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Reflexe & Reflexionen

Reflexes &amp; Reflections

Reflexe & Reflexionen 2026

Haus der Berliner Festspiele und andere Orte

Haus der Berliner Festspiele and other venues

Philharmonie Berlin, Großer Saal

Philharmonie Berlin, Main&nbsp;Auditorium

Reflexes &amp; Reflections 2026

Reflexes & Reflections 2026

Reflexe und Reflexionen

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As part of “Reflexes and Reflections”, the Berliner Festspiele organise artistic-discursive theme days at irregular intervals, which deal with social problems and controversial topics.

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Today’s Events

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<h3>Donald Trump, a Polarised Public and the End of Democracy?</h3>with Jeffrey Goldberg, Alice Hasters In dialogue with Saba-Nur Cheema and Meron Mendel6 March 2025For the opening of “Reflexes &amp; Reflections”, Jeffrey Goldberg, editor-in chief of The Atlantic, will explain in how far a polarisation of the public sphere is responsible for the re-election of Donald Trump. Author and journalist Alice Hasters will respond to his talk by putting forward her own proposals for a liberal debate culture.

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Key Visual Reflexe & Reflexionen 2025

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4-Day Focus at the Haus der Berliner Festspiele, curated by Saba-Nur Cheema and Meron Mendel

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In “MISSION ACCOMPLISHED: BELANCIEGE”, Hito Steyerl, Giorgi Gago Gagoshidze and Miloš Trakilović investigate how data analysis practices within the fashion industry are used in targeted advertising on social media and what dangers thus arise for liberal democracies.

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED: BELANCIEGE

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In “Freedom Sonata”, dance artist Emanuel Gat, together with a group of dancers of diverse heritage and styles, re-examines the form of the sonata. He creates complex scores, which the dancers make their own live on stage.

Freedom Sonata

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Max Uthoff, political cabaret artist and host of the ZDF programme “Die Anstalt”, teams up with Enissa Amani, comedienne and activist. Together, they discuss the snap election results and explore the question: what’s left to laugh about?

German Federal Election 2025. What’s Left to Laugh About?

Artistic Programme

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Widely regarded as one of the most original and influential artists of the 20th century, Diane Arbus’ bold black-and-white photographs demolish aesthetic conventions and upend all certainties. Gropius Bau presents the most comprehensive exhibition of her work to date.

Diane Arbus: Konstellationen

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Gropius Bau presents the most extensive solo exhibition by artist and choreographer Ligia Lewis to date. Lewis’s work circles around themes of race, gender, violence and resistance, exploring how these dynamics haunt and shape the present.

Ligia Lewis: I’M NOT HERE FORRRRR…

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In Thorsten Lensing’s new play, Ursina Lardi, Karin Neuh&auml;user, Sebastian Blomberg, André Jung and drummer Willi Kellers play characters careening their way from one disaster to the next. What defines them is an absurd blend of brutality and tenderness, anarchy and metaphysical curiosity, existential pain and zest for life.

Tanzende Idioten

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As an international co-production, artists Nina Laisné and François Chaignaud and singer Nadia Larcher have developed a performance that is carried by music, singing and dance at once. In “Último helecho”, European Baroque meets South American folklore and mythology.

Último helecho

More Berliner Festspiele

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By Hito Steyerl, Giorgi Gago Gagoshidze and Miloš Trakilović

By Emanuel Gat

With&nbsp;Enissa Amani and Max Uthoff

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Reflexes &amp; Reflections 2026 will take place from 27&nbsp;August to 30&nbsp;August.

The “Reflexes &amp; Reflections” theme days are a programme series organised by Berliner Festspiele. In times of increasing polarisation of social debates, it aims to create open and controversial spaces for discussion. “Reflexes &amp; Reflections” brings together artistic and discursive positions to negotiate social problems and contentious issues.

About Reflexes &amp; Reflections

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To open this 3-day focus and in response to the re-election of Donald Trump, the Berliner Festspiele have invited&nbsp;Jeffrey Goldberg,&nbsp;the distinguished American journalist and editor-in-chief of The Atlantic. In his lecture, as part of the event&nbsp;<a href="${link:{uuid:{6744d837-cf12-4c3c-a16d-528993237a86},repository:{website},path:{/bfs-de/reflexe-und-reflexionen/programm/2025/kalender/donald-trump-die-polarisierte-oeffentlichkeit-und-das-ende-der-demokratie}}}">Donald&nbsp;Trump, a Polarised Public and the End of Democracy?</a>, which is now available in the Berliner Festspiele Media Library,he shed light on the changes in political discourse and the media during the last decade.&nbsp;

Lecture by Jeffrey Goldberg

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Reflexe & Reflexionen 2026: Impressionen 2025

Impressions 2025

Impressions 2025

Public disputes today are louder, more intense and more hostile than ever. Right-wing and authoritarian parties are gaining increasing support. Many people feel they are not being heard. Others complain of being unable to express their opinions. And in many parts of society, trust in the mediating power of state institutions and established media is declining.n view of this imbalance, Berliner Festspiele assessed the current state of affairs: How is our culture of debate failing? What role do social media, inequality and ideological conflicts play in this? And how can a lively praxis of public debate be encouraged? These questions were considered in the second edition of “Reflexes &amp; Reflections” in March 2025, which was once again curated by political scholar Saba-Nur Cheema and historian Meron Mendel. This time, the focus was on the future of debate culture.On three packed days devoted to this theme, prominent speakers discussed in a series of panel discussions, lectures and workshops the possibilities of liberating public discourse from its enduring but unproductive state of arousal. Participants included Jeffrey Goldberg, Alice Hasters, Yasmine M’Barek, Hasnain Kazim, Gilda Sahebi, Mithu Sanyal, Stefan Niggemeier and Deniz Y&uuml;cel.Artistic perspectives on processes of social negotiation were offered by the dance piece <a href="${link:{uuid:{ef75b370-61ac-4141-a551-683781849dc2},repository:{website},path:{/bfs-de/reflexe-und-reflexionen/programm/2025/kalender/freedom-sonata}}}">“Freedom Sonata”</a> by Emanuel Gat and the video installation <a href="${link:{uuid:{65c2a467-f3cc-42dd-b854-94f63ee521c5},repository:{website},path:{/bfs-de/reflexe-und-reflexionen/programm/2025/kalender/mission-accomplished-belanciege}}}">“MISSION ACCOMPLISHED: BELANCIEGE”</a> by Hito Steyerl, Giorgi Gago Gagoshidze and Miloš Trakilović. Alongside all the serious questions that were discussed as part of “Reflexes &amp; Reflections”, there was also room for a sense of humour: shortly after the 2025 German Federal election, comedian <a href="${link:{uuid:{c46e2e10-63d3-4b2b-aad5-7080f06aeb99},repository:{website},path:{/bfs-de/reflexe-und-reflexionen/programm/2025/kalender/bundestagswahl-2025-was-gibts-noch-zu-lachen}}}">Max Uthoff</a> and comedienne and activist <a href="${link:{uuid:{c46e2e10-63d3-4b2b-aad5-7080f06aeb99},repository:{website},path:{/bfs-de/reflexe-und-reflexionen/programm/2025/kalender/bundestagswahl-2025-was-gibts-noch-zu-lachen}}}">Enissa Amani</a> commented on the election results. They asked themselves: what’s left to laugh about?

Reflexes &amp; Reflections 2025

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On the future of debate culture: The videos of the second edition of “Reflexes &amp; Reflections” with lectures, discussions and a late-night programme are available in the Media Library.

Reflexes &amp; Reflections in the Media Library

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As part of ‘Reflexes and Reflections’, the Berliner Festspiele organise artistic-discursive theme days at irregular intervals, which deal with social problems and controversial topics.

Festivals & Programme Series

Upcoming

The Berliner Festspiele organise a range of festivals and art exhibitions, concerts, dance and theatre performances, readings, lectures, debates and much more throughout the year. These events are presented at a range of locations across Berlin but are concentrated primarily at their own two venues: the Gropius Bau and the Haus der Berliner Festspiele.

Berliner Festspiele

Reflexes &amp; Reflections 2026 takes place from 27 to 30 August 2026.

Programm 2026

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Do you want to make sure to never miss the beginning of advance ticket sales or a new event again? Then subscribe to our <a href="${link:{uuid:{33d8810e-15e6-4fbe-b77c-1970ebd4df00},repository:{website},path:{/bfs-de/service/newsletter}}}">newsletter!</a>

Programme 2026

Programm

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Reflexes & Reflections

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furtherInformation

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You can listen to some of our events this year digitally in the Berliner Festspiele Media Library after the live concerts.&nbsp;In addition, On Demand offers from past years are available.

Musikfest Berlin in the Media Library

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The international Jazzfest Research Lab&nbsp;welcomes academics and students to take a critical look at the festival’s archive, its programmes, creators, musicians and – last but not least – its myths. In two seminars during the summer semester of 2024, students from the Berlin University of the Arts and the University of Hildesheim have explored the festival’s history from various perspectives. In this film, the participants give a first look at how they dealt with their research subject.

Introducing: Jazzfest Research Lab

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To mark its 60th anniversary, Jazzfest Berlin is celebrating the cultural diversity of the neighbouring district of Moabit in collaboration with around 35 official partners and initiatives and with over 350 participants of all ages.&nbsp;In June 2024, interviews were conducted with 20 partners who presented their perspectives, wishes and ideas for the Jazzfest Community Lab Moabit. You can get a first impression with this film.

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Curated by&nbsp;Meron Mendel and Saba-Nur Cheema&nbsp;

From 13 to 16 June 2024, the interdisciplinary themed days “Reflexes &amp; Reflections” on the Israel-Palestine conflict and its consequences for society in Germany took place at the Haus der Berliner Festspiele. You can now find video and audio recordings of the discourse events in the Berliner Festspiele Media Library!

Reflexes &amp; Reflections. 7 October, the war in Gaza and the debate in Germany

In the Media Library

Musikfest Berlin will take place from 28&nbsp;August to 23&nbsp;September 2026 in co-operation with the Berliner Philharmoniker Foundation and marks the 75th&nbsp;anniversary of the Berliner Festspiele. Tickets are already available now for ten selected concert highlights at the Philharmonie Berlin. These guest concerts include some of the world’s best symphony orchestras and choirs from Finland, Spain, England, South Africa, the USA, Austria, Germany and Switzerland. The complete festival programme will be announced on 21&nbsp;April 2026.

Musikfest Berlin 2026: Tickets for First Concert Highlights Available Now!

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The 10 Remarkable Productions 2024

On 26 January, the Theatertreffen’s jury of critics announced their selection of 10 remarkable productions for the 2024 Theatertreffen at a press conference. Our congratulations go to the nominated production teams and all participants! The programme will be published on 5 April.

Theatertreffen 2024

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The massacre, hostage-taking and rocket attacks by Hamas have shaken us deeply. The grue-some attack on Israel on 7&nbsp;October left us stunned and initially lost for words.

The Berliner Festspiele on Current Events in Israel, Gaza and Germany

With this letter of intent, we, the signing cultural organizations, express our intention to welcome, host and stage Ukrainian theatre artists in our venues, to make Ukrainian dramatic work visible to the European community.

Support of the Ukrainian Cultural Scene

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Thorsten Lensing

Tanzende Idioten

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Último helecho

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A dance collage by John Neumeier which explores aspects of German expressive dance through music, texts and songs and commemorates the victims of Nazi rule. Guest performance of the National Youth Ballet John Neumeier.

The Invisibles

Advance sales are now live: tickets for ten selected concert highlights of the Musikfest Berlin, which in 2026 will also mark the 75th&nbsp;anniversary of the Berliner Festspiele, are now available. The programme includes Gy&ouml;rgy Ligeti’s grotesquely humorous anti-opera Le Grand Macabre and George Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess.

Musikfest Berlin

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As an international co-production, artists Nina Laisné and François Chaignaud and singer Nadia Larcher have developed a performance that is carried by music, singing and dance at once. In Último helecho, European Baroque meets South American folklore and mythology.

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The Berlinale will be a guest at Haus der Berliner Festspiele: on this occasion the venue will be transformed into a high tech cinema. The spectrum of films at the Haus der Berliner Festspiele ranges from premieres and reruns of the Competition, Berlinale Special and Berlinale Special Gala to the Panorama section.

76th Berlin International Film Festival

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Tickets for ten selected concert highlights of the Musikfest Berlin, which in 2026 will also mark the 75th&nbsp;anniversary of the Berliner Festspiele, are already available. The programme includes Gy&ouml;rgy Ligeti’s grotesquely humorous anti-opera Le Grand Macabre and George Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess.

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<h3>Theatertreffen</h3><h4>2 to 20 May 2024</h4>The 10&nbsp;remarkable productions, selected by a jury of critics, were announced in a press conference on 26&nbsp;January 2024, 11:00. The programme will be published on 5&nbsp;April, advance ticket sales will start on 19&nbsp;April at 14:00