BOCHUM.- Ruhrtriennale began its 2016 season on 12th August with one of the central European myths and its programme focuses on the fundamental values of the Enlightenment. Liberty? Equality? Fraternity? What value do these founding principles of European culture and society, considered inviolate for so long, have today? The arts offer their own commentary on the state of Europe. In its second year under Artistic Director Johan Simons the Ruhrtriennale once again provides music theatre, music, dance, theatre and installations from 12.8.16, presenting a fascinating cross-section of contemporary art.

Johan Simons, the Ruhrtriennale’s Artistic Director, and Lukas Crepaz, Managing Director of Kultur Ruhr GmbH, described the final preparations for the beginning of the season at the Jahrhunderthalle Bochum today. Their guests at the press conference included René Jacobs, conductor and musical director of the opening production Alceste (from 12.8.) and Björn Bicker, author and initiator of the civic project Urban Prayers Ruhr (from 14.8.). They were joined in Bochum by Professor Oliver Langbein from osa_office for subversive architecture, who gave an account of the preparations for the installation well,come (from 13.8.). Florian Helgath, Artistic Director of ChorWerk Ruhr also gave an insight into the choral ensemble’s extensive contributions to this year’s programme in Urban Prayers Ruhr, Carré (from 18.8.) and Earth Diver (from 22.9.).

Johan Simons, Artistic Director, Ruhrtriennale 2015–2017: “What value do liberty, equality and fraternity have for our society today? What does Europe mean? For me it is a promise – and a wonderful one. Our audience will experience a diverse programme and a political one at this year’s Ruhrtriennale. Because thinking about our times can’t be left to politicians alone.”

Lukas Crepaz, Managing Director of Kultur Ruhr GmbH: “We are extremely satisfied with the level of ticket sales so far. The productions most in demand include ‘Alceste’, ‘Messe in h-moll’, ‘Truck Tracks Ruhr’, ‘nicht schlafen’ and ‘Ritournelle’. There are still some tickets available – as well as for other productions – on weekdays. This year we are performing at a new venue, which remained in industrial use until the end of last year and is now being used for culture for the first time. ‘Die Fremden’, the world premiere of the music theatre adaptation of Kamel Daoud’s novel ‘The Mersault Investigation’ presented in the Kohlenmischhalle (coal mixing hall) at Zeche Auguste-Victoria in Marl, promises to be one of the highlights of this year’s Ruhrtriennale.”

From 12.8. until 24.9.16 the Ruhrtriennale will present a total of 200 performances of some 40 productions, which include 32 original and co-productions, 20 world premieres, new productions, German premieres and installations in 24 different venues across the region.

Programme highlights of the Ruhrtriennale’s opening week
On 12.8. the Ruhrtriennale begins with the opening of The Good, the Bad and the Ugly by Atelier Van Lieshout in front of the Jahrhunderthalle Bochum. The art village returns with a combination of new and familiar works and will be the centre of the Ruhrtriennale for the complete duration of the festival. This will coincide with the opening of this year‘s exhibition by Campustriennale. The results of master courses in photography given by Daniel Josefsohn and Julian Röder can be viewed in the foyers of the venues for the entire duration of the festival as well as being presented in a virtual exhibition online. A comprehensive catalogue will also be published by Distanz Verlag. And with Teentalitarianism the Ruhrtriennale’s youth production office, Mit Ohne Alles, declares an area in the centre of Bochum under teenage control.

Carolin Emcke, this year’s winner of the Peace Prize of the German Book Trade, will give the opening address to launch the Ruhrtriennale. Entitled ‘On Translation’, her speech focuses on equality and can be heard by our audience and other interested parties free of charge in the Turbinenhalle at the Jahrhunderthalle Bochum. Meanwhile Truck Tracks Ruhr, a production by Urbane Künste Ruhr and Rimini Protokoll, will set off on the streets of Duisburg with Album #3. The Jahrhundert-halle Bochum will host the premiere of music theatre work Alceste, directed by the Ruhrtriennale’s Artistic Director Johan Simons and conducted by René Jacobs.

13.8. begins with the opening of the internationally acclaimed film installation Manifesto in the Kraftzentrale at the Landschaftspark Duisburg-Nord. Julian Rosefeldt has constructed a collage from the aesthetic manifestos of many different artists which are recited by the actress Cate Blanchett in 13 different roles. This is followed by Urbane Künste Ruhr and osa_office for subversive architecture’s opening of well,come at Dortmund harbour. Entry to the installation is free of charge.

There will be a party in and around the Jahrhunderthalle Bochum from 4pm. Ritournelle, the all night festival of electronic music, offers a massive line-up of live acts including Moderat, Peaches and Oneothrix Point Never. At PACT Zollverein in Essen on the Zollverein World Heritage Site, the second part of American choreographer Richard Siegal’s Dante trilogy, In Medias Res, receives its world premiere. The civic project Urban Prayers Ruhr begins on 14.8. at the Merkez mosque in Duisburg Marxloh. On a total of six Sundays the Ruhrtriennale and ChorWerk Ruhr will be the guests of six different religious communities across the whole Ruhr region.

The opening week of the festival also marks the beginning of the Konzerte im Maschinenhaus in Essen. These start with Emptyset on 15.8. On 16. and 17.8. Russian choir MusicAeterna bring the sound of the Renaissance motet by Thomas Tallis to the Zeche Zollern in Dortmund with Spem in alium. ChorWerk Ruhr and the Bochumer Symphoniker will explore Stockhausen’s Carré on 18. and 19.8. at the Jahrhunderthalle Bochum.

When the sun over Bochum reaches its highest point, the Artistic Director of the Ruhrtriennale invites you to Johans High Noon on 21.8. at 12 pm. On five Sundays Johan Simons will host conversations with Ruhrtriennale artists. His guests at the first High Noon on 21.8. are Björn Bicker and Joep van Lieshout. And this year once again the Refektorium in front of the Jahrhunderthalle Bochum will be home to an extensive programme of events either at low prices or free of charge. There will be readings, film nights, performances, parties and symposia, starting on 12.8. The first symposium with the RWE Foundation for Energy and Society invites everyone who is interested to attend a discussion in the Refektorium on 20.8. on the subject: Mechanical Man and Man Machine.