TIRANA, Sept. 29 – A premiere by German playwright Roland Schimmelpfennig opened this year’s 10th edition of the German October events in Albania which will again showcase a month of cultural events, including music, theatre, movies, graffiti and exhibitions. The “Arabian Night” play consisting of five monologues, linked together with great artistic subtlety, made its Albania premiere as part of Deutscher Oktober events at Tirana’s Metropol theatre this week under the direction of Stefan à‡apaliku and Naum Shundi and Ema Ndoja starring, adapted for the Albanian reality.
This edition’s emphasis is on cross-border projects linking the German and Albanian culture and bringing together artists from both countries.
The Weird, a ten-member crew of artists spread all over Germany and Austria will be the special guests of this year’s edition with a workshop and an exhibition. The ten artists who work as graphic designers, illustrators and lecturers, come from a graffiti background and focus on high quality character design in unique recognizable styles. Three Weird members will be in Tirana to paint and shape walls and introduce their works and share knowledge under the motto “The Weird goes Tirana!”
German author Dorian Steinhoff will also be in a Tirana artist-in-residence where he will be reading excerpts from his books and hold some Poetry-slam performances with Albanian students.
Albanian-German duo with cellist Joel Blido and pianist Marin Gjollma will also give concerts in Tirana and Korà§a, performing chamber music.
“This anniversary is testimony that the German October has now turned into a real tradition, which has taken a solid place in the Albanian-German cultural life,” says German Ambassador to Albania Susanne Schà¼tz.
“As German ambassador to Albania for only few months, it is a special pleasure for me that I will be celebrating the 10th anniversary of the German October. It will also be a pleasure to meet and talk to you during the German October events,” she says in her remarks.
“Our common goal in the German October is to showcase the wide range of German-Albanian relations and bring the people from both our countries closer. Even for this year, we managed to prepare a miscellaneous programme: films, theatre, music, poetry evenings, political discussions and much more,” adds the ambassador.
The embassy has paid special attention to the real exchange in the form of workshops where Germans and Albanians will both work on a joint product. “Because with all our cultural projects we want to contribute so that Germans and Albanians know each other better and ideally learn from each other,” notes the ambassador.
Last year’s German October events offered one month of tight calendar of cultural events under the motto “25 years of German reunification, 25 years of transformation in Albania.”
2015 was a special year for both Germany and Albania. On October 3, Germany celebrated its 25th reunification anniversary while Albania commemorated the beginning of a new political era in December 1990 which brought the collapse of one of the harshest communist regimes.
Telekom Albania mobile operator, part of Deutsche Telekom, is supporting the Deutscher Oktober for the tenth year in a row.
“This is a year of anniversaries both for the German October and the Telekom Albania and we are still supporting the German Weeks in Albania which bring the best German values but also introduce an ideal opportunity for the recognition of young Albanian artists,” said Ornela Bego of the Telekom Albania.
Since the late 1980s just before the collapse of Albania’s communist regime Germany has invested about Euro 810 million in development projects mainly energy and sewerage, becoming the country’s main donor.
German October events
“Arabian Night” by Roland Schimmelpfennig
Saturday, October, 1, 2, 7, 8, 9 at Metropol Theatre, Tirana, 20:00
“The Weird goes Tirana!”
Urban art – Exhibition,
Saturday, October 1, Tulla Culture Center, Tirana, 20:00
Discussion: Rule of law and fundamental rights: the German and Albanian approach within the European framework”
Monday, October 3, Nehemia Gateway, Bucimas/ Pogradec; 10:00
The causes and consequences of digital transformation, Speech and discussion by Sabria David
Thursday, October 6, Tulla culture Center, Tirana, Albania; 19:00
