Television studio on Augustus Square
The motto will be implemented using different media under the artistic direction of Jürgen Meier: texts, photographs, videos and music will create historical and modern references. For this purpose a stage will be erected on Augustusplatz - facing the Gewandhaus concert hall for the first time. This stage will be the setting for the three main performers on the evening: actor Florian Lukas will recite texts which will give the Festival a literary framework. The Leipzig Opera Chorus will express the motto through music. Pinar Atalay will present the latest news on the day's events in Europe in a television studio. The TV journalist will also moderate the evening, thus creating a link between the events on the stage and the visitors to the Festival of Lights.
Excerpts of Ernst Blochs "The principle of hope"
Read by Florian Lukas, excerpts from Ernst Bloch's book "Das Prinzip Hoffnung" (The Principle of Hope) will be a recurring theme throughout the programme. Bloch held the Chair of Philosophy at Leipzig University from 1948 to 1961 and became one of the leading thinkers in the GDR with his philosophy of a better socialist future of free, self-determined people.
However, Bloch became more and more opposed to the SED regime, not least because of the Hungarian uprising in 1956. He was forcibly retired for political reasons in 1957. After the construction of the Berlin Wall, Bloch did not return to the GDR after a trip to the west in 1961.
Compositions from various epoques and countries
The Opera Chorus will reply to the quotations by Bloch. It stands for "We", i.e. society. Covering an exciting range of different epochs, countries and music styles, the compositions will reaffirm the universality of the motto of the evening "Liberty - Equality - Fraternity?" They will extend from "Die Gedanken sind frei" (Thoughts are free) and Holly Near's "I ain't afraid" through to Arvo Pärt's "Da pacem Domine", to name but a few examples.
Historical pictures and video footage
On a large screen in the background, historical photographs and videos will complement the different associations from the spoken word and the choral music. The photographs come, for example, from Martin Jehnichen. He was one of the few West Germans who accompanied the demonstrators in Leipzig right from the very beginning. He settled in Leipzig and was a co-founder of the "transit" photo agency in 1989. Other motifs from Martin Jehnichen can be seen in the exhibition "Als sie träumten" (When they dreamed) at the House of Books from 30 September 2015 onwards.
The Leipzig Festival of Lights will start at 8 p.m. on Augustus Square. It is being organised by Leipzig Tourismus und Marketing GmbH.