Every Thursday, the “Weekender” newsletter offers tips for going out and staying comfortably at home – a handpicked selection of personal recommendations from our culture editors. These are the tips for the weekend.
going out for…
1 classic
The Berlin Piano Festival is a privately organized and financed initiative. This time there is one Homage to Sergei Rachmaninoff, on the occasion of his 150th birthday, at the center of the concert series. None other than Nikolai Lugansky unfolds all facets of the Rachmaninoff cosmos here, from dreamy preludes to swirling, ecstatically heightened figurations that can suddenly turn into melancholy and then break out again in barely playable chord cascades. The pianist can do it with his giant hands seemingly effortless. Author Isabel Herzfeld wrote about the piano festival in advance, you can find the text here.
Berlin Piano Festival, until May 17th, Small Hall of the Konzerthaus, 28 to 34 euros, program and tickets
2 Art
Timur Si-Qin works primarily with digital means, but deals with topics that have little to do with the information age: Spirituality, ecology, indigenous cultures. He created a huge artificial tree for the Meta office in New York and is now showing his virtual plant biotope in Berlin. Most of the objects in the exhibition come from so-called deciduous forests, one of the oldest ecosystems on earth, which has repeatedly been threatened by humans over the course of time. Now it’s because of the global warming once again in danger. John Falkirk’s detailed review can be found here.
“Natural Origin”, until May 26th, Galerie Société, Wielandstraße 26, Charlottenburg, Mon. to Sat., 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., free admission
3 theatre
There were no more tickets for Lars Eidinger and the Schaubühne, but the Ballhaus Prinzenallee has at least as good things to offer. The small theater brings political things to the stage with a lot of passion; on Saturday there will be another wonderful piece “Istanbul – Songs by Sezen Aksu” listed. What would the world actually look like today if the economic miracle took place in Turkey after the Second World War and German guest workers helped build the country? An exciting mind game. (Rome)
More about the Work of the Ballhaus Prinzenallee you can read this text by my colleague Patrick Wildermann (T+).
Ballhaus Prinzenallee, Prinzenallee 33, 13359 Berlin, May 13, 8 p.m., 11 to 17 euros
stay in for…
1 Netflix & chill
The Netflix show “Nanette” was created five years ago on the stage of the Sydney Opera Hannah Gadsby became famous. Now the 45-year-old Australian star is back in that same concert hall – and strikes a completely different note. Was it about the mental and professional deformations that Gadsby suffered as a result of homophobia carried away, good mood is the focus of the performance “Something Special”, which is again produced for Netflix. My colleague Nadine Lange watched the “Feel Good Show”; you can find the text here.
“Hannah Gadsby. Something Special,” Netflix, 75 minutes
2 cartoons
The Irish-born Kennedy clan has been known to everyone since John F. Kennedy’s US presidency and his assassination in Dallas in 1963 at the latest. The Graphic Novel The Kennedy Files written by Dutch author Mick Peet and drawn by his compatriot Erik Varekamp, is the prelude to one three-volume biographical comic story about the famous family. The focus of the first chapter (with the subtitle “The man who wanted to be president”) is not John F. Kennedy, who to this day outshines all other family members, but his father, who also had the highest political ambitions. Author Ralph Trommer wrote about the graphic novel here.
Mick Peet, Erik Varekamp: The Kennedy Files, Carlsen, 176 pages, 24 euros
3 island hopping
Ready for the island? If you are looking for island life, you do not have to take hours of car journeys, overcrowded train cars or even plane trips. In the Book “Berlin Islands” place Tagesspiegel Editor-in-Chief Lorenz Maroldt, Checkpoint maker Ann-Kathrin Hipp and author Nadine Voß the 50 most beautiful islands. They talk about the book and the famous and well-known islands on May 11 at 7:30 p.m in “studioeins on radioeins” – and reveal some insider tips. (Kurt Sagatz)
Book launch “30 Berlin Islands”, May 11, 7.30 p.m., Radioeins
Encore for…
1 Dolce Vita
Quite a few people spend their whole lives looking for the perfect cornetto without success – I’ll just say it now. Your search is now over, because thanks to the Cicala Caffetteria Italiana you will never have to go back to the Perfection wrapped in puff pastry waive. At Kottbusser Damm you can expect what are probably the plumpest cornetti since the invention of the cake syringe. Whether filled with classic vanilla cream, pistachio, chocolate or apricot jam – everyone is sure to find something here Pastry Craving breastfed. And the stomach filled. (Rome)
Cicala Caffetteria Italiana, Kottbusser Damm 1, 10967 Berlin
2 For free
Not far from the Cicala, on the Maybachufer, every Saturday the Market “Neuköllner Stoff” instead of. This market set up in the shade of the trees along the shore is not too big, but it is all the more beautiful. Jewellery, fabric and fashion stands line up here; Berlin creatives and dealers offer all kinds of design and art goods. If you have a soft spot for high-quality second-hand clothes and filigree accessories, you will find what you are looking for here. But the leisurely stroll is also worthwhile. (Rome)
Neuköllner Stoff, Maybachufer, every Saturday, opening times 11 a.m. to 5 p.m
3 Side trip
Visited at least five times Theodor Fontane the Havelland village of Paretz. His interest stretched back to the early years of his Wanderings period; Travel notes from two stays in August 1869 have survived. The place was included in the third “Wanderungen” volume, which first appeared in 1873 under the title “Ost-Havelland”. This had no consequences for Paretz. The sometimes rumored claim that Fontane’s book triggered a “sustainable boom in visitors” cannot be substantiated. Robert Rauh and Gabriele Raecke followed Fontane’s footsteps and wrote down their impressions and practical tips here (T+).
In conclusion something else for the heart: Our Love columnists Robert Ide, Helena Piontek and Joana Nietfeld write about love every week. Sometimes they are sad stories, sometimes beautiful ones, often they are crazy, tricky – and always touching. And because so many of you keep asking for more stories that go straight to the heart, my wonderful colleagues have now also launched a newsletter. From now on they will come true love stories and related existential questions in your mailbox every Sunday. You can register hereof course free of charge.
