The Bonn Players

Those of you who enjoyed the spectacular and very entertaining Last of the Red Hot Lovers will be delighted to know that plans for the autumn production are already under way  for The Importance of Being Earnest.  Auditions took place in June.  Details about this next production, the play reading group,  other forthcoming events, as well as how to join the Bonn Players can be found here:

BONN PLAYERS WEBSITE

Sommergarten 2010

Summer is here again and so are the KAH rooftop ‘Sommergarten’ Concerts.  Well okay, Summer isn’t quite here, and the rooftop was too windy, but there was a concert beside the KAH – Thomas Gerdiken delivered New Orleans jazz not just by the music – he also brought with him a very talented young trumpet player from the City’s University.

In 2008, to celebrate the 80th Birthday of Louis Armstrong, Thomas Gerdiken travelled to New Orleans.  He returned, not just with souvenirs and memories but also with contacts in the Jazz world and a desire to help the City in the wake of 2005’s Katrina hurricane.

These connections led to a very special guest on Sunday:  Terry Steve Gibson Junior is just 18, but he recently won a ‘SEEKING SATCH’ Event by the French Quarter Festival.  There was stiff competition to follow in the giant footsteps of Louis Armstrong but Gibson won through, and rightfully so given his performance at the KAH.

Robin Ligon-Williams was also on hand to tell us a little about the University of New Orleans Jazz programme who arranged the Competition where she is the Director.

And of course there was plenty of New Orleans Jazz from Gerdiken and his very able Fats Domino Tribute Band, rounded off finally by a mini conga of musicians blasting out ‘When the Saints Go Marching In’.  Good news too is that you can sleep in an hour more this year – the Rooftop shows now start at 11pm.

It’s looking good for another great Sommergarten Season.  Now all we need is good weather.  I hope God is a Jazz fan.

SOMMERGARTEN SEASON 2010

13 June      The Queen Kings (Queen Tribute)

27 June      Seis del Son (Salsa)

11 July        Le Clou  (Cajun)

25 July       Engelbert Wrobel’s Swing Society (Jazz)

08 August  Motownhead (Soul)

22 August  Stable Roof Jazz Band (Jazz)

All 11am to 2pm.

KAH Roof, Museumsmile or nearby depending on the weather

Frauen De Formation

Visitors to the Deutsche Post Tower could easily miss the little figures set out in the grass outside since March 2007.  Each one is a couple of feet high and they form a circle in the lawn before the underground carpark.

This rather striking exhibition is the work of Kiel born ‘Action Artist/Sculptor’  Tina Schwichtenberg.
It consists of a circle of female sculptures. Each one is identical in size and shape but each shows a different character, whether it be via clothes, accessories or even deformity – hence the slightly macabre name of the exhibition. The ceramic and bronze models began in 1988 with the first based on Schwichtenberg’s daughter and now number over a hundred figures although only a selection are on display in Bonn. They include a nun and a punk plus others entitled cobra, gas mask and even would you believe Nobel Prize winning Günther Grass.

Frauen de Formation Website

Open House at Bonn International School Thursday 25 February 2010

Thursday 25 February 2010 from 8.30 – 12.00

The Bonn International School Open House is a great opportunity for visitors to come and see the school in action. Classes at all grade levels will be open for observation. Visitors are encouraged to sit in on a variety of classes and age groups to see what makes education at BIS special.

Bonn International School is an independent, full-day school offering a comprehensive English Language education and low student-teacher ratios for children aged 3 – 19 years. Located directly next to the River Rhine in a modern, well-equipped facility, BIS hosts over 570 students from more than 60 countries.

Visitors should register at admissions@bonn-is.de in advance of Open House. You will be asked to present formal identification e.g. passport or driver’s license before entering the school.

Availability of future places varies from grade to grade and the Admissions Coordinator should be consulted regarding potential enrolments. There are however a definite number of places available for international students in Early Learning, Grades 1, 4, and 10 starting August 2010.

For more information, please contact the Admissions Coordinator at 0228 30854151 or visit www.bonn-is.de

New Year Party at Fiddlers Bonn

NEW YEAR’S EVE / SILVESTERPARTY 31.12.2009
Live Music
All you can drink
Einlass ab 20.00 Uhr mit Hot Betty Empfang im Biergarten
Vorverkauf €35 (online booking) - Abendkasse E40.  For menu details visit www.fiddlers-bonn.de or click on link below
http://news11.bookatable.de/zentral/docShow.asp?systemId=3040&linkKey=4021120094036_1

English Tango Classes

Bryan de Valdivia is offering Tango classes in english from October:

Free Beginner “Schnupperstunde”

Thursday, 8th of October in Bonn-Beuel (Tapetenfabrik)
8:30 – 9:45 pm
Siebenmorgenweg 18, Flamenco Studio “La Fragua,” Google Map

Monday, 12th of October in Bonn-Dottendorf (Al Sur)
9:00 – 10:15 pm
Stephanstrasse 46a, Entrance via Courtyard, no parking in Courtyard, Google Map

If you do not have a dance partner, please Email Bryan at devaldivia@gmail.com and I will help you find one.

Class size is limited and we try to balance partners,
call or email to make a reservation.

• Tel. 01578 1442 421
• Intl. 0049 1578 1442 421
• devaldivia@gmail.com

Kessenich is Kult!

On Sunday (27 Sept) the Bonn district of Kessenich held it’s annual Autumn Market and was determined to prove that it’s trademarked Motto ‘Kessenich ist Kult’ (Kessenich is Cult!) is more than just words.

Many of the local shops were even selling ’souvenirs’ with the trademarked logo on: Umbrellas, T-shirts, bags, even coffee mugs.

The area has seen the loss of popular shops in recent times such as ‘Pasta e Vino’ and particularly Aldi, so the need to build allegiance amongst local shoppers is more important than ever before. Good news on that score is that the long awaited Lidl supermarket will finally get underway soon.

Hopefully things will be looking up again soon as the area has a long history of old traditional shops. A fascinating book reflecting this is available from Local Photographer Susanna Heraucourt – “Kessenicher Köpfer & Geschichte” (Kessenich faces and their stories’)

For more info on why Kessenich is more than just a sweet smell when Haribo jelly bears are in production check out the link below:

Kessenich ist Kult

New adult art classes in Bad Godesberg

Thanks to an adapted programme and rhythm for your own creative process (realistic drawing or abstract painting, from life, imagination and photographic sources), develop observation and enliven personal experimentation.

deal with figure, still-life, landscape, portrait, collage or abstraction… using charcoal, pastels, Indian and coloured inks, watercolour, acrylics, oil paints

Be part of our yearly exhibition in the premises of the Kunstverein Bad Godesberg

Develop more skills during special workshops on week ends (new themes, techniques, mixed media)

Mayday!

So, did you wake up this morning and find a tree outside the door with your name on it?  No, I didn’t either, but in case you were wondering, here is a reminder of what it’s all about…

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The Maibaum and it’s British equivalent the Maypole, probably date from German Paganism so it’s only fair that one of the oldest illustrations of a Maypole, The 1590 fresco by Hans Donauer, is to be found in Münich. The Germans, being German I guess, have always taken their Maypole  duties very seriously. From the 16^th Century whole communities would organize the cutting and erecting of a pole (usually Hawthorn or Birch) which had to be at least 100 ft in height, bolted upright and guarded night and day because stealing someones Maibaum was serious business.

Of course for this serious task the German’s appointed a ‘Maibaumchef’ and proceeded to draw up a long list of equally serious rules  – the most important being that in stealing a Maibaum “No force shall be used”. Entire villages were mobilized to prepare and protect the tree although how they would do so sans force is not documented.   One can almost hear the cries of  “You can take our horses, you can take our women, but you will NEVER take our Maibaum!”

I was a little disappointed after reading all this stirring information. Our Maibaum in Kessenich certainly sits happily in the right place – centre of the ‘village’ – beside the Nicholas Church.  Even without a tape measure and ladder though I was pretty certain it wasn’t the regulatory 100 ft high.   When I came to photograph it  I was not wrestled to the ground by ten heavily built Morris Men bells a jangling.  An elderly man looked at me warily it’s true, he walked quickly away to return armed with nothing more dangerous than a watering can with which he proceeded to wet the nearby roses.

The Kessenich Maypole

Perhaps more emotion these days is attached to a variation of the theme – ‘Liebesmaien’.

Here the work is not team oriented but undertaken by individual, young, love-smitten men. Aim of the game being to erect a small tree (usually Birch) outside the house of the object of ones affections.  There are a fair few of these about in my neighbourhood but I never see anyone coming or going from the houses – maybe they are too embarassed to risk being asked if they are the subject of a tree declaration.  For those of you who never saw it on ‘Blue Peter’ here is how it’s done:

A heart made from wood or stiff card is attached to the Birch tree (or branches thereof) stating the name of the intended recipient (presumably so that your girlfriend doesn’t think you have a thing going for her mother?). This is collected at the end of May and is usually rewarded with an invitation to a picnic/BBQ. Women’s Libbers will be pleased to hear there are even so called “Schaltjahren” when a girl can take the upper hand (or tree in this case).

Digging still deeper into tradition (gardening pun intended)  I discovered records of village sales, with Auctions of May brides involving all unmarried girls younger than sixteen. I can’t speak for seeing any of this around here – but who knows what they get up to in Dottendorf?!

Rhein in Flammen

Rhein in Flammen Saturday 2 May 2009

Once again the Rheinau Park becomes the venue for thousands with live music, video disco and plenty of stalls and fast food on offer.  Live music starts 17 hrs onwards. More information and full programme at

From mid-day onwards, the side stalls, selling everything from jewellery, leather goods, music to fast food and drink. Funfair also open from around noon. onn,Rhine in Flames,side stalls

BonnInformation
Windeckstr. 1 (am Münsterplatz)
53103 Bonn
Tel.: 0228/775000
www.bonn-region.de
www.bonn.de
bonninformation@bonn.de

www.rhein-in-flammen-bonn.de

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