Germany – Conrad Askland

Wittenberg Theater

askland — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 16:14:36 +0000

WITTENBERG THEATER CLOSES 2001
Theater Wittenberg Closes Its Doors –
The Theater Wittenbergs sustaining institution, a special purpose association, has resolved to close the theatre beginning in summer 2001. The decision will affect 156 jobs. A theatre for children and young people and a project-based music theatre will remain in operation.

HISTORY OF THEATER IN WITTENBERG
Wittenberg has a long tradition in cultural events. The City Theatre Mitteldeutsches Landestheater reached a great importance in GDR times. Since 1996, the City proposes Open-Air theatre shows based on the Lutheran history still alive in many historical places of the ancient town. As highlights, in 2001 and 2005, Fernando Scarpa became the artistic director of the “BÃ¼hne Wittenberg” (Stage Wittenberg), a project for theatre, art and culture in the whole of Germany which attracts to the City plenty of audience and whose success achieves European echo. Hamlet is said to have studied here.

Luys Milan (1500-1565) – Pavana 3, Pavana 1

askland — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 07:30:20 +0000

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lF_XTlCieTc

Luys Milan (1500-1565) – Pavana 3, Pavana 1, originally written for Vihuela, transcribed and performed by Boris BjÃ¶rn Bagger. Boris BjÃ¶rn Bagger is teaching guitar at the University of Music Karlsruhe / Germany

Why So Much Poverty in 16th Century Germany?

askland — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 07:26:26 +0000

In many parts of Europe the increase in population began to outstrip improvements in agriculture from about 1500 onwards and this process continued in many parts till well into 1540s. Different parts of Europe were affected at slightly different times within the period c. 1500-1550 and in many areas there were peasant uprisings which were usually suppressed with appalling savagery (with very cruel and unusual punishments for some of the leaders, for example). These uprisings sometimes became interwoven with the religious upheavals of the period.

On the whole, the worst affected areas were those far removed from major trade routes, such as much of Hungary and some inland parts of Germany. A poor harvest, or series of poor harvests in the context of a more general shortage of food, often had disastrous effects.

The situation stabilized somewhat after about 1550.