the Berlin University of the Arts and the University of Hildesheim have explored the festival’s history from various perspectives. In this film, the participants give a first look at how they dealt with their research subject.

Introducing: Jazzfest Research Lab

jfb24_community_lab_web_visual_neu

teasers2

To mark its 60th anniversary, Jazzfest Berlin is celebrating the cultural diversity of the neighbouring district of Moabit in collaboration with around 35 official partners and initiatives and with over 350 participants of all ages.&nbsp;In June 2024, interviews were conducted with 20 partners who presented their perspectives, wishes and ideas for the Jazzfest Community Lab Moabit. You can get a first impression with this film.

bfs24_rr_teaser_mediathek

teasers3

Curated by&nbsp;Meron Mendel and Saba-Nur Cheema&nbsp;

From 13 to 16 June 2024, the interdisciplinary themed days “Reflexes &amp; Reflections” on the Israel-Palestine conflict and its consequences for society in Germany took place at the Haus der Berliner Festspiele. You can now find video and audio recordings of the discourse events in the Berliner Festspiele Media Library!

Reflexes &amp; Reflections. 7 October, the war in Gaza and the debate in Germany

In the Media Library

visibility

ctas0

ctas

tt24_atmo_auswahl_10_inszenierungen

smartInfo

The 10 Remarkable Productions 2024

On 26 January, the Theatertreffen’s jury of critics announced their selection of 10 remarkable productions for the 2024 Theatertreffen at a press conference. Our congratulations go to the nominated production teams and all participants! The programme will be published on 5 April.

Theatertreffen 2024

“Radical Playgrounds”, an art parcours at the Gropius Bau, is spending eleven weeks exploring the differences between the concepts of play as competition and free play. Visitors are invited to walk and climb on the various installations and sculptures, to activate them and to shape the project collectively.

0111

The massacre, hostage-taking and rocket attacks by Hamas have shaken us deeply. The grue-some attack on Israel on 7&nbsp;October left us stunned and initially lost for words.

The Berliner Festspiele on Current Events in Israel, Gaza and Germany

With this letter of intent, we, the signing cultural organizations, express our intention to welcome, host and stage Ukrainian theatre artists in our venues, to make Ukrainian dramatic work visible to the European community.

Support of the Ukrainian Cultural Scene

More Berliner Festspiele

01110

slides

Fallback-Bild Performing Arts Season

slides0

The second season will concentrate on memory and heritage in contemporary performing arts, with a focus on New York’s dance and performance scene.&nbsp;The programme has been published and tickets are available now.

Performing Arts Season

mm25_melencolia_1

slides1

MaerzMusik&nbsp;2025 opens with “MELENCOLIA”, an experimental music theatre show by Brigitta Muntendorf and Moritz Lobeck. In immersive soundscapes, musicians from Ensemble Modern and the Apollo Choir of the Staatsoper Unter den Linden invite the audience to explore the creative and transformative power of melancholic worlds. Tickets are available now.

MELENCOLIA

Fallback-Bild Theatertreffen

slides2

The next Theatertreffen will take place from 2 to 18 May 2025. The 10 most remarkable productions, selected by a&nbsp;jury of critics, will be announced in a press conference on 21 January.

Theatertreffen 2025

slides3

Eight selected concert highlights of Musikfest Berlin 2025 have already been published and are on sale. These include guest performances by the world’s best symphony orchestras and choirs from the Netherlands, France, Belgium and Italy, which are rarely heard in Berlin. &nbsp;

Musikfest Berlin

Upcoming

0113

<h3>Theatertreffen</h3><h4>2 to 20 May 2024</h4>The 10&nbsp;remarkable productions, selected by a jury of critics, were announced in a press conference on 26&nbsp;January 2024, 11:00. The programme will be published on 5&nbsp;April, advance ticket sales will start on 19&nbsp;April at 14:00

pas24_dance_c_sally_cohn_08

0114

Lucinda Childs Dance Company

Dance

pas24_lucinda_childs_four_new_works_c_alexandra_polina

0115

Four New Works

pas24_momo_c_ascaf

0116

Batsheva Dance Company

MOMO

0118

bfs24_radical_playgrounds_visual

<h3>Radical Playgrounds: From Competition to Collaboration</h3><h4>27 April to 14 July 2024</h4>Berlin is known for its numerous “Spielpl&auml;tze” for kids, but the project “Radical Playgrounds” is a place where play gets serious.&nbsp;It arrives at Gropius Hain for eleven weeks like an itinerant, temporary funfair: both melancholic and light-hearted, sad and joyful, funny and serious.&nbsp;

mgb11_p_02_photovoltaikanlage_querformat

We have been following EMAS guidelines for sustainable environmental performance since 2013. Find out more about our goals and the measures that we have already taken on the website of our umbrella organisation.

Sustainable Environmental Performance

bfs24_shield_and_shine_3_2

Start of the new campaign

Active since 2018, the national network DIE VIELEN formulates clear positions against enmity, right-wing extremism and attacks against artistic freedom. With the campaign “SHIELD &amp; SHINE”, the alliance is calling out to take an even stronger stance in support of a plural, democratic orientation of the world.

SHIELD &amp; SHINE – We Are Many

<h3>Sustainable Environmental Performance</h3>We have been following EMAS guidelines for sustainable environmental performance since 2013. Find out more about our goals and the measures that we have already taken on the website of our umbrella organisation.

<h3>Musikfest Berlin</h3><h4>24 August to 18 September 2024</h4>In 2024, the Musikfest Berlin will once again open the concert season in late summer with top-class international orchestras, celebrated conductors and remarkable soloists. The full programme is online. Advance ticket sales has started.

<h3>Performing Arts Season</h3><h4>9 October 2024 to 25 January 2025</h4>The second season, presented between October 2024 and January 2025, will concentrate on memory and heritage in contemporary performing arts, with a focus on New York’s dance and performance scene.

All year round, Berliner Festspiele host a multitude of festivals, exhibitions and individual events in two houses – the Haus der Berliner Festspiele at Schaperstra&szlig;e and the Gropius Bau near Potsdamer Platz – and other venues in the city.

The Berliner Festspiele

gb24_braetsch_baubau_teaser

Playing, laughing, making noise, letting off steam, doing nothing – all in an exhibition venue! Since 4 September 2024, BAUBAU invites children to do exactly that. The artist Kerstin Br&auml;tsch designed an&nbsp;admission-free play space for kids, where more is allowed than forbidden. On the Gropius Bau’s ground floor, colourful wallpapers, structures, objects and open-ended material called “loose parts” configure flexible spaces that are shaped by children’s activities.

BAUBAUA&nbsp;Play Space for Kids

gb24_tiravanija_bon voyage

For more than three decades, Rirkrit Tiravanija has been expanding the possibilities of what can happen in an exhibition space. As part of his practice, the artist creates situations that offer space to eat and drink, play and rest. They encourage chance encounters, relationships and their failure – in other words: life.&nbsp;Since 12 September 2024,&nbsp;DAS GL&Uuml;CK IST NICHT IMMER LUSTIG&nbsp;(Happiness is not always fun)&nbsp;presents more than 80 of the artist’s works created between 1987 and 2024.

Rirkrit Tiravanija:&nbsp;DAS GL&Uuml;CK IST NICHT IMMER LUSTIG

Currently at the Gropius Bau

jfb24_mediathek_screenshot_rand

A number of concerts and talks from this year’s Jazzfest Berlin can be found in the Berliner Festspiele Media Library. In addition, on demand offers from past years are available.

Jazzfest Berlin 2024

main