Festival MV 2025: Anne Sophie Mutter to Johannes Strate +++ Music festival “Kissinger Sommer” is dedicated to France +++ Elbland Festival celebrates its 25th anniversary +++ Classical to film music in the cultural capital of Chemnitz: concert summer in front of an impressive backdrop
Festival MV 2025: Anne Sophie Mutter to Johannes Strate
Schwerin – The Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania Festival has announced its first program highlights for the coming year and is daring to cross borders again. In addition to relevant stars of the classical music scene such as the violinist Anne Sophie Mutter and the conductor Herbert Blomstedt, the festival has also hired the frontman of the band Revolverheld, Johannes Strate.
Pianist Sebastian Knauer will meet Johannes Strate and guests in the Fleesensee Castle Park on July 5, 2025 (7 p.m.), as festival director Ursula Haselböck said. “The classical pianist and the frontman of the band Revolverheld celebrate the meeting of classical and pop.” The jazz pianist Martin Tingvall and the winner of “The Voice of Germany”, Malou Lovis, will also be there.
“We want to explore the boundaries between electronic and popular music and what else there is,” said Haselböck to the German Press Agency. The “Not Quite Classic” series has been running at the festival for three years and is going well. According to Haselböck, around 3,000 visitors are expected at the concert in Fleesensee.
The opening concert of the festival with the NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchestra on June 13, 2025 (6 p.m.) in the St. Georgen Church in Wismar will be conducted by conductor legend Herbert Blomstedt. On August 31st (3 p.m.) Anne-Sophie Mutter will transform the Redefin State Stud into the largest concert hall in the country with the Royal Philhamonic Orchestra under Vasily Petrenko and with music by Hollywood legend John Williams. Violinists Daniel Hope and Pinchas Zukerman will also perform there with the Zurich Chamber Orchestra on June 29th (4 p.m.).
Anastasia Kobekina was announced as the 2025 winner in residence. The cello star will shape the coming summer with 20 concerts, says Haselböck. The final concert with the artist and the NDR Radiophilharmonie on September 14, 2025 (3:50 p.m.) in the Neubrandenburg Concert Church can already be booked.
Advance sales for the now announced highlights begin on November 29th. This also includes the big open air weekend at Bothmer Castle on August 23rd and 24th. The complete summer program of the MV Festival should be announced at the end of January. According to the director, around 130 concerts and events are planned.
The “Kissinger Summer” music festival is dedicated to France
Bad Kissingen/Berlin – »Je ne regrette rien« – I don’t regret anything. This is the motto of the coming Kissinger summer. The music festival, which is scheduled to take place from June 20th to July 20th in 2025, will this time focus on France. There will be music from different eras: from baroque to romantic to contemporary composers. From cabaret to large concert galas, from chamber music to opera evenings, everything is represented, according to a press release. Of course this also includes chansons. A “vaudeville variety burlesque revue” as well as jazz and techno are also on the program.
The expected artists include the Orchester Philharmonique de Radio France, the violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter and the German Symphony Orchestra Berlin.
According to the company, the “Kissinger Sommer” attracts around 30,000 visitors every year. The upcoming edition will be the 39th. The festival’s director is Alexander Steinbeis.
Elbland Festival celebrates its 25th anniversary
Wittenberge – The Elbland Festival in Wittenberge, Brandenburg on July 11th and 12th, 2025 will celebrate its 25th anniversary with, among others, the singer and musical actress Angelika Milster, known from the musical “Cats” by Andrew Lloyd Webber. As the festival management in Wittenberge announced, next year’s event will have the motto “Festival of Lights of Dreams”. A “journey through music, light and emotions” and a “celebration for all the senses” are planned, it was said.
In addition, Phil Bates ex ELO Part II, a former member of the band ELO Part II, will be on stage in Wittenberge. In the 1990s, the band joined the Electric Light Orchestra, which had sold over 50 million records worldwide in the 1970s and 80s.
According to the information, other guests on the program include the singers from Appassionante from Italy, as well as the “Impulso Tenors”, a project with singers and languages from different countries.
The gala evenings will again be moderated by TV presenter Kim Fisher. As in previous years, the performers will be accompanied by the German Film Orchestra Babelsberg under the direction of Christian Köhler.
The Elbland Festival has been taking place in Wittenberge since 2000. The event in 2025 will be the 24th edition due to a one-year break due to corona in 2020. The festival on the Elblandbühne in the Alte Ölmühle primarily presents popular pieces from the fields of opera, operetta and musicals.
Classical to film music: summer concerts in front of an impressive backdrop
Chemnitz – From classical music to Frank Sinatra’s greatest hits to film music from Star Wars and Jurassic Park: The Robert Schumann Philharmonic wants to delight music fans of all stripes in 2025 with a series of summer concerts in front of an impressive backdrop. “The open-air concerts on Theaterplatz are more varied than can be experienced in any other German city,” announced the designated general music director Benjamin Reiners. The entire spectrum is offered, from serious symphonic music to cross-over projects with current pop musicians. The venue will be the Theaterplatz with its historical backdrop of the King Albert Museum, Opera House and Petri Church.
The kick-off on June 5th is entitled “To Hope” – an appeal for peace and European values, according to Reiners. Beethoven’s 9th Symphony will also be heard, as will “Da pacem Domine” by Arvo Pärt and Gustav Holst’s “Venus, the Messenger of Peace”. A dance trip around the globe with “tango, waltz and gallop” and an Italian opera night are also planned. In “Symphonic Swing” the orchestra, together with singer Tom Gaebel, revives Frank Sinatra’s greatest hits; in “Hollywood in Concert” film music by John Williams, Hans Zimmer, Alan Silvestri and Klaus Badelt is played. The Kosmos Festival will be called “Robert Schumann Philharmonic Meets Pop Artists” – Reiners didn’t want to reveal what those would be.
The Chemnitz musicians receive support from the Arthur Rubinstein Philharmonic in Łódź, Poland. On June 12th they will play works by Krzysztof Penderecki, Johannes Brahms and Antonin Dvorák under the title “Mosty muzyczne – Musical Bridges II”.
The other divisions of the Chemnitz Theater are also preparing a wide variety of projects for the Capital of Culture year 2025. The planned premiere of the opera “Rummelplatz” based on the novel by Werner Bräunig as well as a dance journey of discovery based on James Joyce’s “Ulysses” have been known for some time. Under the working title “Archaeology of Things,” the puppet theater is planning a play based on finds from garages in Chemnitz as well as a theater project on the history of the Kindertransport in 1938 and 1939. Jewish children were taken abroad to protect themselves from National Socialist persecution; many of them never saw their parents again .
**Considering the various approaches to programming discussed, what strategies do you think are most effective in ensuring classical music festivals remain relevant and engaging for future generations?**
## Interview Structure and Open-Ended Questions:
This structure divides the interview into thematic sections based on the key topics from the article.
**Section 1: Blending Genres and Reaching New Audiences**
* **Theme:** The blurring lines between classical and popular music genres in summer festivals.
* **Introduction:** Let’s discuss the trend of blending classical music with other genres like pop, jazz, and even film scores. This summer festival season seems to be embracing this trend.
* **Questions:**
* **Guest 1:** What do you think motivates festivals like Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and the Kissinger Sommer to spice things up with different musical styles?
* **Guest 2:** Do you think these collaborations genuinely expand audiences for classical music, or are they more about novelty?
* **Both Guests:** Can you foresee a time when these genre lines dissolve completely, or will there always be a clear distinction?
**Section 2: Celebrating Artistic Milestones and Traditions**
* **Theme:** Anniversaries and continuing legacies in classical music festivals.
* **Introduction:** Both the Elbland Festival and Kissinger Sommer are celebrating significant anniversaries this year. How does recognizing these milestones impact the festivals and their programming?
* **Questions:**
* **Guest 1:** How do you think anniversaries influence a festival’s identity and direction?
* **Guest 2:** What are the challenges and opportunities of balancing traditional elements with fresh ideas during an anniversary year?
* **Both Guests:** Do milestone celebrations allow audiences to connect with classical music in a more profound way?
**Section 3:** Chemnitz: Cultural Capital and Innovative Programming
* **Theme:** Chemnitz’s summer concert series and its role in the city’s Capital of Culture year.
* **Introduction:** Chemnitz is taking a bold approach to its cultural programming, blending classical music with diverse genres and even exploring social themes.
* **Questions:**
* **Guest 1:** How do events like the Robert Schumann Philharmonic’s summer concerts contribute to Chemnitz being recognized as a Cultural Capital?
* **Guest 2:**
What message do you think the Chemnitz Theater’s diverse programming sends to residents and visitors?
* **Both Guests:** Do you see this kind of forward-thinking and inclusive programming as a trend in other cultural centers?
**Section 4: Accessibility and the Future of Classical Music Festivals**
* **Theme:** How can classical music festivals ensure they remain relevant and accessible to wider audiences.
* **Introduction:**
The world of classical music is evolving, and festivals are adapting to stay relevant.
* **Questions:**
* **Guest 1:**
What are some innovative ideas or strategies that classical music festivals are implementing to engage younger or less traditional audiences?
* **Guest 2:**
How important is it for festivals to reflect contemporary social issues and concerns in their programming choices?
* **Both Guests:**
Looking ahead, what are your predictions for the future of classical music festivals and their role in society?
**Note:**
This structure provides a framework, and the conversation can naturally flow into related topics based on the guests’ insights and perspectives. Remember to encourage discussion, share your own thoughts, and allow for differing viewpoints.
