The April & May programme

Sophiensæle is kicking off April with a double bill by Isabelle Schad. From April 2, her work Bodies of Light will be shown together with the premiere of Close by, So far - Landscapes of Infinity. This work is inspired by literary works in which vast landscapes stand as metaphors for a utopian life. 

On April 5 and 6, Alex Franz Zehetbauer will transport the audience into the atmosphere of a piano bar. In An Evening With, he accompanies the get-together on the piano with melodic catchy tunes and quirky humor, between thoughtful depth and cheerful absurdity.

After the successful premiere in April 2024, Bird Dances can be seen again at the Sophiensæle from April 10. The work by Kareth Schaffer // Construction Company is a bird's-eye reflection on borders, feelings of home, reflections on the climate crisis and our kaleidoscopic relationship with the natural world.

On April 16, the Drag Resources Action Group, a collective of drag and drag-affine workers, will come to the Festsaal. In order to create a better drag scene for all, D.R.A.G. has created guidelines for basic standards and best practice. At the D.R.A.G. Launch, D.R.A.G. will present these guidelines - with a presentation, discussion and, of course, a drag show! 

On April 19, Isabel Lewis & Djibril Sall invite you to a hosted listening session and an Ataya tea ceremony in the wedding hall at Sip & Speak. They will be exploring themes such as death and transience, belonging and coming and going.

Disasters can happen. But wars are man-made. Both influence the fate of the planet as a whole. Agata Siniarska approaches this topic from an unusual perspective. In her solo work null&void, she incorporates entire landscapes, the reality of animals, plants and inanimate matter.

As part of Gallery Weekend 2025, Sophiensæle is showing two works this year:

From April 30, the premiere of Anton Kats / ILYICH can be seen. After Hope is an installation that can be seen free of charge during the day and becomes a performance of narratives, music and sound art in the evening. The project explores anti-fascist artistic positions and reflects on them against the backdrop of the military invasion of Ukraine: what responsibility do artists bear in times of fascism and war?

And on May 3 and 4, the choreographer and performer Eszter Salamon will explore her relationship to history in her lecture performance Voices & Witches in dialog with the work of the avant-garde artist Valeska Gert (Gertrud Valesca Samosch, 1892-1978).