Breaking the silence

In cooperation with Hamburg Ballet John Neumeier, Hamburg State Opera, Deutsches SchauSpielHaus Hamburg, Elbphilharmonie, Ensemble Resonanz, Kampnagel, Albert Schweitzer Kammerchor Hamburg and others, the Thalia Theatre is setting an example of empathy and solidarity.

For four weeks, a war has been raging in the Middle East that has left many silent, helpless and desperate. It jeopardises world peace and, following the attack on Ukraine, has once again made us fearful and worried in a very short space of time. It divides the UN, it divides nations, but it also divides urban societies and communities and leads to rifts in families and friendships.

To mark this occasion, the Thalia Theatre asked numerous Hamburg cultural institutions this week whether they would be prepared to organise an evening together at the Thalia Theatre at short notice in order to send out a strong signal of empathy and cohesion. The response was overwhelming and took place within a few hours. Next Saturday, a cross-genre evening with texts, music and dance performances is being created in collaboration with the Elbphilharmonie, Hamburg Ballet John Neumeier, Hamburg State Opera, Deutsches SchauSpielHaus Hamburg, Kampnagel, Ensemble Resonanz and members of the Thalia Theatre ensemble.

«Culture does not seek division, rigour and escalation, but the connection of people in the spirit of humanity. That is its power.It tries to keep spaces for dialogue open, even when nothing seems to work anymore«, says Joachim Lux, who has invited numerous cultural institutions in Hamburg to join forces to set an example of empathy. A sign of shared remembrance, a sign that we belong together and should not marginalise or threaten each other. A sign that we do not want to contribute to this or other wars being carried into our urban societies.



We call on all Hamburg residents to gather at the Thalia Theatre on Saturday, 11 November at 8 pm.In remembrance of the dead, in hope for the living and for peace: in empathy for all the people who are currently going through terrible things.