February 2002 - Nr. 2
2002 CALENDAR OF MAJOR EVENTS IN GERMANY
Celebrating 200 Years of Tourism to the Romantic Rhine
Toronto - In 2002, Germany celebrates "200 Years of Tourism to the Romantic Rhine" to the middle section of the river Rhine that is, the fabled gorge where the Nibelungen’s legendary treasure of gold remains to this day unfound, where the Lorelei’s siren songs are said to have lured many bewitched sailors to certain death by drowning, and where the ruins of medieval fortresses and later castles overlook the river from dramatic crags, creating new photo opportunities with every bend in the river.
Writers like Heinrich Heine, Lord Byron and Victor Hugo made this picturesque scenery known beyond its borders, bringing visitors to come and see with their own eyes what they ‘d heard and read about. In the course of their visits, they discovered the Rhine isn ‘t the only river in Germany combining scenic drama and romantic intimacy. Given the topography of Germany ‘s larger central regions high, often arable plateaus carved up by rivers many of her other rivers (the Moselle, Neckar, Saar, for example) provide similar feasts for the eyes. They, as well as the Elbe and Danube, benefited from the literary praises of 200 years ago and have delighted visitors ever since.
2002 Special Events:
10th Kurt Weill Festival, Dessau (1-10 March)
September Song, Mack the Knife and the Threepenny Opera
may well be the most popular of Kurt Weill ‘s compositions in North America,
though the body of his work far exceeds what ‘s commonly known. For 10
years, Weill ‘s hometown of Dessau, approx. 100 km southwest of Berlin, has
paid tribute to her native son with a festival staging theatre productions,
concerts and film screenings, both original and new, reflecting Weill ‘s
importance to 20th-century music.
Rhine in Flames 5 Magic Nights of Fireworks and Illumination
(4 May-21 September)
Towns and villages along the Rhine between Bonn and Rüdesheim (near Mainz)
coordinate fireworks mounted in strategic spots highlighting the river gorge
and its fortresses and castles to the most dramatic effect. Spectators line
the riverbanks, but the best seats are on board the excursion ships cruising
on the river on the respective Saturday nights.
Bonn: 4 May
Rüdesheim: 6 July
Koblenz: 10 August
Oberwesel: 14 September
Lorelei: 21 September
25th Dresden Music Festival (16 May-9 June)
The 25th anniversary makes for special musical celebrations in Dresden.
Castles, palaces, churches and public gardens in and around Dresden,
including the Semper opera house and the ceremonial Zwinger grounds, will
provide stages for international and renowned local ensembles for
performances of all genres and periods ‹ from ancient music to contemporary,
opera, dance theatre, jazz and much more.
Grand Opening of Legoland Germany (17 May)
Halfway between Munich and Stuttgart, near the city of Ulm, Legoland Germany
will be the largest of the then four Legoland theme parks in the world (the
others are in Denmark, Great Britain and the U.S.) 50 million Lego blocks
and 40 attractions rides, playgrounds, pools and Lego building block
stations will vie for the attention of kids of all ages.
documenta 11, Kassel (8 June-15 September)
The world’s largest exhibit of contemporary art, taking place every five
years in Kassel, a two-hour drive northeast of Frankfurt, will start June 8
and run to September 15. Its 2002 curator is Nigerian-born New Yorker Okwui
Enwezor, who is also responsible for Contemporary Art at Chicago ‘s Art
Institute.
Grand Opening of Munich ‘s Pinakothek der Moderne (September)
A home for four collections, Munich ‘s latest museum occupies 230,000 square
feet in total and promises to become another favourite attraction in Bavaria
‘s capital. It will house the Pinakothek ‘s Modern Art Collection, the New
Collection including industrial and graphic design as well as applied arts
the Architecture Museum Collection and the Graphic Arts Collection.
Vincent van Gogh: Fields, Bremen (19 October-26 January 2003)
The largest collection of its kind ever assembled, more than 40 van Gogh
canvases will be on display in Bremen, concentrating on the artist ‘s
interpretation of field landscapes. The Bremen Art Museum ‘s own painting,
the famous Poppy Fields, acquired in 1911, serves as the focus of
this exhibit illustrating the controversy that arose at the time in the
artistic community around van Gogh ‘s landscapes.
Other Dates:
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30 June: Klassik Open concert, with conductor James Levine, Munich
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13 July: Loveparade, Berlin
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21 September: Oktoberfest opening day, Munich
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2003: IGA Rostock, International Horticultural Show, Rostock
For more information and Web addresses for these and
other events in Germany, please contact the German National Tourist Office
‘s toll-free number, 1-877-315-6237, send an e-mail to
gntony@aol.com, or visit GNTO’s Web sites at
www.germany-tourism.de
or www.visits-to-germany.com.
