RuhrTriennale
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The Romantic School Literary timetable

Course:
Englisch, Politische Bildung, Französisch, Kunst, Musik, Sozialkunde
Class room:
Joachim Janner
Dramaturgy:
Marietta Piekenbrock
 
With:
PATTI SMITH, OTTO SCHILY, Jenny Schily, Michel Houellebecq, Martina Meister, Beate Söntgen, Traugott Buhre, OLGA NEUWIRTH, Marino Formenti, Harun Farocki
Performances:
21. August, 4., 18. September, 2., 9., 16. October
Start:
12:00 pm
Duration:
approx. 2 hours and 15 min
Price:
every seat
10 €

The literary programme of the RuhrTriennale 2005 is completely devoted to the Romantic Movement. The idea behind the title is quite literally inspired by Heinrich Heine's polemic Die romantische Schule. In 1832 Heine was commissioned to write a kind of sequel to Mme de Staëls De l'Allemagne. He used the opportunity to improve the somewhat vague knowledge Francehad of German literature between 1800 and 1832. He did so with the means characteristic of his work – passion and critical astuteness. The result was a self-aware record of the times when the poets and thinkers of German Romanticism made their appearance. One learns little regarding the contents of the works of Novalis, Tieck or Eichendorff, of Schlegel's critique or Schelling's philosophy. One is, however, drawn in by the power of the Romantic Movement. This movement did not centre on a particular romantic type; it saw itself rather as a whole, made up of independent personalities, expressing themselves freely in their own works.

The aim of the RuhrTriennale's literary programme is to present aspects and figureheads of the Romantic period and to bridge the gap to the present-day literary and intellectual world in as lively a manner as Heine in his time. With this in mind, contemporary authors, artists, politicians and scientists will be setting out on a journey back through time to the origins of the modern age. Their lectures, readings and performances will revolve around found items from the early 19th century – a poem, a song, a painting, a fairytale, a political treatise. Works affording insights into an age marked by political and ideological struggles of the highest order. The Romantic School is to be a salon, open to the public. The subjects on the timetable will demonstrate that the Romantic movement is infinitely more progressive than popular opinion would have it.

The literary programme of the RuhrTriennale was founded last year by author and playwright Thomas Oberender, who discussed the resurrection of heaven together with his guests.