Dear readers,

The Otto Wagner area, once the site of the Penzing Clinic, has long been a hub for ambitious cultural events in Vienna. Now, another exciting cultural project is unfolding there. The Veronika Glatzner association, known for its unconventional theater venues, transforms Pavilion 24 into a therapy center for its dystopian piece. In Graz, the Elevate Festival will open with a theme of trust, featuring a powerful performance by Navaridas & Deutinger, which focuses on the motif of jumping. Moreover, celebrations for International Women’s Day are happening in various locations, marking a significant cultural moment. Below are some exciting highlights you won’t want to miss, all started on February 28.

We wish you good entertainment!

Dystopian visions and collective failures are at the heart of “Kill My Phantoms!” by Veronika Glatzner. Set in the former Pavilion 24 of the hospital, now known as the Otto Wagner area. The new production imagines a future where society is on the brink of collapse. The premiere is March 1 at 8 PM.

The Austrian theater scene has long been renowned for its innovative productions, and Veronika Glatzner continues this tradition with her latest work.

The incorporation of dystopian themes is not new to theater, with productions like “The Walking Dead” and other post-apocalyptic stories having long captivated audiences in the United States. However, Glatzner’s take is fresh and thought-provoking, using the unique setting of the former psychiatric ward to amplify its dystopian narrative.

While Glatzner garners much of the focus here, Navaridas and Deutinger add a robust counterpoint. Developing text-based performances, Navaridas and Deutinger’s current work focuses on the “jumping part.” At “Bounce,” an energetic dance meets energy-efficient movement. The duo’s ethos of the human experience is often a spectrum emulated in nature’s dynamic movement. The positive thematic exploration makes such performances unique in their genre.

“What is the aim of “Bounce”? . . . It is a very personal and intimate piece about the daily rehabilitation that follows a sudden injury or accident, which caused two young performers to lose their ability to move one side of their body incompletely.”

On March 3 will be the birthday of Vienna Women’s Week 2025, a stunning initiative set in motion for Women’s Day on March 8th. The Vienna City organizes a plethora of programs. The district of Liesing hosts a documentary of resistance fighter Käthe Sasso at the Haus des Begegnens “Slag Mei auf, Ich Saar Nix Hofmann” (March 4, 7 PM).

The film captures the resilience and determination of women during one of the most turbulent periods in European history, mirroring similarly powerful and inspiring events in American history, such as the suffragette movements and the fight for civil rights in the 1960s. These themes are not unfamiliar to American audiences, who have long been fans of storytelling that highlights social justice and human rights movements.

The district of Alsergrund in the Votiv Cinema shows a family portrait focused on the time of protests in Tehran (“The Seeds of the Holy Feigenbaum,” March 4, 7:30 PM). This portrait encapsulates emotions heightened by Vienna’s uplifting stories. And Penzing shows Kurdwin Ayub’s latest film “Moon” in Breitensee Lights. This film inspired a martial artist, who drills three sisters living in the Middle East. (“Moon” coming March 6, 6:30 PM)

Femicides, or the killing of women due to their gender, continue to rise even in developed countries. In Austria, the ViolencePlaces project by Laura Frediani, Batja Ferch and Anna Valentina Ennemoser addresses the increasing gender-based violence, initiating a stage set on March 6th in Architecture House Carinthia. This theme is particularly poignant given the increasing gender-based violence in the United States, where similar initiatives are needed to raise awareness and spark dialogue.

Even though International Women’s Day was on March 8, the stark reality is that violence against women continues unabated. Studies and data released by the National Network to End Domestic Violence provide a sobering reminder that one in four women in the United States experiences severe physical violence by an intimate partner in her lifetime. The Women’s League in Vienna provides a voice for these silent sufferers, whose quest for awareness and justice is sorely needed also at the Air Stage in Architecture Haus Carinthia.

Film

On March 7, the International Women’s Day is celebrated with numerous initiatives, with women leading the way. In Austria, International Women’s Day prompts a plethora of movie projects, celebration of powerful female stories, with films at different areas in Vienna. This year, the documentary film within Vienna’s International Women’s Day marks an intriguing blend of courage and cinematic valor. The pandemic’s unwavering effects have skewed our view on female roles, showcasing the need for more inclusivity and narratives that mirror the everyday robustness exemplified by women worldwide.

The following are premieres to mark March 7:

The Liesing District in Vienna will be featuring “Without Any Meaning;” a portrait of resistance group Käthe Sasso on March 4, 7 p.m. at the House of Encounters. Furthermore, the Votive Cinema, within Alsgrungo district in Vienna, is honoring *Seeds of Holy Fig Trees” *on March 4, 7:30 p.m. In the Breitensee Lights, the new film debut of Kurdwin Ayub, is also another passionately watched world premiere.

Bioregionalism, although foreign in nomenclature to many, is at the heart of the current ecological and participatory governance frameworks. Sustainability, in this context, is a goal of holism and inclusivity. Along these lines, the group “Wild.” aims to educate on sustainable practices to help the sustainability from big to microscopic. Eco-efficiency and equanimity are intertwined to offer a holistic thematics, showcasing tangible changes at the socio-economic system. The 100-page booklet included provides a pragmatic checklist encapsulating gravity of decisions, and offerings sustainability much closer to home. Occasional documentaries highlighted offer modern sustainable solutions and the challenges at hand.

“Wild” documentary sketches environmental degradation across the globe, juxtaposing the anthropogenic environmental sabotage while duly creating space for participatory governance and culprit wrapping.

Classic

Young soprano Nadine Sierra who has sung at the Vienna State Opera and in New York now hosted a song evening with Dalila J. Baldez great mixture of Spanish and Hawaiian melodies.