With world-famous examples of Dutch and 19th century painting, and works by Monet, Kirchner, Dix, Picasso and Bacon, the Von der Heydt- Museum is one of the most important, internationally acclaimed art institutions in Germany. The collection consists of around 2300 paintings, 500 sculptures and 30,000 graphic works, displayed in changing exhibitions.

2023 marks the 50th anniversary of Pablo Picasso‘s death. The Von der Heydt Museum is an official partner of the international project ”Célébration Picasso 1973-2023“, which commemorates the anniversary of the artist‘s death. The Von der Heydt Museum Wuppertal and the Sprengel Museum Hannover have joined forces for this special exhibition project: ”Pablo Picasso – Max Beckmann. Man, Myth, World“ will run from 17 September 2023 until 7 January 2024 in Wuppertal as the first exhibition station.

Pablo Picasso (1881 - 1973) and Max Beckmann (1884 - 1950) are key figures of modernism. In the first half of the 20th century, both made decisive contributions to redefining the possibilities and tasks of representational painting. The Von der Heydt Museum was the first museum worldwide to acquire a painting by Pablo Picasso, in 1911, and one of Max Beckmann‘s key works, his ”Self-Portrait as a Nurse“ (1915), was secured for public art ownership in Wuppertal as early as 1925 by the Barmer Kunstverein.

“An almost miraculous place for music” – that is how the great pianist Hélène Grimaud described Wuppertal‘s Historische Stadthalle, a concert space that continues to excite and inspire artists from around the wor­ld. One of Europe‘s best concert venues acoustically, the Große Saal is an architectural gem equipped with the most modern technology and flexible seating, offering cultural entertainment at its finest. The Historische Stadt­ halle‘s diverse program ranges from symphony and chamber orchestra series, guest performances by international soloists, musical, jazz, rock, and pop concerts, to shows and comedy.

As the site of glamorous balls and international dance competitions, Wuppertal‘s Historische Stadthalle is a society hotspot and a bastion of the competitive dance scene. But it‘s not just business event organizers who praise the space‘s special ambience, the Art Nouveau gem, built between 1895 and 1900, is also a highly sought after site for media industry photo and video shoots as well as live streams.

tylish receptions and parties round out the program. In­house caterer “Culinaria” serves meals of the highest quality for every type of event, and delights. Dinner shows, music brunches and special events are all staged at the “Rossini” restaurant.

You can find information on our current program as well as helpful tips for your visit at: www.stadthalle.de

The Sculpture Park Waldfrieden is situated in the midst of an idyllic fores- ted area in the hills above the Elberfeld and Barmen districts of Wuppertal. Mature deciduous trees line the serpentine road leading to the park, and several works by the British sculptor Tony Cragg can be spotted along the embankments of the entrance approach. The Wuppertal-based artist, whose works are exhibited in the world’s most prestigious museums, has fulfilled a long-held dream by transforming the abandoned Villa Waldfrie- den and its park into an exhibition centre for sculpture.

The Park is spread out over a fourteen hectare site which once belonged to the Wuppertal industrialist Professor Kurt Herberts, who commissioned the architect Franz Krause to build a two-storey villa there between 1947 and 1950. The luxuriously appointed building features an interior designed to coordinate dynamically with the movements of its inhabitants, and an exterior perfectly harmonised with the park’s grounds and natural surroundings. Villa Waldfrieden itself is not open to the general public and can only be viewed as part of a tour.

The extensive park surrounding Villa Waldfrieden contains a steadily growing collection of sculptures by Tony Cragg, as well as many other renowned modern and contemporary artists. The characteristic topography of the grounds and their proximity to the city make them ideal for exhibiting sculptures within a constantly changing landscape. Thanks to a comprehensive programme of exhibitions and events in which major works of sculpture from different periods are presented in special shows visiting the sculpture park is worthwhile even on cloudy days. Culinary delights and relaxation can also be found at Café Podest after a walk around the park. Housed in a former gardener’s cottage on the grounds, the café welcomes groups of all sizes. The Sculpture Park Waldfrieden and the Café Podest are open all year round, although at weekends only during the winter. Tours are regularly offered on Saturdays and can also be specially arranged with prior notification.

In the 2023/24 season, Wuppertal Opera, Theatre and Symphony Orchestra will create a cultural programme that is as diverse as the city and its popu- lation: the artistic management team with the new Opera Director Rebekah Rota, Theatre Director Thomas Braus and Music Director Patrick Hahn will offer a visionary programme. The focus is set on social issues such as acces- sibility, inclusion, and innovation.

Captivating stories, authentic acting, and voices that express emotions are the heart of opera. In this way, Wuppertal Opera aims to build bridges – not only between genres and styles, but also across the divide of the art form‘s supposed elitism – and thereby simplify accessibility. As a talent factory, it promotes young people, both on stage and behind the scenes. Opera Director Rebekah Rota demonstrates this artistic concept in her inaugural season with, among others, a contemporary opera.

Theatre is a space for everyone, a place of interaction and should always be a mirror of society. Wuppertal Theatre embodies this principle and implements it in a wide variety of productions with an approach that is both physical and inclusive. For Theatre Director Thomas Braus, movement and text, body and language belong together indispensably. Thus, since the 2019/20 season, people with disabilities have received professional qualifications in the Inclusive Acting Studio at Wuppertal Theatre. In Germany the Inclusive Acting Studio is one-of-a-kind.

The Wuppertal Symphony Orchestra is a jewel of the German orchestral landscape in the Bergisches Land region and presents more than 40 concert programmes per season. Its home venue is the Historische Stadthalle Wuppertal, one of the best concert halls in Europe. Since the 2021/22 season, Patrick Hahn is thrilling Wuppertal audiences with innovative concert programmes and opera performances as the youngest Music Director in the German-speaking world. He has just extended his contract until 2026 – the programmatic journey of discovery at Wuppertal Symphony Orchestra continues!

Pina Bausch made dance history. As well as founding her world- renowned company in Wuppertal, she invented an entire genre, Tanztheater, and was a highly influential figure for other artists, choreographers and directors all over the world, who continue to be inspired by her and her work. Among the many awards she received are the German Dance Award, the Golden Lion of Venice and the Kyoto Prize. Her pieces still hit a nerve with audiences all over the world, decades after they were created and more than ten years after her death.

In August 2022, the French dancer and choreographer Boris Charmatz became the director of the Tanztheater Wuppertal Pina Bausch. Together with the ensemble he will create new pieces and preserve Pina Bausch’s repertoire. A project particularly close to his heart is the development of a German-French collaboration, which will be realised by the Tanztheater Wuppertal and [terrain], the team he has been working with in France to create work in public spaces: in museums, railway stations, wasteland and post-industrial spaces shaped by the European mining industry.

Alongside his own extensive repertoire of dance pieces, Charmatz has regularly created large-scale experimental projects and happenings, often in public space and with a participatory element. In 2021 he created Happening Tempête, a performance for 130 dancers for the opening of the Grand Palais Éphémère in Paris. In July of the same year he opened the Manchester International Festival with Sea Change, a choreography for 150 amateurs and professional dancers. In Wuppertal he wants to draw on the diversity of the intergenerational ensemble of the Tanztheater, whose members hail from 17 different nations. May 2023 will see the first happening in Wuppertal, Wundertal/Sonnborner Straße, performed by Wuppertal citizens and the ensemble of the Tanztheater.

At the beginning of the 2023/2024 season, the Tanztheater Wuppertal will present the first new creation under the artistic direction of Boris Charmatz in Wuppertal.

The Visiodrom - unique worlds of images

Powerful immersive projection shows make their visitors part of the presentation. The guest is completely immersed in the theme instead of simply lingering in front of it, as is the case with stages, monitors or paintings. Immersive shows are able to arouse curiosity and interest in an emotional way while providing the best entertainment, regardless of the viewer's previous knowledge. This is why the exhibition is always part of the theme at the Visiodrom. This creates an overall experience which, together with the industrial monument Gaskessel, in which the Visiodrom is located, creates an unforgettable stay.

Culture meets technology

In the 2022 season, the Visiodrom presents "Monet - Rebel and Genius". Visitors revelled in the landscapes and motifs of the Impressionist master's life. The show consisted of over 250 of Claude Monet's famous paintings. This attracted so many visitors from outside Wuppertal that the Visiodrom received the Wuppertal Business Award in the City Marketing category in 2023. The show "Leonardo da Vinci - uomo universale" is currently running. The exhibition uses wooden and virtual models to bring the topic to life for everyone.

In the Visiodrom itself, the inventions, thoughts and paintings of the first universal scholar of the Renaissance rise up on the 45 metre high canvases of the pillarless room with a diameter of 38 metres. In addition to Leonardo's scientific achievements from Vinici, the paintings are at the centre of the show and exhibition. All the works, from the Madonnas and the Mona Lisa to the Salvator Mundi, are part of the exhibition in their original size (only the Last Supper is slightly scaled down) and form the epochal grandeur of the show's finale.

With its style of presentation, the Visiodrom knows no fear of contact or thresholds. Easily accessible to everyone, highly entertaining and informatively entertaining, the Visiodrom offers its guests not only an exciting and thrilling experience, but also the opportunity to get to know the artists and the subject matter better through the exhibition.

The Visiodrom combines impressive emotional entertainment with easily accessible knowledge to create an unforgettable experience that will always have a very special place in the exciting world of immersive experiences.

There are many reasons to know and love Wuppertal. Globally, the two best known and most cited are undoubtedly the suspension monorail and Pina Bausch. The dancer and choreographer is considered a pioneer of modern dance theatre and one of the most influential artists of the 20th century. The creation of the Pina Bausch Centre in the listed buil- ding of the former Schauspielhaus Wuppertal will see the making of a new, internationally important cultural centre in the very place where this world-famous choreographer created most of her works. It is a rare opportunity to invent a cultural institution from the ground up, one that combines excellence, participation and diversity. How do we create a space today for the art of tomorrow?

While preparing the physical space and launching an international architectural competition, the City of Wuppertal, Tanztheater Wuppertal and Pina Bausch Foundation are also already developing innovative new performance and presentation formats. The state of North Rhine-West- phalia and the Federal Republic of Germany are supporting the new institution and the dynamic process of its preparatory phase, which is led by coordinator Bettina Milz. Prior to its opening in 2027, the Pina Bausch Center “under construction” will already be a space for reflection and a space full of possibilities in the public life of the city.