Monographie Bonn-Rhein-Sieg

THEATRE AND CONCERTS – CULTURAL EVENTS WITH FORMAT
Bonn and the surrounding region is an area worth living
in. Most people don’t have any doubts in this regard – and
this holds true both for those who stay here as well as for
those who are only passing through. Those who come
here once, come again. One way or another. A particularly
good explanation for this is found in the comprehensive
cultural offer that covers everything from completely
hidden gems, right up to internationally famous, worldclass
performances.
Ludwig van Beethoven from Bonn
Yes, it is true: Bonn is the birth city of Ludwig van Beethoven!
And no other. He was born on a cold winter’s day in December
1770, in an attic in Bonngasse 20. He subsequently lived
there for more than 20 years, where he had his formative
years, both from a personal and musical point of view. It was
only thereafter that his life led him to Vienna.
The great gift the federal (capital) city was given with
Beethoven was never of any major significance during the
era of the Bonn Republic. It was only in the past years that
more and more attention was focussed on this brilliant
stroke of luck. Salzburg has Mozart, Bayreuth has Wagner
and we have Beethoven. Well, to be precise, we are even
lucky on two counts: Beethoven and Schumann. Now if that
isn’t a fortunate coincidence!
Beethoven was a free spirit, and in his time, opinions on him
ranged from artistically, politically and socially brilliant to
strenuous. Today, were one to describe him benevolently,
he would be considered a “brilliant enfant terrible”. The
“provocateurs” of the modern times are others, but for that,
Beethoven is increasingly finding his way into the heads and
hearts of people as a complete work of art – regionally,
nationally and internationally.
Ludwig van Beethoven’s 250th birthday will be celebrated
in 2020. On the occasion of the anniversary, the city, federal
state and country, as well as numerous initiatives are
currently starting to work on placing his work in the limelight.
There still are three years to go but the countdown is
running. It is set to become an unforgettably beautiful
celebration for everyone.
Once a year, under the artistic direction of Nike Wagner, the
Beethoven festival presents a number of international stars.
The festival attracts classic fans from around the world to
the Rhine River. For four weeks, friends of serious music
celebrate the composer and his comrades-in-arms from that
era. In 2016, the main programme consisted of 59 events at
23 venues in Bonn and the surrounding area.
The cultural heritage of the famous son of the city is
nurtured in the Beethoven House, which at the same time
serves as the memorial site, museum and cultural institute,
in addition to being charged with diverse tasks. In the world
of music, the highly-esteemed Beethoven Orchestra Bonn
enjoys an outstanding reputation. When it is not on tour
throughout the country or abroad, there is the possibility of
regularly enjoying its virtuosity at concerts, in the opera,
within the context of the Beethoven festival and during
carnival. It was founded as the Philharmonic Orchestra
Coblenz in 1897 and taken over by the City of Bonn in 1907,
as the Municipal Orchestra Bonn.
Big theatre
Bonn’s tradition as a city of theatre reaches back to the
electoral era. In 1826, art-loving citizens built themselves
their first theatre. The new building, which was inaugurated
along the banks of the Rhine in 1965, exclusively hosts the
opera today. The two-division house presents musical
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