Heaven on Earth

In the coming years leading up to 2017, Wittenberg commemorates the 500th anniversary of Martin’s Luther’s famous theses which he nailed to the door of the Castle Church in 1517. The Theater Dessau and the Wittenberg Cultural Association have organized a three-year music festival featuring outstanding contemporary works and ensembles as a supplement and interreligious counterpoint to the Luther festivities planned by the Protestant denominations. Religious music was the central theme of the festival Heaven on Earth, which also focused on the origin and future of religions.
The Federal Cultural Foundation funded the festival in 2011 and 2012. One of its main events involved citizens of Wittenberg and well-known figures, who had been asked to suggest new theses for the 21st century. These will be put to music and sung at public venues by the Wittenberger Theses Choir, a chorus especially created for this purpose.
In the first year of the festival, the chorus and orchestra of the Anhaltisches Theater Dessau gave a theatrical performance of Symphony No. 7 Toltec by Philip Glass. The main theme of this major choral work is the cultural and spiritual world of the American indigenous peoples.

The second edition of the festival in 2012 was based on the motto “In the Midst of Life” and presented a broad spectrum of vocal music from various religions and cultures with a focus on Latin America and Russia. The festival investigated the importance of singing and music for one’s search for spirituality. The opening concert was performed by the renowned British vocal ensemble “The King’s Singers”. Another highlight of the festival was the performance by the Berlin-based theatre ensemble “Nico and the Navigators”.

Artistic directors: André Bücker, Antony Hermus
Artists, participating orchestras: Kammerorchester Basel, Sanskritgelehrte/Priester, Ensemble Sarband, Solistenensemble Stimmkunst, Yair Dalal, Orchester l`arte del mondo, Priesterensemble Zen Kuge Ryûgin-kai, Lautten Compagney Berlin, Vokalensemble Capella Angelica, Barrocade Ensemble, Profeti della Quinta, White Cockatoo Performing Group, Anhaltische Philharmonie Dessau, Universitätschor Halle „Johann Friedrich Reichardt“, Merseburger Hofmusik a.o.

Venues and schedule:
Luther city of Wittenberg, city church, castle church, castle courtyard, arsenal, Weltzeitzelt, 24 Jun. – 3 Jul. 2011, 6 – 15 Jul. 2012