A drummed gangster satire full of surprises

In the evening-length show format of Die Schlagzeugmafia, the audience becomes both witness and accomplice.
Although the Mafiosi are always striving to maintain their laid-back thug facade, it quickly becomes clear that not everything runs smoothly in the mafia operation.
How could it be any different? With five drummers, everyone wants to set the pace.
Who will ultimately hold the strings? Will the cover as a pizza maker be blown? How do you turn three drums into a getaway car, and what happens when all the lights suddenly go out?
'Backstreet Noise' delights all generations - with craftsmanship, charming wit, and astonishing creativity. A look into the file shows that these Mafiosi are no longer mere petty criminals. Awarded the Small Arts Prize Baden-Württemberg 2015, finalists of the RTL show "Die Puppenstars" in front of millions of television viewers, appearances at the "Goldene Kamera", the "Echo Award", and much more...

18:00

As winners of the German Rock / Pop Awards 2021 and 2022 for
best Cover / Revival Band and as one of the most booked Beatles tribute
shows, “The Quarrymen Beatles” are traveling all over Germany and partially in Europe
and proving that they can do more than just cover Beatles songs.
In the style of the original, they let the audience experience a coherent and unforgettable
Beatles evening.
The reason for their growing popularity is their incredible similarity to the real
Beatles: same outfits, original instruments, and amplifiers. However, the greatest similarity
lies in the musical area. Each song is reproduced in detail, hauntingly perfected, so that some
Beatles connoisseurs cannot distinguish this authentic sound from the original.
“The Quarrymen Beatles” have been around since 2004. Each performer fully immerses
himself in his role, from the deep thinker John to the charmer Paul
and the quiet George to the always cheerful Ringo, that is “The Quarrymen
Beatles”!
The “Quarrymen Beatles” take you back to the time when the music of the Beatles
revolutionized the music world - forever!!

Welcome to your mind. Best of Poetry Slam is when poets, storytellers, the brave and the wild, the nerds and the quiet meet and compete only with words and gestures. The prize? Nothing less than adrenaline and applause, euphoria, an audience that decides whether this is nonsense or ecstasy, in short: whether this text might be the best story of all time. An audience that is you. Poetry Slam is primarily about the Slammer* of this republic. Filling halls, sometimes entire stadiums. They are no longer a niche, they have long since become the phenomenon they have always been. They juggle with wild ideas, their rhythm a beat of sentences, their stories a fireworks display of vocabulary, they run through ear canals and ignite minds, each of them racing at 180 on the thought highway. And we bring them to you, the best among them to the stage of the Cultural Forum! Five top poets compete against each other at BEST OF POETRY SLAM, moderated by the most popular slam moderators, presented by Battle of the Arts. These five want nothing less than your mind, your ears, your favor. They clash in the toughest competition of the night, the best of the best against the best of the best in a spectacular battle of poets.

And so remains what lies behind every good competition – it is never just about winning, it is about the moment, about a feeling that unites every slam: to be part of the magic that emerges from stories, to become part of the wave that this evening carries within. This applies to every poet, to every BEST OF POETRY SLAM, to everyone who is part of it. In the end: It is about nothing less than words and madness, about poetry and genius, and every text is a world that only exists in your mind.

The Landesjugendorchester Hamburg has been an integral part of the musical youth scene as the selection orchestra of the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg for over 55 years. Approximately 70 musicians aged between 14 and 25 perform classical works from the 19th century for symphony orchestra with enthusiasm and joy at the winter concert.

The patron of the ensemble is the First Mayor, Dr. Peter Tschentscher. The LJO Hamburg is sponsored by the State Music Council in the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg e.V., and is funded by the Authority for Culture and Media.

A story about friendship, courage, and the power of music. The story: The squirrel and the hedgehog have practiced soooo much and want to share their music with others. But how does that actually work? How do you play a concert? The two set out in search of answers – and experience a little adventure along the way. It's the exciting story of two friends who want to move from practicing at home to the stage. What they experience is not always easy to cope with. But with ease and the help of many friends, in the end, not only a concert is created, but something truly wonderful. With interactive elements to participate in and, of course, with lots of music. Inspired by the children's book "Hurra, wir spielen ein Konzert" by Marie-Luise Dingler, The Twiolins. "Supported by the Commissioner of the Federal Government for Culture and Media as part of NEUSTART KULTUR"

The Twiolins/ The Author: Marie-Luise Dingler completed her solo training in violin at the University of Music Mannheim and during this time founded the violin duo "The Twiolins" with her brother Christoph. First with Christoph and since 2025 with Marta Danilkovich, she delights audiences worldwide as a duo. Concert tours have taken them as far as New Zealand, China, and India. Marie tries daily to balance concert activities, CD recordings, and caring for her quail flock. The Corona lockdown gave her the opportunity to write down a story that she had long wanted to share with the children of this world. The book has now been published worldwide, and Marie receives daily feedback that the little readers "now want to give a forest concert themselves."

References: "Told empathetically and with detailed knowledge – beautifully illustrated too: Few other children's books have ever thrilled me so much. A huge pleasure not just for musicians!" Anne-Sophie Mutter Positive reviews for the children's book in SWR2, DLF Kultur, WDR, Brawoo Magazine, etc.

Maxi Gstettenbauer remains STABIL The man with the rolling R and unique dental configuration is now indispensable in German comedy. For 15 years now, the native of Lower Bavaria has avoided a regular job and entertains thousands of spectators in the process. Maximilian Ronald Alfons Gstettenbauer (that’s his full name) is the charming family man who is both desperate about the world and his own expectations. Unfortunately, he often expresses this in a loud manner, which is bad for his blood pressure but excellent for our diaphragm! The proto-millennial is one of the few representatives of his kind who master both bumbling everyday comedy and delicate social criticism. The future shakes the fences of our present. No one wants to move, so that everything remains exactly as it never was. However, the sturdiest buildings in the world are constructed to sway during an earthquake. Because nothing breaks faster than a beam that cannot bend. This balancing act between reliable punchline delivery and overwhelmed world-weariness is the artistic primordial soup of Maxi Gstettenbauer. When all certainties have been swept off the table, the darkly humorous family man seeks answers to the big questions: Can you defend the EU's outer borders in Call of Duty? Can climate change be simply protested against? And how can an atomic bomb be harmful if it’s vegan? To remain STABIL, you have to move. Best to a theater near you!

About having the courage to change one's own destiny: In the musical highlight "Aladin," the audience immerses itself in a world full of adventure and magic. Specially composed musical hits, plenty of excitement, and even more humor promise the best live entertainment for the whole family!

1001 Nights in a new light
The famous story from 1001 Nights is presented by the Theater Liberi, known for its imaginative family musicals, in a fast-paced and modern version. Well-trained musical actors portray the diverse facets of the popular characters in this tale of courage, self-determination, and friendship. Fantastic light effects, elegant costumes, as well as impressive music and choreography create the perfect backdrop for the mysterious world of Aladin, Yasmin, and Dschinni.

An adventure full of magic
Aladin leads a life as a simple street boy until his life is suddenly turned upside down: He has just met Princess Yasmin, who is trying by all means to protect her people from the evil sorcerer Jafar, when he himself becomes entangled in his wicked schemes. Jafar finally wants to get rid of the Sultan and seize power with the help of a legendary lamp. Aladin is supposed to help him, but the plan goes awry, and Aladin finds himself trapped in a cave. In search of a way out, he discovers the secret of the magic lamp and frees the powerful Dschinni, who quickly proves to be a true friend. Aladin's problems seem to be solved in one fell swoop because where there is a Dschinni, there are also three wishes. However, magic alone will not be enough to help Yasmin and thwart Jafar's sinister plans...

Age: from 4 years old
Duration: 2 hours including a 20-minute intermission

Puccini's masterpiece up close
Giacomo Puccini's La Bohème in a semi-staged performance that relies entirely on the power of music and the intensity of emotions.
An extraordinary collaboration project brings great opera to the stage of the concert barn at the Lüneburg Cultural Forum this winter: Giacomo Puccini's world-famous opera La Bohème in a staged performance. Under the musical direction of university music director Daniel Kirchmann, the chamber orchestra of the university music together with students from the singing class of Prof. Manuela Uhl from the Musikhochschule Lübeck.

Students from the music theater program of the Musikhochschule Lübeck:
N.N., soprano (Mimì)
N.N., tenor (Rodolfo)
N.N., baritone (Marcello)
N.N., soprano (Musetta)
N.N., baritone (Schaunard)
Artistic direction: Professor Manuela Uhl, voice (Musikhochschule Lübeck)

Accompanied by the chamber orchestra of the Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel.
The chamber orchestra of the Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel consists of dedicated students from Kiel and the surrounding area as well as musicians from the Collegium Musicum, the large university orchestra. It was initiated last autumn for a concert tour to Poland and now performs in a large ensemble for the production of Puccini's La Bohème.
Under the direction of: University music director Daniel Kirchmann.

Experience great opera in a concentrated form – close, touching, and full of passion.

The work tells of love, friendship, and transience in 19th century Paris: The poet Rodolfo and his friends lead a carefree artistic life overshadowed by financial worries – until Rodolfo meets the young seamstress Mimì. Their encounter changes both of their lives forever. With emotional depth, lyrical melancholy, and passionate outbursts, La Bohème is one of the most performed and touching operas in music history.

(Hamburg, 22.05.2025) Max Mutzke announces additional dates for his musical reading "So viel mehr" in 2026 due to high demand. In his eponymous autobiography, published in 2025, he offers a personal insight into his childhood and youth in the Black Forest. During his reading tour, he complements his life story with some of his songs from now ten studio albums.

Growing up in an unconventional, artistically shaped household, Max Mutzke learned a lot about life at an early age. He describes his childhood and youth in the Black Forest as a “Bullerbü idyll.” However, Max and his five siblings were not spared from the blows of fate. The flight forward, into self-determination and creativity, led him to show business in 2004. There, he remains, twenty years later, an absolute exception: charismatic and staying true to himself one hundred percent. In his autobiography "So viel mehr," Max Mutzke shares stories from his life and writes very personally about upbringing and parenthood, values, ADHD, and dealing with social media. A profoundly moving and humorous book that repeatedly arrives at the insight that we must all walk through the world like little lights to illuminate it. And we can only do that by staying authentic – and thus being ourselves.

“The image I have portrayed in public since 2004, namely being a kind, nice, calm, balanced, sensible, and intelligent person, has given my entire environment a fit of laughter that they almost choked on,” jokes Max Mutzke. At the musical reading in a deliberately intimate setting, you will experience him as close and authentic as never before. He will reveal much, but will also demonstrate his spontaneity and humor. Max Mutzke, born in 1981, is a singer, songwriter, and musician. His career is inseparably linked to Stefan Raab and the show "TV total." With a song composed by Raab, Mutzke made it to the Eurovision Song Contest 2004 and to number 1 on the German charts. In 2019, he won the first season of "The Masked Singer," and in 2021 he hosted the show "Lebenslieder" on ARD. He plays around 100 concerts a year in completely different line-ups. Max Mutzke lives with his family in the Black Forest, where he himself grew up.

Bigband HerderTunes – Auf unmöglicher Mission
The HerderTunes Bigband is facing a problem: Their concert venue is undergoing renovations, and there is a concert in just a few months. For the Bigband of the Herderschule high school, an impossible mission begins: The program must be changed, and the show needs to be completely rethought. The spies have already spotted a suitable target; the HerderTunes are infiltrating Leuphana University!
Can the HerderTunes smuggle their proven mix of swing, Latin, pop, and rock into the Audimax? Will they manage to hack into the technical systems of Leuphana with parts of their usual stage show? Can the many guest musicians possibly be sneaked in through the back entrance? And is their cover at risk of being blown due to the usual corny moderation by the conductor team Blome/Hentschel?
Experience this musical spy thriller live, of course with a healthy dose of thematic film music in the usual style mix. Convince yourself that good entertainment at HerderTunes is never an impossible mission!

The ticket price for adults is €12 plus ticket fees. (€13.80 plus a service fee)
The ticket price for students & children is €6 plus ticket fees. (€6.90 plus a service fee)

Doors open at 6 PM

Best Of Irish Dance


“Best Of Irish Dance” – that is the motto of this breathtaking Irish dancing performance. In a musical and dance-oriented way, DANCE MASTERS! tells the story of Irish step dancing.

Fourteen dancers take the audience on a journey to the green island with a unique blend of folklore, dance, and stage effects. The show transports the viewers back to the 18th century and showcases the beginnings of Irish dance as well as the history of this traditional dance style. Elaborate choreographies and the perfectly executed "clicks," whose speed is hard to surpass, continually fascinate the audience.

Traditional live music creates atmospheric images and allows the joy of Irish life to leap over to the audience. An excellently staged show that perfectly combines traditional elements with modern entertainment and sparks true excitement every night.

With additional live broadcast of the dancers on a large video screen!

Doors open at 18:00.

2 hours of thrilling, spirited stage power! Pure emotion!

In a show lasting over two hours, highlights from the most famous musicals are impressively and powerfully presented. Stars from the original productions showcase selected solo, duet, and ensemble numbers on a journey through the world of international musicals. World-famous hits from the current Broadway musical “Aladdin” will delight the audience just as much as the sensational musicals "Frozen" with the smash hit “Let it go” and “Moulin Rouge” with its passionate pop anthems full of glamour and emotion. Let yourself be swept away at “Die Nacht der Musicals” by a stage fireworks of energetic dance acrobatics and world-renowned hits, and be there live when the star soloists present the most beautiful melodies of the catchiest songs!

Alongside classics like “The Lion King,” “Mamma Mia,” or “Dance of the Vampires,” all-time favorites like “The Phantom of the Opera,” “Cats,” “The Rocky Horror Show,” “Elisabeth,” and “Grease” must also be included! Experience live how “The Phantom of the Opera” confesses his love to Christine or how the cats from “Cats” prove their cult character anew with “Memory.” Let yourself be enchanted by a cocktail of extraordinary music at “Die Nacht der Musicals”! Diverse, varied, unique!

As varied as the different musicals, so diverse is “Die Nacht der Musicals.” An elaborate light and sound concept, as well as elaborate costumes and lovingly designed stage sets, make this event the most popular musical gala, capturing the atmosphere of New York's Broadway and London's West End!

Over 3 million visitors have left “Die Nacht der Musicals” with a smile on their lips and kept it in unforgettable memory! This unique musical sensation will also captivate the audience more than ever during the 25th anniversary tour, completely drawing them in!

Doors open: 7:00 PM

Whether it is deep friendship, the bond of two sisters, or the inseparable connection to their homeland - the music of these inseparables allows us to deeply sense and feel their relationships in tones and sounds to this day, moving us to the core: Clara Schumann and Johannes Brahms, Nadia and Lili Boulanger, and Dmitri Shostakovich, who remained loyal to his country despite all political difficulties.
"There is always happiness on every side, happiness in ever thicker letters. And in this moment, I feel more connected to you than ever, dear past, dear present, my dear inseparable." - Simone de Beauvoir to Élisabeth Lacoin ("Zaza")

Clara Schumann (1819-1896): Three Romances Op. 22
I. Andante molto
II. Allegretto
III. Leidenschaftlich schnell

Johannes Brahms (1833-1897): Sonata for Cello and Piano in E minor Op. 38
I. Allegro non troppo
II. Allegretto quasi Minuetto
III. Allegro

Intermission

Nadia Boulanger (1887-1979): Trois pièces pour violoncelle et piano
I. Modéré
II. Sans vitesse
III. Nerveusment rhythmé

Lili Boulanger (1893-1918): Nocturne

Dmitri Shostakovich (1906-1975): Sonata for Cello and Piano in D minor Op. 40
I. Allegro moderato
II. Allegro
III. Largo
IV. Allegro

200 times a day, an average person lies. The lie is the glue of world history. The documents that established the Papal State and turned Hamburg into a Hanseatic city - forged! Perhaps even half of the Middle Ages is a fabrication... And then the 19th century - the great era of con artists! They sell the Eiffel Tower and the city of London in individual parts. Not to forget that in the 20th century, of course, no one intended to build a wall in Berlin, or had a "sexual relation with that woman." Finally, the world history of the lie! After the overwhelming success of their reading in honor of Roger Willemsen and Dieter Hildebrandt at the St. Pauli Theater in Hamburg, Walter Sittler (Hildebrandt) and Johann von Bülow (Willemsen) are now going on tour with their entertaining search for the truth about the lie. Newly arranged and gently updated, they throw around scandalous untruths and insidious intrigues. Very much to the entertainment of the audience, who might be a little poorer in illusions after this evening. “A great fun. Willemsen and Hildebrandt reloaded with the two popular TV stars.” SITTILER: “Ladies and gentlemen, I am sorry that we have not yet brought you better news about our species. I am also sorry for this because I have taken you to my heart.” BÜLOW: SITTILER: “Oh my God.” “It hurts to have to bring bad news to such good people.” Johann von Bülow, born in 1972 in Munich, is one of the most well-known German actors of his generation. After studying at the Otto Falckenberg School, he performed at important theaters like the Schauspielhaus Bochum; in addition, he has appeared in numerous German and international feature films and television productions, working with directors like Oliver Hirschbiegel and François Ozon. Walter Sittler, born as a German-American in Chicago, attended the Otto Falckenberg School at the Kammerspiele Munich from 1978 to 1981. From 1981 to 1988, he was engaged at the National Theater in Mannheim and subsequently at the Stuttgart State Theater until 1995. His career as an actor in TV and some feature films began in 1995. The production "Nikola" at RTL received the Grimme Prize, among others, and Walter Sittler won the German Television Award as Best Actor in a Comedy. The series "Girl Friends," "Nikola," as well as the series "Ein Fall für den Fuchs" and "Der Kommissar und das Meer" have made him known to a wide audience, alongside many other films. In addition, Walter Sittler has never given up the stage and has been performing with various theater productions and readings in many cities across Germany for years.

Hopelessly optimistic

Hopelessly optimistic – in the middle of the crisis, Dirk Steffens cheerfully talks about the future. After 30 years and expeditions in more than 120 countries, Germany's most famous science journalist is convinced: The apocalypse is off. Humanity has more solutions than problems. He explains, live on tour, why it is smart to be optimistic and how pooping whales can save our climate.

An exciting, inspiring, and entertaining journey around the whole world. Full of surprising insights, great images, and amazing connections. Facts that help us not to lose our good mood even in difficult times.

Dirk Steffens is a TV author, presenter, and documentary filmmaker. For three decades, he has been telling people about the wonders of this Earth. Television shows from the ZDF series “Terra X” have made him famous. Since April 2022, Steffens has been an expert for “GEO” and has been in front of and behind the camera for the RTL media group since January 2023. With the podcast “Kettenreaktion” and his bestselling books, he reaches an audience of millions. His new book, also titled Hopelessly Optimistic, will be published on November 12, 2025, by Penguin Verlag.

Hopelessly optimistic - The live tour by and with Dirk Steffens.

Doors open at 7:00 PM

The event is sold out!

ELVIS LIVES
Musical comedy by and with Corbin Broders

"Elvis Presley was never dead" (Sat.1)

The world believes Elvis Presley peacefully passed away in the bathroom. In reality, he was just sleeping.

After almost 50 years of napping in Graceland, he is awakened by none other than God, the Lord Himself. He quickly reveals himself to be a die-hard Elvis fan and wants to make the King young and fresh again.

With the Lord's help, Elvis goes through his entire musical life. But just backward. From Way down, A little less conversation and Suspicious Minds to Burning love, Bossa Nova Baby and Muss i denn, all the way to Don’t be cruel, Jailhouse Rock, Blue Suede Shoes, and many more.

Will Elvis actually embark on the path back to the stage that God has planned for him?

Corbin Broders, born in 1995, is a true jack-of-all-trades on stage. After the successful staging of his first play "Ernst Busch – A Kiel Boy" in 2023 at the theater Die Komödianten, he continues his musical adventure and dedicates himself to his second idol: Elvis Presley.
The trained actor and singer brings his acting passion to the stage with full energy and also captivates as an acting lecturer, ballet dancer, and acrobat.

Doors open approx. 1 hour before the start.

The Best of Hans Zimmer
in Concert
Large Orchestra, Soloists & Choir of the Cinema Festival Symphonics
Artistic Direction: Stephen Ellery

Powerful. Beautiful. Breathtaking. This is how the music of two-time Oscar winner Hans Zimmer can be described. His most famous melodies, from the heroic power of “Gladiator” to the deeply moving harmonies of “The Lion King,” from the melancholic “Rain Man” to the nerve-wracking “Inception,” impressively demonstrate Zimmer’s gift for leading listeners directly to the heart of the film stories.
Zimmer's sense of epic storytelling and his fine feel for the emotional depth of each scene have secured him a permanent place in the hearts of music lovers and moviegoers. His music is much more than a collection of beautiful melodies – it is a universal language that touches, inspires, and connects.
“The Best of Hans Zimmer in Concert” is a tribute to the masterful film composer whose work stands for emotion and goosebumps. The ensemble of soloists, choir, and large orchestra of the Cinema Festival Symphonics masterfully interprets the world of unforgettable compositions that have been shaking cinema halls and making hearts beat for years.
From the imposing intensity of “Pirates of the Caribbean” to the futuristic sound world of “Inception,” the large orchestra, the soloists, and the choir provide an essential experience for fans of film music. Epic and dramatic, as the first notes of “The Dark Knight” fill the room. Tension and action flow through the hall as the powerful sounds of “Mission Impossible” captivate the audience.
Every note that resonates through the concert hall allows the guests to immerse themselves in worlds of film music. The epic and dramatic compositions are enhanced by a breathtaking backdrop of synchronized screen animations and light effects.
“The Best of Hans Zimmer in Concert” is a unique experience full of monumental moments that remain memorable for a long time. A true spectacle that puts Hans Zimmer’s musical triumphs in the spotlight in an impressive and passionate way.

Doors open approx. 1 hour before start

Do you love political scandals, affairs, embarrassing everyday situations, and satirical pressure points? Then you’ve come to the right place. Because here a specialist is at work.

Jan-Peter Petersen (founder, author, and actor of the Hamburg cabaret Alma Hoppe) presents his new solo program: „zu spät ist nie zu früh“.

“I’ll do it tomorrow,” we all know that. Procrastination, the art of putting things off, has long become an established part of life. Things are postponed in big ways and small. But Jan-Peter Petersen doesn’t just have the usual suspects in his sights. Of course, one problem is: The responsible politicians don’t live for politics, but off of politics. And since they receive no more money for solving a problem than for formulating it, they constantly make claims but run away from the solution.

In this program, you can expect a tumultuous emotional rollercoaster. Jan-Peter Petersen combines sharply biting current texts with highly comedic everyday episodes. The deficits become assets. Pure cabaret. “No one will be left unscathed.” (Hamburger Wochenblatt).

His cabaret observation turns into an accurate assessment of the current state of affairs. And it is excruciatingly funny.

Don't miss this program. You have nothing else to laugh about anyway.

Direction: Henning Venske