June 2008
Munich Birthday Highlights
Even though last month saw many events celebrating the city’s
850-year anniversary, merriment and festivities will only intensify as Munich approaches the exact foundation date.
On June 14 in 1158, Emperor Friedrich Barbarossa made the settlement of Guelph Henry XII “The Lion” official, and assigned to Munich the important right to mint and issue coins. A festive program at Gasteig, from 9 pm to 2 am on June 13, will herald the anniversary. A performance of Carl Orff’s
Carmina Burana will be presented at the Celibidacheforum. The Kleine Konzertsaal will be filled with vocal music from Munich composers since Orlando di Lasso, performed by students of the Richard-Strauss-Conservatory. Cult TV series
Kir Royal,
Die Hausmeisterin and
Münchner G’schichten—whose most important protagonist (aside from the actors) is Munich—will be shown at the library auditorium. There also will be a Bavarian fashion show and musical entertainment by the brass band Blechschaden. The night will end with wild boogie woogie tunes by Christoph Steinbach. Admission to the Gasteig party is free. One day later—and also on June 15—the Gasteig has planned a theme night revolving around salt. In reference to the historic record of Henry XII, who built a bridge across the Isar to impose a toll on salt merchants, there will be musical performances, discussions, readings, an exhibition and even a cookery course focusing on the former “white gold.” The event will start at 10 pm,
and last through 2 am on both nights.
The official
Stadtgründungsfest (city foundation party) will be held in the city center on June 14 and 15. International folk music groups, an arts and crafts market, a medieval playground for children and a parade presenting Bavarian and German traditional costumes will enliven the area between Odeonsplatz and Stachus. This feast for the eyes will be enhanced by a true feast: At 11 am on June 14, there will be an exhibition of “Munich cakes” created and baked by local confectionaries. A jury will choose the best, in the hope that the “Munich cake” might establish itself like the “
Linzer Torte”—a sweet pastry of shortcrust and jam representing the Austrian city of Linz.
After mid-June the onslaught of events will not die away. A performance by the music school Gräfelfing will playfully introduce children to the founding history of Munich on June 19. The admission-free show
Unsere Stadt München, taking place at the Pasinger Fabrik, starts at 10 am. On June 21, Munich breweries will celebrate their guild with a costume and riflemen’s parade at Viktualienmarkt from 8 am to 2 pm. During the afternoon, the innkeepers of the Bavarian restaurants in the city center have scheduled a program in front of their Gaststätten. After the beer event, the shortest night of the year will ensue with a light and sound installation, which will illuminate the Ludwig Bridge from 9 pm on.
To read the entire list of events taking place this month—an overwhelming feat!—see
www.muenchen850.de <<<
