The ruins of Heidelberg – non plus ultra! – an incomparable idyll of German romanticism.

Tourists admire the ruins, pigeons inhabit them. Both tourists and pigeons are magnetically attracted to these ruins, the eternal postcard motifs of Heidelberg, the infinitely beautiful selfie spot. Pigeons follow their instincts, tourists follow Google Maps. Pigeons bring droppings, tourists bring money.

This  performance in public space encircles the question Where is (my) space? and explores themes such as German identity, social belonging and division. BELLA! NON PLUS ULTRA! views human civilization through the mask of a pigeon. Pigeons largely lead an ostracized existence in western societies and are unwanted, displaced creatures.

The performance connected Heidelberg's tourist mile with BELLA PARK. An impetuous place that is not intended to be a tourist attraction. On the contrary. Far away from the tourist hotspot of Heidelberg's old town, some people would prefer it to disappear, along with all those people who are not intended to be part of the romantic postcard image of Heidelberg. Accompanied by musical interventions, a.o. a choir, an eight-meter-tall, green inflatable pigeon was carried in procession from the Heidelberg's old town to BELLA PARK – posing selfie-like from one postcard motif to the next.

Watch –> Video excerpt <– (vimeo)

Part 3 of the performance series “How to Listen to Monuments and what to Listen to when Everything is Meeting?”

What songs are there to sing in a time of division, right-wing politics and war?

“Mehr als nur ein Lied” is a site specific performance in two movements. The first movement  juxtaposes the German national anthem a.o. with “Das Moorsoldatenlied” (The Moor Soldier’s Song). It was written and sung in 1933 by prisoners of the Börgermoor concentration camp as a protest song against the bestiality of the Nazi regime.

“Das Deutschlandlied” (“Song of Germany”), that became in 1922 the first German national anthem, was sung publicly for the first time in 1841 at Jungfernstieg Hamburg. On the 8th may 2024 (“Liberation day WWII) a large a cappella choir sang there “Das Moorsoldatenlied” as an acoustic monument.

In the second movement the choir sang a cacophony of 80 alternative hymns, all sung simultaneously. The songs were chosen by the singers themselves.

Watch –> Movement I <– (vimeo)
Watch –> Movement II <– (vimeo)