{"id":8853,"date":"2019-09-23T15:49:51","date_gmt":"2019-09-23T13:49:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dresden-magazin.com\/?p=8853"},"modified":"2020-10-20T16:39:03","modified_gmt":"2020-10-20T14:39:03","slug":"wine-festival-radebeul","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dresden-magazin.com\/en\/heart-of-the-city\/wine-festival-radebeul\/","title":{"rendered":"In the spirit of Dionysus"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

\u201cThe rules of civilised society were suspended,\u201d explains Helmut Raeder. \u201cThe wild activities that went on in honour of Dionysus were the first manifestation of theatre.\u201d Dionysus (also known as Bacchus) is the god of wine. When his followers celebrated, this involved masquerades, a tolerance of disorder and the anarchic carousing of the ancients.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wine and theatre belong together, as is apparent once a year in Radebeul, a town in Germany\u2019s north-easternmost winegrowing region. The normal standards of decorum are put on hold for one weekend every autumn.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Festive parade in Radebeul. \u00a9 Andr\u00e9 Wirsig<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

On the one hand, the Radebeulers are celebrating the wine harvest \u2013 the sweet young wine known as Federweisser<\/em> has just been bottled. But at the same time, it is also an occasion for art, clowns, musicians and actors. Under Helmut Raeder\u2019s artistic direction, the Autumn Wine Festival has been combined with the International Itinerant Theatre Festival since 1996. The town and its streets are transformed into stages, very much in the spirit of Dionysus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In a wry reference to the city\u2019s professional theatres, Raeder says: \u201cThe festival is not necessarily aimed at theatre specialists. Obviously, they are welcome too. Here, they will see how to reach a wider audience and to move them emotionally and intellectually.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In among all the stalls offering regional specialities, around 60 performances will take place. The festival in Radebeul regularly attracts 50,000 visitors over the three days. They are treated to social critique, charm, wit, copious music and huge improvisational talent delivered by theatrical troupes from all over the world. The theme chosen for 2019 is Jugendtr\u00e4ume<\/em> (Youth Dreams).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Leaving the nest<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The festival is traditionally opened on Friday by the God of Wine in person. This year, the first show of the weekend will feature a cast of actors aged between ten and twelve. The Landesb\u00fchnen Sachsen theatre workshop will be putting on a production of Ich bin so frei<\/em>, a title with a double meaning: \u2018I am so free\u2019, but also \u2018If I might be allowed\u2019. Naughty, adolescent and buzzing with energy, it\u2019s about how to claim your own space between school and home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With their performance of Public Viewing<\/em>, the JuWie Dance Company aim to show how we can cure ourselves of mobile phone cramp and social media pressure. Meanwhile, Liebe Knall Yoga All <\/em>is a farewell to self-centeredness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The French company Adhok literally leaves \u2018The Nest\u2019 \u2013 this is the title of their play which gets along completely without words and relates how it feels to leave the parental home. Raeder poses the question: \u201cDo you stand on your own two feet, do you lift off or do you go under in the storm of life?\u201d Life offers both beauty and adversity. You just have to get stuck in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n