The 1920s and 30s. What a time: the decadence of the Charleston generation, crumbling prosperity, increasing poverty, populists, xenophobia. A time that is frighteningly similar to our own.
A time between two world wars, between the German Empire, the Weimar Republic and dictatorship. But it was also a time of dazzling entertainment. And the chansons of this period are still witnesses to this era today.
Experience an evening of melodies and songs that are always a pleasure to listen to, embedded in the background of the time and filled with literary treasures by Ringelnatz, Tucholsky and Erich Kästner-authors of burnt books, degenerate art. Or the whispered poem "Zehn kleine Meckerlein", the possession of which was punishable by two years in prison.
The musical arc ranges from harmless eroticism ("Ich hab das Fräulein Helen baden sehn") to the femme fatale ("Warum soll eine Frau kein Verhältnis haben"), from a "Nacht voller Seligkeit" to the certainty: "Es wird einmal ein Wunder geschehn". From Richard Tauber's farewell song and Marlene Dietrich's homesickness song to Ruth, who does you good, and Hans, who is so clumsy at the dance. It is not a song recital as you might imagine, but a musical journey through time, a very different kind of scientific cabaret: our quotations are the songs and chansons of this dazzling time on the powder keg, a time characterized by transitions, by the transition from democracy to dictatorship, from peaceful coexistence to racist exclusion, from the liberal arts to dictated art.
Big names, including many Jews, will not only be mentioned musically: Richard Tauber, Fritz Löhner- Beda, Marlene Dietrich, Fritzi Massary, Richard Fall, Paul O Montis, Peter Igelhoff, Robert Gilbert, Friedrich Holländer, Werner Richard Heymann, Rudolf Nelson and Bruno Balz. Visitors are thus shown how the Jewish spirit enriched entertainment culture with texts and music in the 1920s and how cruelly the rulers of the "Third Reich" treated those who believed differently, loved differently or held different political opinions in the German name.
The thinning out of an entire artistic scene under the Nazi dictatorship serves as a warning against the seeds of current developments.
The chansons reflect the glittering surface of the time, and the moderation provides the historical depth and goose bumps.
With the light muse against forgetting: An evening full of cheerfulness and melancholy.
The Mannheimer Morgen writes:
"The straw hats and pants with suspenders fit just as perfectly as the arrangements, and the patent leather shoes shine like the musicians with their ravishing interpretation. The perfectly attuned duo always elicits a smile from the audience. Anachronistically and as if from another time, the chansonnier performs the songs of a long lost era with an excitingly present perfection, so that the more than 80-year-old songs sound as fresh and lively as on the first day. These are not replayed hits, but wonderful new interpretations that reveal the timeless modernity of these brilliant works."
WNOZ writes:
"With this program, the duo "Die Zwei von der Klangstelle" created an impressive homage to the culture of the first third of the 20th century, but also managed the feat of combining the glittering world of early show business with the dark shadows of history with great flair, turning it into an impressive presentation."
And a contemporary witness, a lady with Jewish roots, writes to us:
"Christmas is a month away-time is running away from us, but every now and then there are experiences that are not lost. Your last Sunday is one of them. And I would like to say THANK YOU once again from the bottom of my heart. Thank you for not forgetting, which came from your living heart - far beyond stumbling blocks and commemorative occasions. You reach people with your talent, your incredible charm and your lively dedication. That is also one of the reasons why I was deeply moved by your evening."
With the light muse against forgetting.
Organizer: Capitol Betriebs GmbH
This event is part of: "The 1920s in Mannheim".
Numerous Mannheim institutions are taking the exhibition "Die Neue Sachlichkeit - Ein Jahrhundertjubiläum" at the Kunsthalle Mannheim as an opportunity to offer events under the motto "The 1920s in Mannheim" from September 1, 2024 to March 9, 2025. The spectrum ranges from exhibitions, concerts and readings to theater, opera, film, guided tours, lectures, symposia and parties.