This Berlin-based Japanese duo will be presenting ‘Cadenza’, the fifth instalmant of the aforementioned series. Fans can look forward to another high-energy show, demonstrating both artists’ prowess and their unique on-stage connection. According to Takase and Kawaguchi, each city has its own unique pulse and rhythm and with their act, they hope to create their own utopic city around the concert piano played by Takase and used by Kawaguchi as a dance prop. The dilapidated charm of the Sophiensaele – one of Berlin’s most important performance venues which was set up by, amongst others, prominent Berlin dancer and choreographer Sasha Waltz – provides a wonderful backdrop.

Berlin&I is giving away two pairs of tickets to the performance on Sunday 12 May at 7.30pm. To be in with a chance to win, simply send us an email or leave a comment below. Two lucky winners will be sent codewords to collect their tickets no later than half an hour before the show.

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The Dresden Music Festival, taking place this year from May 11 to June 2 with a special focus on British music, is recommended not only for its illustrious musicians (from Rufus Wainwright to Frank Peter Zimmermann, Philharmonia Orchestra London to German Symphony Orchestra of Berlin) but also for its wealth of historic, impressive and sometimes strange concert venues. These include the iconic Frauenkirche, the Semper Opera House, the Albertinum museum, numerous castles and palaces, a Volkswagen factory and the German Hygiene Museum(!)

To kick off proceedings, the festival will visit the German capital for one night only. This Saturday 11 May, the magnificent Konzerthaus at Berlin’s Gendarmenmarkt will play host to the renowned New York Philharmonic with conductor Alan Gilbert and solo pianist Emanuel Ax. They will be playing Mozart’s piano concerto No. 25 and Tschaikowsky’s last symphony, ‘The Pathetique’.

Berlin&I is giving away a pair of tickets to the concert. To be in with the chance to win, simply drop us a line or leave a comment below.

Dresden Music Festival in Berlin
Konzerthaus, Großer Saal
May 11, 8pm

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The steady movement of the balloons gives the installation a magic of its own. The reflections on the metallic surface of Wegemann’s silver balls present a distorted view of the gallery space and its urban surroundings – the observer, too, becomes part of the artwork as they find their own image reflected here.

Draughts and the movements of the visitors cause the balloons to swing to and fro, taking on a life of their own. For Wegemann, air is no longer just a natural element, but an artistic material, and by incorporating it into her work in this way, she makes the invisible visible. The exhibition runs until May 26, and on May 20, there will be a performance by violinist Biliana Voutchkova and dancer Louise Wagner in amongst the floating spheres.

Ob schmelzende weiße Schokolade, platzende Seifenblasen oder zerlaufender Kleister: Katrin Wegemanns Skulpturen sind nicht statisch. Sie bewegen und verändern sich. Die im nördlichen Turm am Frankfurter Tor gelegene Galerie im Turm zeigt eine ganz besondere Installation der Bildhauerin. Sechzehn silberne, mit Helium gefüllte Ballons steigen in unregelmäßigen Zeitabständen auf und ab. Die minutiös geplante Choreographie macht die Objekte zu Schauspielern und den Raum zu ihrer Bühne. Von weißen Fäden an Spulmotoren geleitet, schweben die Silberkugeln in Paaren oder Gruppen empor und sinken wieder herab. Rhythmische Motorengeräusche begleiten die Aufführung.

Die gleichmäßige Bewegung der Ballons verleiht der Installation einen Zauber. Katrin Wegemanns Silberkugeln geben den Galerieraum und die städtische Umgebung optisch verzerrt wieder. Auch der Betrachter spiegelt sich in den Ballons und wird Teil des Kunstwerks.

Durch Luftzüge und Bewegungen der Besucher beginnen die Ballons zu schwingen. Sie scheinen ein Eigenleben zu entwickeln. Katrin Wegemann macht das Element Luft zu ihrem künstlerischen Material – und damit das Unsichtbare sichtbar. Die Ausstellung ist noch bis zum 26. Mai zu sehen, und am 20. Mai findet eine Aufführung der Violinistin Biliana Voutchkova und der Tänzerin Louise Wagner in der Installation statt.

Katrin Wegemann. AUFSTEIGEN
Galerie im Turm
Frankfurter Tor 1, Friedrichshain
12 April – 26 May 2013
Tues-Sun 12:00-19:00

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Read on for Berlin&I’s picks of the best supper clubs which are still going strong, as well as the new arrivals to the scene.

Wok+Wine (launches May 14th)
Communal tables are a staple of most supper clubs, but Berlin’s very first Wok+Wine event will push the concept of dining with strangers to the limits. Forty or so guests will be invited to stand around a table which serves as one big plate. The founders describe it as a social networking event, with a belly full of jumbo shrimp, amazing wine and very sticky fingers! Tickets available for €35 from the Wok+Wine page on Eventbrite.

Wok+Wine
Address undisclosed
Mitte
Facebook event page

Daily Happa (next date: ‘Herbalized’ on May 8th)
In German, “Happa” means something along the lines of “yummy”. This is one of Berlin’s more playful, alternative supper clubs where the food is all vegetarian, and the show is run by a heavily-tattooed, but charming DJane by the name of Oh Sophia. Every evening has a different theme, for example, ‘children’s birthdays’, ‘all in white’, or ‘Herbalized’, which is the theme of the upcoming event this Wednesday 8th of May. The delicious four-course meal is a bargain at a mere €15. To reserve one of the 30 seats, e-mail Sophia at ohohohsophia@gmail.com.

Daily Happa
c/o Merkezi
Adalbertstraße 5
Kreuzberg
Facebook event page

Phoebe in Berlin (next dates: Chinese supper on May 9th, French dinner on May 31st)
One of Berlin’s longest-running supper clubs, Phoebe in Berlin is a more upmarket affair taking place in a smart Friedrichshain apartment. Phoebe is originally from Taiwan, but spent a long time in France learning from the country’s top Michelin-starred chefs. She offers either fine Chinese cuisine or French cuisine depending on the evening, contact Phoebe at info@phoebe-berlin.de to make a reservation.

Phoebe in Berlin
Address disclosed upon reservation
Friedrichshain
website

Mulax (next date: Supper Club Dinner on May 10th)
Reminiscent of a secret society’s meeting hall, Mulax has its very own dining venue tucked away in a Kreuzberg backyard. Past a cast-iron gate, the hidden doorway leads to an exquisite interior with a large dining room for up to 24 guests and a separate smoking room. Decidedly avant-garde, the food easily competes with some of the city’s Michelin-starred cuisine. €45 for a four courses, including water and espresso. E-mail reservierung@mulax.de or call T 0176 / 98 28 44 50.

mulax – kunst.kultur.kulinarik
Lausitzer Straße 10
Kreuzberg
website

Geist im Glas (next date: Sunday Asparagus Dinner on May 12th)
Run by an Englishwoman, a Canadian and an Irish cook, you can’t get more ex-pat than Neukölln’s ‘Geist im Glas’ bar, and the fusion of nationalities and influences is evident in their weekly Sunday suppers. From Chinese braised ribs covered in sweet and spicy BBQ sauce to English bangers and mash (sausages and mashed potatoes), the team in the kitchen dishes up a bold selection of international treats for up to 14 guests. After dinner, you can also test some of the exotic liquor infusions on offer at the bar. To make a reservation, call T 0176 8630 2464 or  e-mail info@geistimglas.com.

Geist im Glas
Lenaustraße 27
Neukölln
Facebook page

Café Bar List
Weichselstraße 66
Neukölln
Facebook page

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Performance art is not everybody’s cup of tea, but just imagine what would happen if performance artists did not have such platforms – there would be chaos! So we can all be thankful for ‘Month of Performance Art – Berlin’. Read on for Berlin&I’s pick of performances you might want to check out this month.

In a tent at Richardplatz square in Neukölln, the Dane Sara Hamming will put on a kind of therapeutic performance, as described above, that the audience members will experience first hand on their own bodies. The German artist Sarah Lüdemann performs ‘Lie-In’, a study of physicality and movement of lions written by her American colleague Joanna Bristol. This essentially involves Südemann visiting Berlin’s zoo to observe the lions, before mimicking their behaviour from memory at another public location. And Italian performer and body movement teacher Elisa Spagone, in her show ‘Pietre’, on Wednesday 8th, looks at the links between an individual and the city – and how the weight of urban life can sometimes be crushing – something we can all sympathise with.

Berlin Month of Performance Art
throughout May 2013
www.mpa-b.org

Pietre
Wednesay 8th May, 8pm
ACUD, Veteranenstr 21m, Mitte

Whole Body Treatment #4
11th-12th May
(reservation: wholebodytreatment@gmail.com)

Lie-In
Saturday 18th May
Time and location tbc

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This concept has influenced many great musicians throughout history, such as the Austrian composer Joseph Haydn who allegedly viewed the heavens through the telescope of British astronomer William Herschel before completing his masterpiece The Creation; or fellow countryman Josef Strauss who took inspiration for his celestial waltz, Music of the Spheres, from the heavens; or contemporary American composer Philip Glass who ponders such questions as whether music would sound higher or lower at the edge of a black hole. 

The album brings together an eclectic mix of ‘spheres music’ spanning many centuries: from well-known classics by Westhoff and Bach, to new compositions by contemporary composers such as Alex Baranowski, Gabriel Prokofiev, Glass, Nyman and Einaudi. The concert on Tuesday, when Hope will be joined by the Deutsches Kammerorchester Berlin and the Berliner Rundfunkchor under Simon Halsey also marks the Stadtbad Berlin’s third birthday – and what a way to celebrate! DJane EvaBe will keep the birthday party going with a classical music set after the concert.

Berlin&I is giving away a pair of tickets to the concert – to be in with a chance to win, simple leave a comment below or drop us a line!

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Berlin’s Gallery Weekend – taking place this year from 26-28 April – is an unmissable three-day marathon of exhibitions, openings and special events at over 50 of the city’s top galleries. Founded in 2004, the Gallery Weekend has established itself as one of Germany’s most important events for contemporary art, attracting collectors and art enthusiasts from all over the world – in a way that the city’s various art fairs taking in autumn often failed to do. You can take a look at the list of this year’s participating galleries here, though many Berliners simply prefer to let themselves be swept along from gallery to gallery. The Scheunenviertel in Mitte is known as the city’s ‘gallery district’ thanks to the high concentration of outstanding galleries on Auguststraße and Linienstraße. But the area around the Neue Nationalgalerie and Potsdamer Straße, for example, has also seen a wave of new arrivals, and the Neukölln district is home to a number of smaller, more experimental galleries.

Given that Berlin’s galleries are scattered around the city and often hidden from view, it can be tricky to get the most out of Berlin’s art scene outside of gallery weekend (when you can simply follow the crowds). One organisation helping art enthusiasts discover the diversity and quality of Berlin’s galleries is GoArt!, which was set up in 2006 by Miriam Bers and Stefano Gualdi. They offer a number of thematic guided tours – with everything from architecture to street art – and the tours can also be tailored according to personal interests. With galleries opening and closing at the drop of a hat, they are able to keep up with the city’s famously dynamic art scene in a way that no travel guide ever could. GoArt! also offers art consulting for collectors and those who might want to start investing in art, with the opportunity to visit artist studios, meet local gallery owners and receive advice and insight on current highlights and future trends.

Berlin&I is giving away a pair of tickets to a 2-hour guided art tour on a date of your choice! Simply send us an email or write a comment below to be in with a chance to win.

– by Emma Martell

Gallery Weekend Berlin
Fri 26 April, 18-21:00
Sat 27 & Sun 28 April, 11-19:00
various locations across the city
www.gallery-weekend-berlin.de

GoArt! Berlin
Potsdamer Str. 81b
www.goart-berlin.de

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The pairing of emigres from Nazi Berlin, Fritz Lang, who directed the film (his third in Hollywood), and Kurt Weill, who wrote the music, is proof positive that the German film makers who came to Hollywood added something quite new to the mix – here the result is sublime, with Weill’s songs and theatrical interludes giving a dreamlike quality to Lang’s film about the harsh realities of paroled convicts adapting to life on the outside world – and some of the injustices and prejudices they face in spite of attempting to ‘go straight’.

Hollywood tough guy George Raft stars as Joe Dennis – a mobster made good who is now working in a large Los Angeles department store, where half the employees are ex-jailbirds being given a second chance by the philanthropic boss. Joe falls in love with and marries Helen Dennis (Sylvia Sidney), a shopgirl, who, unbeknownst to him, has also been in prison, and hides the fact: she is still on parole and one of the regulations is that she shouldn’t marry. It is this – her dark secret – that, once revealed, forces Joe back into the arms of his old gang, who are eager that he come back to the fold and help them with their nefarious deeds. Joe, angry at Helen for lying to him, angry at the world that it is his fate to be sneered at by society at large, plans to rob the one place that offered him a chance – the department store where he works.

Raft is really splendid as the bruised and confused Dennis. There’s a splendid scene where he knocks out a fellow who is ‘putting the blocks’ on his girl. It’s a beautiful moment, and something Lang excelled at – the small victories that are so important to the little man.  And Sidney is a female lead who isn’t simply there for decoration: Lang allows her an unexpected monologue at the end of You and Me about why ‘crime does not pay’ which is both funny and salutary.

The year before he made You and Me, Lang directed the resolutely bleak You Only Live Once, starring Henry Fonda as a man finding it tough getting a break after a jail spell. You and Me acts as a cheery companion piece to that film (which also starred Sylvia Sidney as the wife who stands by her husband no matter what). The film was not a big success, which might be why Lang returned to straight crime dramas and westerns in its wake; which makes it all the more precious as a delightfully enjoyable one-off. They don’t make ‘em like this any more: truth is, they seldom ever did.

– by David Hayles

You and Me (1938) is available on DVD from Koch Media

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Spring clean your wardrobe this weekend at STATION-Berlin!

Designer Sale
STATION-Berlin
Luckenwalder Str. 4-6, Kreuzberg

26 April, 12:00-22:00 (with DJ & bar)
27 April, 12:00-20:00
28 April, 12:00-18:00

www.designer-sale-berlin.com

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One of the concerts at this year’s festival is a piece of history in the making. The virtuoso British pianist Paul Lewis will be performing the culmination of an epic feat he began two years ago, to play all the piano works written by Franz Schubert during the last six years of his life. Lewis will complete his project at the Piano Festival, performing the final three piano sonatas written by the great Austrian composer.

It’s not the first time Lewis, who is regarded as one of the world’s greatest living classical pianists, has embarked on such a monumental task – he performed all 32 of Beethoven’s piano sonatas between 2005 and 2007, in the US and Europe, to great acclaim; and in 2010 he performed all five Beethoven concertos in a row at the Proms.

Berlin&I have two pairs of tickets to give away to see this very special concert on April 16th at 8pm. To be in with a chance, simply “like” the article and send us an email or leave a comment below. Competition ends April 14th.

Berliner Klavierfestival
Konzerthaus, Kleiner Saal
Gendarmenmarkt, Mitte
13-21st April
www.berliner-klavierfestival.de

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