2. Home Game Day (27th Matchday)

A Wednesday night blockbuster in the Ostermann Arena! The Ahorn Camp Baskets from Speyer are guests – a team known for their fighting style of play. The Giants want to secure the next victory on home soil and show that they are also a force to be reckoned with at home during the week. Thrilling basketball under floodlights – be there!

Entry: 1.5 hours before the game starts

The inbox is overflowing, the apartment is sinking into chaos, the world is once again coming to an end - and Lennart Schilgen does... nothing! Well, okay: Almost nothing. For example, he thinks a lot about all the things he doesn't do. The result: finely polished songs and poems about the loops and cycles in which we all move. And yes: perhaps even a way out or two. Is that nothing? Oh yes, it is!

Photo: Marvin Ruppert

Doors open at 7:30 PM

“Monheim for gourmets” is the motto on Wednesday.
On a tour through the picturesque old town, you will experience gastronomy and culture for all senses: Interesting facts about the history and way of life in Monheim am Rhein –
framed by dishes made from high-quality ingredients, artistically presented plates, and seasonal delicacies. The tasting is included in the price.

Registration is required for all guided tours. You can book a ticket up to three working days before the tour.

Stops in the following restaurants:
Nashe Café, La Piccola Enoteca, Restaurant Ohters, and Bloomgold (subject to changes)

Meeting point:

This date is already fully booked.

In the icy London winter of 1683, the paths of the strong-willed Emma, forced into marriage with a nobleman, and the mysterious Ruth cross. Ruth seeks revenge after her ruthless husband, a spy for the crown, attempted to kill her. When it becomes clear that both husbands are entangled in a conspiracy against King Charles II, the women join forces to prevent the coup. Thanks to Ruth's espionage knowledge and Emma's "undercover" operation at the stall of the attractive silversmith Guy Vallon at the Frost Fair on the frozen Thames, they are able to thwart an assassination attempt on the king. But then the women themselves become targets of the conspirators.

Presented by: Julius Arth, born and raised in Wuppertal, is a trained bookseller who discovered his love for English literature while studying at the University of Reading (UK). After earning his doctorate, he taught at universities in Germany and the USA and now lives as a freelance author with his family in the Rhineland. Following "The Bridge of London," his next historical novel will be published in the fall of 2026. Julius Arth celebrates his premiere reading at Thalia in Bonn. The moderation will be carried out by author Mathias Berg.

Doors open: 6:30 PM

Jazz meets Classic - The concert experience with Eckhard Radmacher & Friends
Jazz meets Classic with Eckhard Radmacher and Friends
Pulheim. It remains exciting at “
Jazz meets classic – Eckhard Radmacher & friends”. Because every time, Eckhard invites musical colleagues from the national and international fields of classical and jazz music.
This time, Jazz meets Classic will be:
Satire meets Music
Concert and staged reading with composer Marc. L Vogler
After a longer summer break, it continues: On October 14th, at 8 PM, pianist Eckhard Radmacher invites again to the theater in Walzwerk for the next “Jazz meets Classic – Eckhard Radmacher & friends”.
This time as a guest: Young composer and pianist Marc L. Vogler – a repeat performer at Jazz meets Classic, but by no means a man of repetitions.
A lot has happened in the professional life of the 28-year-old since he last performed at the Pulheim theater.
His new sound adventure: improvisations, where he lets the audience call out four notes and a rhythm and then spontaneously improvises on them. “I love the lively exchange with the audience,” says Vogler, who will of course also act as moderator.
Even more:
As part of a staged reading, he will accompany his own satirical short stories on the piano, merging text and music into a live audio play.
And there will be another novelty: Driven by constant humor,
Radmacher & Vogler
came up with the idea: Why not let only the left hands perform? Whereupon Vogler picked up the pen and composed a
piece for two left hands.
The background of this brainwave will be revealed during the premiere of this work on the concert evening.
So, some things will be realized in a duo that evening. Eckhard Radmacher meaningfully fills the evening with solo jazz pieces and “classical” sound pearls.
Marc Vogler (*1998)
is Composer in Residence at the Dortmund Opera and composer of the official soundtrack for this year's World Equestrian Games in Aachen. He has composed for the WDR Symphony Orchestra, New Opera West Los Angeles, and the Theater an der Wien.
Photo credit: ©️ Xavier Renaudin

Admission: 7:00 PM

Jonas Greiner combines sharp observations from everyday life and cheeky, ironic social criticism with high-class and refreshing humor. Intelligent, surprising, funny – a unique mix that promises the best entertainment!
“Auf Augenhöhe” is the third solo program of the 28-year-old comedian. With his thoughts on the madness of everyday life, the nonsense of modern times, and the craziness of the world, he shows how important it is to take things with humor. Jonas Greiner does not shy away from any topic. Stand-up comedy and satire at the height of time. The main thing is to laugh. The main thing is to be together. The main thing is to be on the same level!
Jonas Greiner was awarded “Newcomer of the Year” in 2019 by Olaf Schubert, is currently on tour across Germany, and is a regular guest on well-known shows like NightWash or in the Quatsch Comedy Club. He has also been featured in numerous TV formats, such as “Olafs Klub” on MDR, the “TV Total Bundesvision Comedy Contest” on ProSieben, or the “Mitternachtsspitzen” on WDR. Videos of his live performances and his regular satire formats on Instagram and YouTube have already been clicked millions of times. But: Live is still always better. Therefore: Be there for the new solo program of Jonas Greiner – live, funny, and “Auf Augenhöhe”.
Entrance from 7:30 PM

"Bach along"
A musical dialogue in the context of Johann Sebastian Bach.

At the center of the program are the solo works of Johann Sebastian Bach – sonatas for violin and basso continuo, the suite for solo cello, as well as the partita for solo violin – serving as a starting point for a sound journey through his musical environment.

The works of his contemporaries and companions reflect this network: Georg Philipp Telemann and Johann Georg Pisendel, both close friends of the Bach family and influential figures in the North German music scene, Franz Benda from the Berlin court, as well as Francesco Geminiani as a representative of the Italian violin school that influenced Bach's style.

The Cologne ensemble Ludus Instrumentalis, founded in 2014 by violinists Evgeny Sviridov and Anna Dmitrieva along with colleagues Stanislav Gres, Davit Melkonyan, and Lisa Solovey, is dedicated to historically informed performance practice and the vibrant interpretation of baroque music. International awards and invitations to significant festivals have brought the ensemble to numerous European stages. The ensemble's CD recordings featuring works by J. G. Goldberg and F. Benda have received international acclaim in the press.

Advance sales: 12 / 18 / 25
Box office: 15 / 20 / 30

We offer three price categories: S, M, and L.
According to the "pay what you can" principle, a ticket can be selected from these price levels, no proof of entitlement to a discount is required.

Important information for people with disabilities
The main entrance has a step. On the opposite side of the main entrance, there is a barrier-free back entrance. Please use the path via the parking lot. The church is then fully accessible. Unfortunately, a wheelchair-accessible restroom is not available. We would be happy to reserve a corresponding seat for you and your companion in the church. Please inform us in advance about your visit. Thank you.

On stage, a sealed envelope is handed over, which the artist opens. For the first time, she takes a look at the completely unfamiliar manuscript. Now she begins to discover and develop the text and story together with her audience.
Behind this unusual concept lies a moving story by Iranian author Nassim Soleimanpour. He refused military service in order to continue his studies. The consequence was harsh, as his passport was revoked, preventing him from leaving his homeland. In his isolation, he relied on the transformative power of theater and wrote a play that was to travel the world in his place. His plan worked, as since its world premiere in 2011, the work has been performed in 50 countries, translated into 30 languages, and played over 3,000 times. Well-known personalities like Whoopie Goldberg and Christoph Maria Herbst have already taken on this experiment. Now, the Colonia Theater is bringing this journey to Cologne in a special series of performances.
A co-production with Colonia-Theater e.V.

18.30

A performance about body memory, censorship, and becoming visible.

By and with Sarina Panahideh.

What does the body remember when it has had to be invisible for years? The Whole Me 2 is a performance about the traces that censorship and prohibition leave in the body – and about the attempt to free oneself from them. The Kurdish-Iranian choreographer Sarina Panahideh grew up in a place where dance was forbidden. Even after migration, she feels a delay between what she means and what she can express – in language as well as in the body. The Whole Me 2 makes this inner tension visible: as a "duet in one person" between the honest, untamed self and the adapted, controlled exterior. The performance begins in almost complete invisibility – only the eyes of the performer can be seen. Gradually, a vocabulary of movement unfolds from interruptions, breathing rhythms, and everyday gestures: hiding, dodging, adapting – repeated until they become readable motifs.

A central element is a walkable installation of stretched nylon threads that condense the space, block paths, and force detours. The threads become both partner and obstacle – they make the incomplete, the hesitation, the interruption visible. Light and projection show blurred bodies and anonymized close-ups of skin – tangible but not identifiable. The live music of the queer composer Andrea works with elongated words, whose meaning arrives only gradually, and with rhythms that make the back and forth between the inner and outer audible.

The Whole Me 2 is created in collaboration with a collective of Kurdish and Iranian artists. Development partners are the Orangerie Theater Cologne, Sasha Waltz & Guests, and Dock 11 Berlin. The performance is designed for theaters, museums, and large exhibition spaces.

Note: The installation is accessible to the audience before and after the performance. Barrier-free access, subtitles, and relaxation areas are part of the concept.

Production: Orangerie Theater

Choreography & Concept: Sarina Panahideh | Co-Choreography: Katja Keya Richter | Dance: Narin Mohammadi, Sarina Panahideh | Composition & Live Music: Andrea (AndieSOUNDS) | Stage & Costume: N.N. | Light & Media: N.N.

Supported by: NRW Landesbüro Freie Darstellende Künste, NRW KULTURsekretariat, Ministry of Culture and Science of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia

Admission: 19:00

Annes Kampf
A theater program against forgetting | 13+

GREAT LITERATURE IN THE SMALL HALL

Two central texts of the 20th century confront each other: Mein Kampf by Adolf Hitler and the diary of Anne Frank. The juxtaposition highlights the gap between Nazi ideology and the individual experience of persecution. While Hitler formulates his racist and anti-Semitic worldview in his work, Anne Frank describes her everyday life, her fears, her thoughts, and hopes. Her life ends in the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp.

The cabaret artist Marianne Blum and the actor Thomas Linke present selected text passages and contextualize them scenically. Musical elements intensify the thematic engagement.
The program provides an opportunity for reflection and conversation: about National Socialism and anti-Semitism, about dictatorship and memory culture, as well as about references to contemporary society.

Production: Sam Entertainment

With:
Marianne Blum: Anne Frank, vocals, ukulele
Thomas Linke: Adolf Hitler

Duration: approx. 1 ½ hours, including break

Admission: 7:00 PM

Sold out! There may still be tickets available at the box office.

***Information on how to obtain tickets can be found at: leverkusener-jazztage.de


A MAGIC NIGHT
JOE BONAMASSA meets WDR BIG BAND

This is going to be a blast!

One of the greats of blues rock, a worldwide superstar and five-time Grammy nominee: JOE BONAMASSA meets the Grammy-awarded WDR Big Band to create an unforgettable concert evening.

On October 15, 2026, the American guitarist – whose brilliant playing, deeply rooted in tradition, makes him one of the defining figures of modern blues rock – will perform together with the WDR Big Band at the Forum in Leverkusen.

In this premiere, we can expect blues and blues rock in opulent big band arrangements that will take the Bonamassa sound to new dimensions. Powerful brass sections meet captivating guitar riffs. This unique project will be enhanced by the participation of two of the greatest on their instruments: Will Lee on electric bass and Steve Ferrone on drums. With Josh Smith on guitar and vocalists Danielle DeAndrea and Jade MacRae, Bonamassa brings members of his touring band on stage.

You can't miss this unique experience!

Doors: 7:00 PM

Unfortunately, the ticket allocation is fully booked.

Admission: 7:00 PM

Celtic-Scandinavian World Music
A voice as clear as Norwegian fjord water – the flute like the breath of a mist over the Scottish Highlands, along with two ideally harmonizing virtuoso guitars. “The Celtic-Scandinavian Dream Team“

Kerstin's and Ian's regular collaboration spans over twelve years in various projects, including Norland Wind (with Padraig and Noel Duggan from Clannad) and Talking Water. Their shared passion for intricate arrangements, extraordinary harmonies, and rhythms combined with Celtic and Scandinavian songs led them to found Kelpie in 1998. Ian's melodic fingerpicking guitar together with Kerstin's groovy plectrum guitar playing form the basis for the light-footed presentation of ballads about trolls and other water spirits, cleverly arranged reels and hallings with a lot of fun in spontaneous ideas and improvisations.

Kelpie regularly tours in Europe and North America in front of an ever-growing enthusiastic audience. Their first CD “Kelpie” was released in Europe by Westpark Music and in North America by Alula Records. The following CDs “Var det du – var det deg?” (2007), “Kelpie – Live” (2009), “Danse mi vise” (2019) as well as the winter/Christmas concept albums “Desembermåne” (2015) and “Schneetreiben” (2017) have also been released on the Westpark Music label.

KERSTIN BLODIG (Vocals, Guitar, Bouzouki, Mandolin, Bodhrán)
is internationally regarded as one of the most important interpreters of Scandinavian and Celtic world music. As a founding member of the groups Touchwood, Norland Wind, and Talking Water, her musical creativity spans a wide range. She showcases her Norwegian roots not only with Kelpie but also in her solo program and in large ensembles as Valivann. Her solo CD Trollsang (Westpark Music) even sets higher musical standards than her debut album Valivann, which was awarded the prize of the German Record Critics in 2002 and released in North America by the renowned Worldmusic label Allegro. Kerstin is recently the official representative of Gibson Guitars.

IAN MELROSE (Guitar, Vocals, Low Whistle, Seljefløyte)
from Scotland is a renowned guitarist, composer, and arranger in the European acoustic scene. In addition to numerous live and studio projects, including with Clannad (world tour, Grammy-Award-winning CD Landmarks), with Kerstin in Kelpie, Norland Wind, and Talking Water, with The Duggans (producer, arranger, and musician of the album “Rubicon”), he has performed solo at some of the world's most important festivals (including Montreal Jazz Festival (CAN), Celtic Connections in Glasgow/Sco.). His solo CDs Wolves, Between the Sighs, A Scottish Legacy, and the current album A Shot in the Dark (Acoustic Music Records) represent his unmistakable style. He is the official representative of DR Strings and Avalon Guitars.

Doors open: 18:30

The event is sold out

A performance about body memory, censorship, and becoming visible.

By and with Sarina Panahideh.

What does the body remember when it has had to be invisible for years? The Whole Me 2 is a performance about the traces that censorship and prohibition leave in the body – and about the attempt to free oneself from them. The Kurdish-Iranian choreographer Sarina Panahideh grew up in a place where dance was forbidden. Even after migration, she feels a delay between what she means and what she can express – in language as well as in the body. The Whole Me 2 makes this inner tension visible: as a "duet in one person" between the honest, untamed self and the adapted, controlled exterior. The performance begins in almost complete invisibility – only the eyes of the performer can be seen. Gradually, a vocabulary of movement unfolds from interruptions, breathing rhythms, and everyday gestures: hiding, dodging, adapting – repeated until they become readable motifs.

A central element is a walkable installation of stretched nylon threads that condense the space, block paths, and force detours. The threads become both partner and obstacle – they make the incomplete, the hesitation, the interruption visible. Light and projection show blurred bodies and anonymized close-ups of skin – tangible but not identifiable. The live music of the queer composer Andrea works with elongated words, whose meaning arrives only gradually, and with rhythms that make the back and forth between the inner and outer audible.

The Whole Me 2 is created in collaboration with a collective of Kurdish and Iranian artists. Development partners are the Orangerie Theater Cologne, Sasha Waltz & Guests, and Dock 11 Berlin. The performance is designed for theaters, museums, and large exhibition spaces.

Note: The installation is accessible to the audience before and after the performance. Barrier-free access, subtitles, and relaxation areas are part of the concept.

Production: Orangerie Theater

Choreography & Concept: Sarina Panahideh | Co-Choreography: Katja Keya Richter | Dance: Narin Mohammadi, Sarina Panahideh | Composition & Live Music: Andrea (AndieSOUNDS) | Stage & Costume: N.N. | Light & Media: N.N.

Supported by: NRW Landesbüro Freie Darstellende Künste, NRW KULTURsekretariat, Ministry of Culture and Science of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia

Admission: 19:00

Experience a truly unique show event like you have never seen before: "True Crime Magic"! This one-of-a-kind concept combines the popular genre of True Crime with fascinating magic and promises an unforgettable experience.

Hard reality meets illusion
In "True Crime Magic," the hard reality of real criminal cases merges with the captivating world of magic. The show takes you on a journey that challenges your senses and makes you balance on the edge between truth and deception.

Christopher Köhler and Benjamin Gleissner – The Masters of Magic
The two renowned magicians Christopher Köhler and Benjamin Gleissner are at the center of this unique show. Christopher Köhler, the creator of the successful show "Die Magier," returns with a new concept to present a whole new side of magic to you. Benjamin Gleissner knows a thing or two about true crimes, as he is a police officer offstage and brings his expertise into the art. With their impressive combination of investigative sharpness and magical skill, they bring stories to life that will keep the audience on the edge of their seats. Their performances are so real that you will hardly believe what happens before your eyes.

Interactive experiences that will captivate you
In "True Crime Magic," you won't just be watching – you will be part of the show! Look forward to interactive experiments with the audience, where you will become the investigator yourself. Experience live interrogations where lies are uncovered and evidence is discovered. Be there as audience members can test their own perceptions and detective skills. Together with the spectators, the perfect crime will be committed, and everyone will be asking at the end of this exclusive event: How the hell did it all happen?

Doors open at 7:30 PM

Admission: 7:00 PM

Jan van Weyde is a stand-up comedian and voice actor from Cologne. He basically lives from spoken word. He is known from formats like "Last One Laughing," "Sketch History," or the feature film "The Canoe of Manitu." He began his career as an actor – fans of "Storm of Love" may remember him. After 2023, he is now coming with his third solo program "Immer Weyder..." to the Kulturraffinerie K714. What is it about? Jan takes the audience into his world of the most absurd observations. The hamster wheel of everyday madness keeps spinning for the comedian, actor, and father of two.

Jan is always right in the middle of the balancing act between stages, recordings, parental meetings, and the domestic Bermuda Triangle of female hormones: One daughter in the wobbly tooth puberty, a second on the verge of becoming a rebellious teenager, and a wife in pre-menopause. Where others despair, Jan tirelessly draws comedy gold. He plays, triumphs, and … fails. "If something happens," his imaginary buddy Heiko is, of course, at his side, always advising him to step into the next faux pas with reliable intuition. Jan van Weyde tells in his charmingly authentic way how he manages to keep all the balls skillfully in the air during his constant juggling act between job and family.

Doors open: 7 PM

Led by Simon Fendler and Martin Kirchhübel, the Hinterhofchor performs a mix of various songs. From stirring pop anthems to poignant ballads and classic Köln tunes, there is something for every taste! At the big annual concert, the singers radiate their enthusiasm for music and invite everyone, supported by a live band, to groove along, feel, and celebrate together.

Donations are welcome.