Posts filed in ‘Entertainment’
Ruhrtriennale – why not
Ever heard about the Ruhrtriennale? It’s a famous annual music and arts festival in the Ruhr area. The venues are sites of industrial heritage, e.g. the famous Jahrhunderhalle in Bochum. The program never really attracted me: ever it was too hard to get tickets or it wasn’t something I wanted to see. Due to some circumstances I am going to see some things. By accidents all of them will be at the Jahrhunderthalle.
I chose serveral things which would suite even people who are not easy with German language or don’t speak German at all. (Besides ‘The Tin Drum’ adpated as a stage play.) For example, the Triennale offers a variety of concerts. I chose to see and hear “Love’s Deep Ocean” which the program book of Ruhrtriennale describes as follows:
Whenever he appears on a concert stage the experts agree: Alim Qasimov, in the words of New York Times after a recent appearance at the invitation of the Kronos Quartet at Carnegie Hall, »is simply one of the greatest singers alive. His voice makes each line a revelation«.
If the New York Times writes about it, it should probably be enjoyable without knowledge of German language.
Self-Service Bike Rental
You might have seen them at some railway sstations in Germany. Self-rental bike from a company owned by “Deutsche Bahn AG”. The metropolis Ruhr now get’s it’s own network of bike stations all across the 11 larger cities. On June 18th, 2010 the first self-service bike stations have been started in Dortmund. Further stations and cities will follow.
The network’s name is metrorad combining the German words Metropole (metropolis) and Rad (from Zweirad oder Fahrrad). It is run by Berlin based company nextbike. Rental is easy: Just call the phone number printed on the bike. After successful booking you’ll get the code for the lock. When returning at the same or another bike station, just phone again. The price is cheap: 1 € per hour with a maximum of 5 € per day.
The best thing is that you can return the bike another station. You don’t have to return to you origin of booking. The idea behind the system is to add something to bridge hole of mobility in the region’s public transport sector.
I see another advantage as well: The network of bike stations can be used for individual or small group bike tour through the region. Once the network is completely establish you will be able to start a bike tour with metrorad form Bochum main station to the Ruhr where the railway museum is located. At the station near the railway museum (Bochum-Dahlhausen) shall be another metrorad station. You can also start form there or continue your tour towards Essen where are more stations. You won’t have to organize a round trip or take you bike with you.
There are many route to explore. www.metrorad.de contains sites in English.
Last Chance for FlicFlac
After all the campaiging this year, Pam and I are exploring the project of the European Capital of Culture Ruhr.2010. Especially, the Schachtzeichen-event was great. But now there is something that is a must see but will end soon.
The next two weeks will see the last days of FlicFlac which is a circus. Is not a classical, retro-style thing like Roncalli but more a modern art show. The title of the last programm indicates this, too. It’s ARTgerecht. The show can be watched without any knowledge of German language. It’s mostly juggling and acrobatics but not in the boring dog and pony show style. have a look at the pictures at the show’s website.
Usually the show moved aorund with its tent. For the last chance you will have to go to CentrO in Oberhausen (engl.). Here the link to a German newspaper article which motivated me to get tickets.
The Local’s guide to the Ruhr Valley’s year of culture
‘The Local’ (Germany’s News in English) provides an article “The Local’s guide to the Ruhr Valley’s year of culture” including a photo gallery. The guide contains a list of the highlights of 2010.
American Drama Group: Romeo and Juliet
In December 2009 Pam and I went to watch a French play at the Schauspielhaus Bochum, the city’s theatre. It was a stage adaption of “The Little Prince”. Funnily enough, the play was arranged by the American Drama Group in Europe. Usually their plays are in the English language.
Anyway, in February the American Drama Group will return to the Schauspielhaus Bochum with Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet“. The stage play will be shown on February 2nd and 3rd, 2010. We’ve got tickets for Wednesday 3rd.
The last play in English language we saw was Shakespeare’s Hamlet. Considering the experience of the French play, I think I know the concept of the stage setting. The stage settings are minimalistic but arranged very cleverly. I lack the words and language to describe this further. The concept of the stage settings seems to support easy traveling and compatibility to different and even very small stages.
We are looking forward to another interesting and entertaining evening.
Wonders of the Solar System
Last year I have been to the exhibition at the Gasometer in Oberhausen. Seems to me and my wife that ‘gasometer’ is a British word which is used for large gas holders or gas tanks. The Gasometer in Oberhausen is no longer used as a gas tank but as an exhibition hall. Starting in 2009 the exhibition runs through this year – the year of the Ruhr being the Cultural Capital of Europe – the exhibition will end on December 30th.
At the desk inside the gasometer, there is a big poster advertising the audio guides. It is also available in English language. That’s the message for today.
The exhibition is really good. The large model of the moon installed inside is very impressive. The explainations next to the objects are good and as far as we remember some are in English as well. “Out of this World – Wonders of the Solar System” is worth a visit. A good suggestion for the next visit of my in-laws.
Exhibitions: Varus Battle 9 A.D.
Anno Domini 9 the the Varus Battle tor Battle of the Teutoburg Forest took place somewhere in the forest of the old Germans. The old Germans were a group of tribes living in an area namend Germania by the old Romans. At the climax of its power and culture the Roman empire tried to turn Germania into a new province. The Romans set up a fort in what is nowadys the town’ Haltern am See’ and so on. But suddenly the old German tribes show resistance. They ambushed the Romans and killed three of their legions.
“Varus, give me my legions back!” Emperor Augustus is said to have cried out, when the news reached him that more than 15.000 Roman soldiers had been lured into an ambush by Germanic tribesmen and had suffered a crushing defeat.
The Emperor and the whole of Rome were shocked. The superpower Rome had lost three of its best legions and had suffered one of the greatest defeats of its history. The plans to set up a province east of the Rhine had been foiled.
(from: Imperium Myth Conflict, webpage of the exhibitions)
Why should people who want to learn about (nowadays) German culture visit the exhibition? Expecially Lemgo is important for understandig German history of the last two hundred years or more. The story of Hermann was used for nation buildung – and misued. Political usage of the story starts after the middle ages. The “general” how defeated the Romans was an old German. Only his latin name is know – Arminus. The German name Hermann was given to him by protestant reformer Martin Luther.
The Roman Museum in Haltern, the Museum in Detmold where the Herman Monument resides and in Kalkries where the battlefield might have been cooperated in a series of three exhibitions titeld Imperium – Myth – Conflict.
Recently, I went to Lemgo an saw ‘Myth’. It was very impressive and interesting. Well, I am political scientist and therefore it was interesting to see how the Hermann-story was used through the centuries by political acteurs. I noticed that the exhibition has English language audio guides.
Today, we went to Haltern am See to see the part of the exhibition “Imperium” in the Roman Museum. This is a permanent institution. Additionally, there is an exhibition set up in the town hall (lake hall) that treats the Roman Empire. The Roman Museum focusses transport and logistics of the Roman legions and the remains found by archaeologists.
Anyway, you can visit the exhibitions as an English language activity. Just ask for the English language audio guide. In Haltern am See they offere machines from Tonwelt.com where you enter number which are close to the objects of the exhibition. Calculate two hours for the museum in Lemgo, an hour for the part of the exhibition in the Roman Museum.
Haltern am See is situated in the north of the Metropolis Ruhr, Lemgo is two hours drive – train or car – to the East and Kalkriese is north of Metropolis Ruhr in Lower Saxony.
Dissappointed at German Mining Museum
Today we went to the German Mining Museum (english page of Deutsche Bergbaumuseum) in Bochum with my parents-in law – finally. I was told that they offer an English tour. Well, it’s not an audio guide. At several place in the replica mine, they installed recordings in German and English language that explain the exhibition. Here is a picture one of the machines:
information box - German and English
Well, the whole thing wasn’t very satisfying. There are two problems: The information boxes seems to be the only English language offer. There are only a few boxes and the texts are two long. It would be nicer to offer shorter – more condensed – text at more places. The exhibition halls outside the replica mine lack English language at all. When I think of the developing metropolis and being European Capital of Culture, I expect an English audio tour for the museum.
During the week, the museum offers a lot of guided tour – not on the week-end. Therefore, I think the information boxes are not really necessary for German visitors and the museum doesn’t need a German audio guide. But they should add something in English.
For now, if you want to visit the mining museum with an English language group you have to book an English tour guide. Else you’ll should go there with someone who knows about mining or did the German tour. This person can add and explain additional things to the English vistors – as well as translating German explainations. Helpful might be to go through the English website of the Bergbaumiseum. In Museum->Replica Mine you’ll find pictures of several items and English descriptions.
Anyway, I learnd and refreshed English vocabulary on mining terms.
Useful Lists on English Contacts
Recently I started a little research to get a list of English roundtables in Ruhr. I wrote an Email to all four contacts and the result was a surprise. Wolfgang Wosmann from The Social Club Mülheim an der Ruhr sent me a list with a lot of them. (Many thanks!) But he also added that not at all of them native speakers take part. Anyway, it will add a lot of items to my list.
The list of ‘English Speaking Clubs in NRW’ is provided by the British General-Consulate in Düsseldorf. It is last updated in April 2008. The website of the General-Consulate contaings further ‘Useful Lists‘. Have a look at them.
Is there something like this from any other English speaking country, it’s embassy or a consulate?
European Capital of Culture is a multi-lingual project
At least “European Capital of Culture” indicates that the city granted the title offers a lot of English language activities. Pam and I just have been to Linz, European Capital of Culture 2009. In my opinion Linz’09 seems to focus three things: sound, light and electronics.
Some of the offers of Linz don’t need language at all, e.g. the daily organ concerts at different churches. For a lot of the museums, there are offers of weekly English public guided tours. We went to the ‘Landesgalerie Linz’. The nice thing was that the guided tour just was for the two of us. We were told that this is not always the case. But I also heard about Austrian groups booking English tours. We also had an English language tour through the Ars Electronica Center. It could only cover party of it. Therefore, we returned. To get an idea of the Ars Electronica Museum, you may want to watch the following video.
You don’t need a guided tour through the Ars Electronica Center. All installations and descriptions are bilingual – in German and English. When I recall what the highlights of European Capital of Culture Ruhr.2010 will be, I am sure that they will be bilingual, too. Just have a look at the route of industrial heritage: the signs are all bilingual. I hope there will be more. I am sure there will be.
Ruhr.2010 will bring a lot of English language offer to our Region – the metropolis Ruhr. European Capital of Culture are always a good place to expect English language offers.
We also watched a show – “Clownerie” – which contained music but no language.
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