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City Guide - Munich - Culture | ||
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Culture Munich can boast an impressive cultural pedigree. It is significant that the head office of the German cultural organisation - the Go?the Institut, is based here. The city was a major centre for the arts in the nineteenth century under the patronage of Ludwig I and II, and, at the beginning of the twentieth century, it found itself at the forefront of the new Expressionist movement. The Blaue Reiter (Blue Rider) group, founded in 1911 by the Russian, Wassily Kandinsky, and Munich-born Franz Marc, is now considered a seminal influence in the development of modern art. Other members of the group included August Macke and Paul Klee. The most important works of the Blaue Reiter group are on permanent show at the Städtische Galerie im Lenbachhaus, Luisenstrasse 33 (tel: (089) 2333 2000). The gallery is open Tuesday to Sunday 1000-1800 and charges DM8 for admission. Circus-Krone (tel and fax: (089) 588 166), the world's largest touring circus, performs in a permanent big-top, at Zirkus-Krone-Strasse 1-6, during the winter. Music: Munich's musical heritage is headed by the imposing figure of Richard Wagner, who composed many of his works for Ludwig II. His successors, Richard Strauss and Carl Orff, were both born in Munich. In addition, Mozart often performed in the city and Gustav Mahler conducted the world premiere of his eighth symphony here in 1910. Nowadays, Munich boasts three international orchestras: the Münchener Philharmoniker, the Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks and the Bayerische Staatsorchester. The Gasteig, Rosenheimer Strasse 5 (tel: (089) 48098/9/0), is the city's main cultural and performing arts centre and includes the Konzertsaal, the Carl-Orff-Saal and the Kleiner Konzertsaal. The Nationaltheater, Max-Joseph-Platz 2 (tel: (089) 218 501), is the home of the Bavarian State Opera and hosts the international Opera Festival in July each year. Opera and chamber music can also be enjoyed in the Staatstheater, Gärtnerplatz 3 (tel: (089) 201 6767), and in the lavish eighteenth-century Rococo surroundings of the Altes Residenztheater, Residenzstrasse 1 (tel: (089) 296 836), usually known as the Cuvilliés-Theater, after its original designer. Theatre: Classic German drama is performed by the Bayerisches Staatsschauspiel at the Residenztheater, Max-Joseph-Platz 1 (tel: (089) 2185 1940). The Münchener Kammerspiele, Maximilianstrasse 26-28 (tel: (089) 2333 7000), is one of the most important theatres in Germany and counts the young Bertolt Brecht among its former dramatists. Brecht also worked at the Deutsches Theater, Schwanthalerstrasse 13 (tel: (089) 5523 4360), which now stages popular shows and musicals. Experimental theatre venues include Theater im Marstall, Marstallplatz 4 (tel: (089) 2185 2081), and Teamtheater Tankstelle, Am Einlass 2a (tel: (089) 260 4333). The Tollwood Olymp GmbH, Römerstrasse 15 (tel: (089) 383 8500), is a popular venue for theatre, opera and circus performances. Dance: Immobile but enchanting, the carved figures of the Moriskentänzer (Morris Dancers) by Erasmus Grasser (1480) are a highlight of the Stadtmuseum (City Museum), St-Jakobs-Platz 1 (tel: (089) 2332 2370). The Bavarian State Ballet (tel: (089) 2185 1920) performs at the Nationaltheater. The group hosts an international ballet week in spring each year; the Kirov Ballet were guests in 1999. In 2001 Lucinda Childs is expected to create one of her impressive Minimal Dance ballet shows. Updates on performances can be found on the internet (website: www.bayerisches.staatsballett.de). Film: About 50 films are produced in Munich each year. The city has connections with some of the key directors in new German cinema, including Rainer Werner Fassbinder (Lili Marlene), who studied drama here, and Werner Herzog, who was born in Munich in 1942. Both directors worked at the Bavaria Film Studios in Geiselgasteig, which were founded in 1919. Visitors can enjoy a tour through the film studios (see Further Distractions section). The Filmmuseum in the Stadtmuseum, St-Jakobs-Platz 1 (tel: (089) 2332 2948), has a monthly schedule of classic films dedicated to a particular director, actor or genre. Most films are shown in the original language. There is a huge IMAX screen at Forum der Technik, Museumsinsel 1 (tel: (089) 2112 5180). Other English-language film venues include the Aeroport FJS Schwabing, Feilitzschstrasse 7 (tel: (089) 332 222). Cultural events: Oktoberfest takes place at the end of September each year on the Theresienwiese (known as the Wies'n). It is an orgy of beer, men in lederhosen, women in dirndls, drunken tourists, oom-pah bands and terrifying fairground rides, centred around 14 huge beer tents representing the city's breweries. The sixteen-day festivities are opened by the Lord Mayor, who taps the first barrel with the exclamation: O' zapft is!' More high spirits are on display during Fasching - Munich's carnival season, characterised by fancy dress balls. A sedate alternative is offered by the three traditional food and craft markets (Dult) held on Mariahilfsplatz in the Auer district in April, July and October each year. In December, Marienplatz is transformed into the world-famous Christkindlmarkt (Christmas Market). Bavarian choirs sing from the town hall balcony and a huge Christmas tree illuminates the scene. Literary Notes Thomas Mann moved to Munich as a young man and worked for the satiric journal Simplicissimus before taking up writing as a career. His first great novel, Buddenbrooks (1900), was finished in the city. Twentieth-century writers associated with Munich include Siegfried Sommer who wrote Und Keiner Weint Mir Nach (1996) and Alfred Andersch author of Sansibar oder der letzte Grund (1999), who was born in Munich in 1914 and spent a short time in the concentration camp in Dachau for his left-wing views. Young visitors will enjoy the works of Erich Kästner: Emil und die Detektive (Emil and the Detectives) (1929) and Das doppelte Lottchen (1949), which was filmed as Two Times Lotte (1950). |