BIG THINGS

This year's summer opera with the singers of the opera class has already had an acclaimed premiere. Nothing less than Mozart's Magic Flute is reinterpreted here and is simply a joy to watch. The production is captivating in many ways. The absolute highlight here is a small, ingenious, inconspicuous yet effective trick.
The Hamburger Abendblatt writes: "Under the direction of Christian Poewe, the graduating class of the HfMT's Master Opera course is now approaching this challenge by consistently linking the search for identity and belonging that is so central to the piece with the multilingualism and interculturality of the international ensemble and thus reinterpreting and reasserting it in a remarkably subtle way." And further: "The production makes it clear in a refreshingly undidactic way that understanding and recognition are not tied to linguistic or cultural uniformity, but primarily to an interest in intersections and similarities."

The singers will be accompanied by the Symhonikern Hamburg under the direction of Willem Wentzel. Students from the HAW and HfBK are responsible for the stage design, video and costumes.

"An evening that whets the appetite for this new generation of opera," says Abendblatt critic Selma Schiller.
Further performances of The Magic Flute on June 3, 6, 12, 14, 16 and 23.

From June 7 to 11, the Days of Contemporary Music will "properly" present us with a lot of previously unheard music - i.e. brand new works, standard works by composers such as Kurtág or Saariaho as well as lesser-known modern compositions with interesting cross-references, special instrumentations or interdisciplinary approaches.

The highlight of the festival is the visit of an ensemble of top-class musicians and specialists in new music from the Jāzeps Vītols Music Academy in Riga, made possible by the Erasmus program, who will perform a total of seven works composed for this occasion by students from Prof. Gordon Kampe's composition class.
The concert is close to our hearts for two reasons: firstly, in times of war, we cannot focus enough on intercultural and European understanding. Secondly, we are experiencing a remarkable attitude and dedication to contemporary culture in this collaboration. The artists bring with them the conviction that nothing can replace the music of their own time and that it is a matter of course. This self-image also stems from the fact that a small and constantly challenged country like Latvia has always had to fight to preserve its language and culture. The promotion and exhibition of contemporary art also has a political, not just a cultural significance there.

"Focus Riga" as part of the Days of Contemporary Music on June 9 at the Forum

Great to be back!
Since our debut last year, we have known that the large hall of the Elbphilharmonie gives our university orchestra under the direction of Ulrich Windfuhr an additional quality booster and that concerts in this magnificent venue are an enriching and appropriate part of artistic training. So now "the Sixth" by Mahler and Gordon Kampe's "Liebeslieder" with Michaela Kaune as soloist. The program has been performed three times before and "sits" really well. Now it can be further inspired by the beguiling architecture, the awareness of all the great orchestras performing here and the special acoustics with their tonal transparency.

There are still tickets available and they are uniformly cheap. The front rows are already well filled. The quicker you get in, the better you can see. You can hear well everywhere in the Elbphilharmonie.
As an HfMT fan, you should definitely be there!

Symphony concert in the Elbphilharmonie on June 9

Jazz composer Monta Tupčijenko and bassoonist Jeanne Lavalle combine jazz, classical music and Latvian folklore in this finely conceived and joint final concert. The program ranges from the well-known bassoon concerto by Antonio Vivaldi in G minor to the world premiere of a new bassoon concerto by the Latvian jazz composer. A jazz-large ensemble in melancholy polyphony, a mixed choir in Latvian and the accompanying Hamburg Chamber Orchestra under the direction of Christian Kunert will join them on this journey full of encounters.

The Sound she inherited on June 19 at the Forum

Just come and let yourself go - there's sure to be something for everyone at our summer festival. From 3 pm to 10 pm, there is a varied program for young and old in our halls and in the garden:
Chamber concerts, open-air stage and lots of jazz, children's program, interactive concerts and join-in choir, science slam and various theater scenes from the directing course provide a good overview of our study content.
There will also be forum tours, a wheel of fortune, a social get-together and culinary delights.

As the very best hosts, the President and the Chancellor personally fire up the barbecue for us.
We love it... All of it!

You can find the detailed program on our website from 6.6.
HfMT summer party on June 20

Core business and not the least bit boring:
The Elise Meyer Competition is one of our major university competitions, in which outstanding students in the categories of string instruments, wind instruments, piano and singing are honored every year.
Interested listeners can already attend the final rounds and get a good overall impression of the applicants. The winners can then be heard in the prizewinners' concert.
In addition to attractive cash prizes, follow-up support also plays an important role. The Rudolf and Renate Seidel Foundation provides support here by enabling the prizewinners to attend subsequent workshops or arranging concert appearances.

Prizewinners' concert of the Elise Meyer Competition on June 21 at the Forum

How do future music and theater teachers inspire their students of tomorrow? By getting them excited about their subject and bringing their passion to the stage. The school music orchestra already has a 20-year tradition and is focusing entirely on a romantic repertoire for its anniversary concert with Edward Elgar and Edvard Grieg.
On the other hand, a promising cooperation between the music teaching program and the still young theater teaching program is celebrating its premiere with the joint musical production Kaltmiete im Sprechwerk. The directing course in musical theater will also provide support for the production.

Kaltmiete on June 18 and 19
Anniversary concert of the school music orchestra on June 27

What do we talk about when we talk about justice and who is allowed to speak?
Is justice a groundbreaking utopia, an empty buzzword or rather a matter of interpretation that can be instrumentalized?
Full of passion and a spirit of optimism, the five graduates of the directing course explore these questions and show on the studio stage of the Thalia Theater what they think should be told on this topic.

With them: Niyousha Azari, Anna Maria Kluth, Margit Pötzsch, Mira Seesemann and Marlene Reiter

Director's Finals 2026 on June 25, 26 and 27 at Thalia Gaußstraße

Young talents - Hamburg's jazz scene - internationally renowned artists.
They will all be on stage together, bringing the whole spectrum of jazz to life when we celebrate the third edition of the JazzHall SummerFestival from June 28 to July 4.
Whether you're new to jazz or a long-time enthusiast - this festival invites everyone to embark on a musical journey and celebrate the diversity of jazz.
In addition to the evening concerts, you can expect a free open-air program in the afternoon, a wide range of gastronomic offerings on the JazzHall meadow and a free supporting program for the whole family!

Sneak in: JazzHall SummerFestival from June 28 to July 4

...can be found as usual in our calendar of events

So let's enjoy May together - we look forward to seeing you!
Your HfMT