The weekend was quiet, but, like always, not quiet enough. In my humble opinion, you only have truly rested if you are able to dream again. All of my dreams, however, just involved more rest, and even though I haven’t planned any vacations this summer, I might dare to go on some kind of pilgrimage to a place, where I could simply collapse, and sleep, and read. Maybe I have more fuel in me for another month, but the alarm lights are already setting off. This dream is so blurry that I lack the words to describe it in any further detail.
Meanwhile, this Saturday an important thing happened - I launched the Everything About Art Advisors series on my instagram. These are seven videos (four are already out and there are three more to come) diving into the ins-and-outs of my profession, and it’s also another chance to promote my major thesis - ‘You don’t have to be rich to own a collection’, - which I also call ‘poor collecting’.
This installment of Goings-On is dedicated to Germany and includes 15 events in 8 cities. It includes: 6 ballets, 2 theater performances, 5 exhibitions and 1 opera. Please, note that it’s already the third dispatch featuring the Add to Calendar button. Hope you find it convenient and if not, please, just ping me.
30 June - 7 July / Theater / Yerma by Simon Stone / Schaubuhne
I can’t be objective here since I am a huge fan of Simon Stone, but being one of the most popular productions in Schaubuhne’s repertoire has to count for at least general acclaim (book your seats right away).
9 June - 6 October / Exhibition / Andy Warhol. Velvet Rage and Beauty / Neue Nationalgaleie
Warhol’s show is curated by Klaus Biesenbach and will reveal the author in the light of his queerness. It will bring together more than 300 works from the 1960s till his death in 1987.
until 13 July / Exhibition / Wolfgang Tillmans, Summer Storm Rain Drops Freeze Frame / Galerie Buchholz
This is Tillman’s first solo show in Berlin since 2016. Wolfgang transforms matter through the technological use of cameras. Under his gaze, items created for a specific purpose lose their functionality, turning into sculptural objects
until 6 October / Exhibition / Sex: Jewish Positions / Jewish Museum Berlin
I’ve been waiting for this exhibition for six years. I’ve heard some detailed accounts of how curators attended Monday ‘sex’ meeting with rabbis. Ever since I moved to Tel Aviv, the capital of libido, this show has become even more interesting. Jokes aside, modern and contemporary art, artifacts, film, and new media illustrate a range of Jewish positions on sex that have been discussed for centuries in the canon of rabbinic literature. From the central importance of marriage and procreation, through desire, taboos, and the questioning of social norms, to the eroticism of spirituality. Worth a visit (or a trip) for sure!
ongoing / Exhibition / Nationalgalerie: A Collection for the 21st Century / Hamburger Bahnhof
Within long debates on whether non-German citizens can represent Germany on international art festivals, Hamburger Bahnhof presents a panorama of Berlin's art scene and the city itself, spanning the period from the fall of the Berlin Wall all the way to the present. It features artists who live in Berlin and consider themselves Berliners, no matter what their official status is.
This season’s last performance of 2 Chapters Love by Sol Leon and Sharon Eyal at Staatoper unter den Linden on 14 June is also an obvious hit.
5 and 8 June / Ballet / DUATO / SLEELS / EYAL / Bayerisches Staatsballet
Sometimes you want to escape the world - the three choreographies in this new Triple Bill, revolve around various forms of escapism
Here she is! Sharon Eyal with Autodance in a programme that I’ve already mentioned here.
28 June - 7 July / Opera / Ligeti’s Le Grand Macabre by Krzysztof Warlikowski / Bayerisches Staatsoper
The piece described by György Ligeti himself as anti-anti-opera is criss-crossed with historical music quotes, extreme coloratura arias, thorny rhythm, peculiar use of instruments and all kinds of heightened elements. It will now be performed at the Bayerische Staatsoper for the first time.
2 and 7 June / Ballet / Metamorphosis by David Dawson / Theater Dormurdt
Metamorphosis is based on the Philip Glass’ solo piano composition of the same name. It was rehearsed entirely via Zoom with all 23 dancers, and premiered in April 2021 at the Dutch National Ballet.
“Metamorphosis is a vehicle of hope, it’s about continuing, about not giving up, about the proverbial path we take from winter to spring, about believing that there is light at the end of the tunnel.” (David Dawson)
2 - 26 June / Ballet / Classics by George Balanchine / Justin Peck / Twyla Tharp / Semperoper Dresden
This Triple Bill is a premiere. The classic Serenade by George Balanchine, Rodeo: Four Dance Episodes by Justin Peck, following Aaron Copland’s music performance, and In The Upper Room by Twyla Tharp following Philip Glass. This is an outstanding combination!
21 and 22 June / Ballet / Mythologies by Angelin Preljocaj / Theater im Pfalzbau
For Mythologies, Angelin Preljocaj brought together ten dancers from Ballet Preljocaj and ten dancers from the Opéra National de Bordeaux.By initiating a dialogue between ancient and modern mythologies, the contradictions in our beliefs come to the fore, be they social, religious or pagan.
20 June - 6 July / Music Theater / The Sandmad by Robert Wilson / D’haus Dusseldorf
This ghost story from German Romanticism, with music by British dramatic singer-songwriter Anna Calvi, is a part of Wilson’s dark fairy tales productions, which also include The Black Rider (Hamburg 1990) and Peter Pan (Berlin 2013). Surprisingly, this grandmaster of theater only has his shows staged only in Germany. Coincidence? I say not!
26-29 June / Ballet / Viktor by Pina Bausch / Opera House Wuppertal
Premiered in 1986 and last performed in 2017 in Hamburg, the piece returns to the grand stage of the original performance. Viktor is a homage to Fountain Trevi and is the first of Pina’s ten pieces based on world cities. Pina Bausch’s magic arouses a curious mix of feelings: concern, anger, guilt and ultimately reflections on how we treat one another.
until 18 August / Exhibition / Modigliani: Modern Gazes / Museum Barberini Potsdam
Whenever I’m in Berlin I always check what is going on at Museum Barberini. It is so easy to access and so great, that missing shows there should probably be considered illegal. This is definitely one of those cases. I wrote more about this show here.
Meanwhile, I finished watching The Gentleman in Moscow (and loved it), spent my Saturday enjoying the third season of Bridgerton and pistachio ice-cream (getting a summer body is more relevant in September over here). Editors of The New York Times did a tremendous job and selected Best Books Since 2000. I have my own 400-title-reading list, and I’m still struggling with choice. If you have the know-how, and can pick a book to read out of all these options, please, share your thoughts with me.
Enjoy the week and we will talk soon!
Yours,
Miri