What's on in Germany: May 3 - 9

This Week's Highlights: Animated films in Stuttgart, a surfing and skateboarding festival in Hamburg, and opera in a Berlin museum.

BERLIN



Film


Black International Cinema Berlin

Works from the African Diaspora are the focus of this five-day film festival in Berlin. Iranian director Mashaallah Mohammadi's three-minute animation about human behavior kicks of an excellent program of international cinema shown mostly in English or with English subtitles. Eric Brice Swartz's documentary about the rise of Berlin as a creative capital after the fall of the wall should be interesting for the locals.

Price: Free
Location: Rathaus Schöneberg, John-F.-Kennedy-Platz
Times: Wednesday, May 2 – Sunday, May 6
More Information: www.black-international-cinema.com



Galleries/Museums


2012

Three Berlin based artists, Goran Tomcic and Ze Coeupel, a duo consisting of Ambra Pittoni and Paul-Flavien Enriquez-Sarano are involved in a new exhibition at the Kreuzberg gallery Exile. See the magic Tomcic worked on a crate used for transferring high-end art at the opening Saturday night. And talk about the state of the arts in Berlin while you sip your Sauvignon.

Price: Free
Location: Exile, Skalitzer Strasse 104
Times: Saturday, May 5, 7-10pm (Opening); Thursday – Saturday 12-6pm; through June 2 (Regular Hours)
Phone: 030 7623 3061
More Information: www.thisisexile.com



Opera



”The Marriage of Figaro” in the Bode Museum

A Mozart opera in the Bode Museum? What fun! Go and see the feisty cast of counts and courtiers parade across the stage in that grand neoclassical building this week. Staged by acclaimed director Christoph Hagel, and performed by the Berlin Symphony Orchestra, a raucous 18th century romp is just the thing for a spring evening.

Price: €64 (Sunday), €69 (Friday and Saturday)
Location: Bode Museum, Kupfergraben, Entrance Monbijoubrücke 

Times: Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, 8pm; through May 27
Tickets: 01805 3953 (.14/min)
More Information: www.figaro-im-bode.de




COLOGNE



Festivals


Kölsch Spring Festival

Take a slug of beer and listen to the music fill the air. The spirit will be lively in the Severinsviertel district of Cologne this weekend when the local beer company Kölsch holds its spring festival. Browse the market stalls, laugh at a comedian, and when night falls, find a cozy little place to curl up and watch the open-air cinema.

Price: Free
Location: Severinstrasse
Times: Saturday, May 5 and Sunday, May 6
More Information: www.severinsviertel.info



Music/Concerts


Fieldwork

NPR wasn't exaggerating when they called this New York group “a Jazz power-trio for the 21st century.” On Friday night saxophonist Steve Lehman, pianist Vijay Iyer, and drummer Tyshawn Sorey unleash some energy at Stadtgarten as part of the "Acht Brücken. Musik für Köln" festival. In it's second year, the focus of this year's festival is the music of John Cage and other American composers.

Price: €15
Location: Stadtgarten, Venloerstrasse 40
Times: Friday, May 4, 8:30pm
More Information: www.achtbruecken.de




HAMBURG



Festivals


Hamburg Surf & Skate Festival

Dudes! Surf's up in Hamburg! Well, not literally, but there's a hella rad festival happening this week in the Hanseatic City that's all about surf and skate culture. Check out some new surf and skateboarding movies on opening night Wednesday, and gear up for a weekend of kick flips, ollies, and a whole lot of hanging ten.

Price: €7.80 (one film), €12 (two films) Wednesday; Tradeshow is free
Location: Zeise Kino, Friedensallee 7-9 (Films); Goldbekhaus, Moorfuhrtweg 9 (Tradeshow)
Times: Wednesday, May 9, 8pm (Films); Festival runs through Sunday, May 13
More Information: www.surf-festival.com



Osterstrasse Festival

Shake your money maker to local bands this weekend when Osterstrasse puts on its party pants. In the heart of Hamburg's Eimsbüttel district, the festival features games and rides for the little ones, international cuisine for the foodies, and a flea market for all you treasure hunters.

Price: Free
Location: Osterstrasse between Schulweg and Methfesselstrasse
Times: Saturday, May 5, 10am-11pm; Sunday, May 6, 10am-7pm
More Information: www.hamburg.de





MANNHEIM



Galleries/Museums


An Evening for Singles at the Pipilotti Rist Exhibition

Looking for a man in Mannheim? Hehe. Hook up with someone who is as interested in crazy things as you are. On Tuesday night the Mannheim Kunsthalle invites singles to mingle among the colorful video works of Swiss artist Pipilotti Rist. A glass of Sekt comes with admission.

Price: €8.50
Location: Kunsthalle Mannheim, Friedrichsplatz 4
Times: Tuesday, May 8, 7pm
Tickets: 0621 293 6452
More Information: www.kunsthalle-mannheim.eu




MUNICH



Music/Concerts


Munich Biennale

New opera takes the spotlight at the Munich Biennale. A trio of world premieres by young composers lies at the center of a program that includes concerts by the Munich Philharmonic, the Munich Chamber Ensemble, and Musica Viva. Immerse yourself in new music this week with concerts, a panel discussion about contemporary musical theatre, and talks with the composers.

Price: Various
Location: Various
Times: Thursday, May 3 – Sunday, May 19
More Information: www.muenchener-biennale.de



Souad Massi

Whether she's singing in Arabic, French, or English Souad Massi is always enchanting. The Algerian singer relocated to Paris in the late 1990s, fleeing criticism and even death threats endured in her native land. Over a decade later, she's got five albums under her belt. A North African music maker with an American folk sway, she performs Thursday in Munich.

Price: €28
Location: Muffatwerk, Ampere, 
Zellstrasse 4
Times: Thursday, May 3, 8:30
Phone: 089 458 750 10
More Information: www.muffatwerk.de




STUTTGART



Film


Festival of Animated Film

Love a good cartoon? Who doesn't? See animated films from around the globe this week in Stuttgart. The program is extensive, featuring all sorts of fantastic films from as far away as Colombia, South Africa, and Japan. So catch as many as you can, it's a rare opportunity to delight the senses with a broad bouquet of artful animation.

Price: €9 (single ticket), €16 (evening ticket), €20 (day ticket), €80 (festival pass)
Location: Various
Times: Tuesday, May 8 – Sunday, May 13
Phone: 0711 925 46123
More Information: www.itfs.de