events
The kestnergesellschaft conceives of itself as being a site for an encounter on a broad social basis with current themes of our time. Literature, philosophy, music, theater, architecture, fashion, film and design therefore all have a recognized place in our program, something that has been a tradition since the very beginning of the kestnergesellschaft. Taking place at regular intervals today are kestnerlectures and kestnerconcerts.
kestnerlectures
The beginning of the kestnerlectures was made in April 2004 by Isabelle Graw, publisher and editor of the periodical "Texte zur Kunst" and author of numerous articles and catalogue texts. She introduced her new book, "Die bessere Hälfte – Künstlerinnen im 20. und 21. Jahrhundert" ("The Better Half – Female Artists in the 20th and 21st Centuries"). Then in June, Peter Sloterdijk was our guest and spoke to more than two hundred visitors about the USA and its self-image in relation to the world community. In October 2004, the Swiss artist Thomas Hirschhorn spoke about his work and his concept of himself. Thomas Hirschhorn, who received international recognition for his work "Bataille Monument", which he displayed at the documenta XI, explained his concept of social intervention and artistic work.
kestnerconcerts
In the scope of the kestnerconcerts, musical performances take place in loose succession upon the premises of the kestnergesellschaft, which thereby pursues the idea of placing the visual arts in a wider context of discussion and perception. The series entitled Mobile Music initiated by the Neues Ensemble finds an appropriate symbiosis in the program of the kestnergesellschaft, which seeks to consider art from a perspective which transcends genres and to open the house for new tendencies.
The Neues Ensemble was founded in August 1993 by its members under the artistic direction of Stephan Meier. Since then, these Hanoverians have attained a place among the internationally successful ensembles for contemporary music. They are characterized not only by brilliant musicality and an outstanding ensemble spirit: in addition, they have received special attention because of the programmatic concepts with which they deliberately distinguish their performances from customary concert events. They aim at presenting music together with its extra-musical context in a cogent manner that is accessible to everyone. The ensemble opened the cultural program of the German Pavilion at the Expo 2000 and has made guest appearances in Riga, Hamburg (das neue werk), Munich and Cologne (WDR). Its CD "Pierre Boulez – Le Marteau sans Maître" was praised unanimously in specialist publications. The "Neue Zeitschrift für Musik" stated: "The ear, enslaved to the eye, would never be able to give itself over fully to this wonderful flow into which Das Neue Ensemble has transformed this philosophy attempting to become music."
The Neues Ensemble
Rebecca Lenton (flute) Udo Grimm (clarinet) Bernardo Martinez, Christian Schulte (piano)
Stephan Meier (drums) Jutta Rübenacker (violin) Karsten Dehning, Sabine Pfeiffer (violoncello)
supported by
Bureau Culturel Francais, Niedersächsische Sparkassenstiftung, State of Lower Saxony, City of Hanover
kestnerconcerts 2005
ticket 9 € / special tickets 15 € / members 6 € / reduced tickets 6 €
The ticket includes free entrance to the current exhibition
phone +49 511 70120 0 / fax +49 511 70120 20