Astrid Hiemer
Bio:
A cultural critic and writer, Astrid grew up after WW II in Hamburg, Germany, and emigrated to the United States in the 1960s. She was formerly the assistant director (Administrative Officer) of the Center for Advanced Visual Studies at MIT under Otto Piene, with whom she has worked in the past several years editing, translating, and researching for a major book about his life and career. While at The Center she knew and worked with many multi-media artists. In addition to professional work as an editor and translator she is also a poet, and writer of fiction. Most of her written work is accompanied by her own photographs.
Recent Articles:
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Strindberg's Totentanz at Berliner Ensemble Front Page
August Strindberg's Play of 1900
By: - Mar 11th, 2023August Strindberg's "Totentanz" had its opening in Berlin at Bertolt Brecht's famed theater, the Berliner Ensemble. Written in 1900 it is one of those plays that lets one shudder about the senselessness and cruel relationship some couples endure and call it a marriage.
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73rd Berlinale Front Page
Februray 16 to 26, 2023
By: - Mar 01st, 2023Too bad and not long enough! The 73rd Berlinale is now film history. After the limited screenings during the Covid years, the festival became an obvious success.
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Die Rache der Fledermaus, at the Komische Oper, Berlin Front Page
The Revenge of the Bat
By: - Feb 22nd, 2023Die Fledermaus, by Johann Strauss, from 1874, is one of the most well known light operas the world over. Known for its indulgence into song and dance, the audience is at first surprised to find an almost empty stage with a five member musical ensemble to play all the tunes....
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Ivanov, at the Berliner Ensemble, Germany Front Page
By Anton Chekhov
By: - Feb 17th, 2023"Ivanov" was Anton Chekhov's first play. It opened in 1887 and had been modified several times by the writer/playwright himself, vascillating between comedy and tragedy.
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La Cage Aux Folles, Komische Oper, Berlin Front Page
An Over The Top Production
By: - Feb 08th, 2023What a performance of La Cage Aux Folles at the Komische Oper, Berlin!! This musical with music by Jerry Herman and a book by Harvey Fierstein has seen many international interpretations since it opened in 1983 at the Palace Theatre in New York.
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Amore, at Maxim Gorki Theater, Berlin Front Page
Lighter Fare for Valentine's Day
By: - Feb 06th, 2023Valentines Day is drawing near and the Maxim Gorki Theater in Berlin, Germany, seems to bow to this occasion with its new production 'Amore' under the direction of Aram Tafreshian.
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Clockwork Orange at Berliner Ensemble, Germany Front Page
Theatrical Adaptation by Tilo Nest
By: - Jan 17th, 2023Who does not remember Stanley Kubrick's 1971 film 'A Clockwork Orange' based on the novel by Anthony Burgess from 1962!? It was one of the most chilling cinematic affairs then, and it remains today on stage. Here, the photographs speak a million words....
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Oyayaye and Fortunio's Lied, Komische Oper Front Page
Of Course in Berlin
By: - Jan 10th, 2023The Komische Oper Berlin is one of three opera houses in the Capital. Committed to presenting lighter fare, it just celebrated its 75 birthday in January with a big gala and two operas by Jaques Offenbach: Oyayaye and Fortunio's Lied.
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Cape Ann Rocks! Front Page
Quarries, Poles Hill, Ocean Ledges
By: - Jan 06th, 2023Quarries, Poles Hill, Ocean Ledges and gratitude weave through the following essay, with 30 plus photographs.
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At the Manship Artist Residency Front Page
All About Quarries, Ponds, and Rocks!
By: - Nov 22nd, 2022All about quarries, ponds and rocks! This article presents a photo and word essay - in the format that I have exhibited at the Eclipse Mill as well as this summer/fall at the Berkshire Art Museum in North Adams, MA.
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Intolleranza at Komische Oper, Berlin Front Page
Intolleranza 1960, by Luigi Nono
By: - Oct 14th, 2022What an opera experience at the Komische Oper! Luigi Nono's "Intolleranza 1960" as the first opening of the 2022/23 season.
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Chance Encounter Word
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volksbuehne.com ~ Berlin Front Page
Ophelia's Got Talent
By: - Sep 28th, 2022An amazing theatrical performance took place at the stage of the Volksbuehne, Berlin. The Austrian performance artist Florentina Holzinger made her newest work „Ophelia's Got Talent“ into a show that stretched the technical abilities of the theatre to the fullest.
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Victoria Jefferies: A Garden as a Work of Art Front Page
Or Gardening as an Artistic Activity
By: - Sep 18th, 2022"A Garden as a Work of Art ~ Or Gardening as an Artistic Activity" -- This garden poses a statement as well as a question. So, please follow the work described in this collaborative project and decide for yourself.
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"Mother Tongue" at Maxim Gorki Theater, Berlin Front Page
By Argeninian playwright Lola Arias
By: - Sep 16th, 2022The Gorki Theater in Berlin, the most socially engaged stage in Berlin, has opened its season with 'Mother Tongue,' a work by the Argentinian playwright Lola Arias.
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EXIL at Berliner Ensemble, Berlin Front Page
Adaptation of Lionel Feuchtwanger's EXIL
By: - Sep 15th, 2022The director, Luk Perceval, turned L. Feuchtwanger's book EXIL into a 3 1/2 hour long journey for audiences and ensemble.
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Dance in August, Berlin Front Page
34th International Dance Festival
By: - Aug 29th, 2022The 34th edition of the International Dance Festival in Berlin has drawn to a close. From August 5th-27th, 2022, Hebbel am Ufer (HAU) showcased in 10 locations throughout Berlin and with 21 productions what is good, new, and exciting in contemporary dance worldwide.
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Beth Galston at Chesterwood Stockbridge MA Front Page
Ice Forest Installation at Woodland Gallery
By: - Aug 16th, 2022On opening day, August 12, we went on one of our Berkshire country drives to South County to celebrate Beth Galston and her installation, 'Ice Forest.'
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Baskets and Bowls ~ A Collection Front Page
Also at BAM Museum, North Adams, MA
By: - Jul 25th, 2022This article extends a photo/word installation at the Berkshire Art Museum, North Adams, MA. The installation can be seen at BAM until October 2022 as part of the exhibition 'Artists of the Thursday Chinese Dinner Group,' where 27 are participating. The museum's primary reason is to show Eric Rudd's oeuvre of sculptures created during 50 years. Both, the permanent and temporary shows are well worth a visit!
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2022 Berkshire Mountains Faerie Festival, Adams, MA Front Page
Return After Three Years
By: - Jun 20th, 2022Last Saturday marked the return of the Berkshire Mountains Faerie Festival after three years, the fifth celebration since 2016. Cold weather and stormy winds could not keep away faeries and fair minded goblins from near and far.
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Rabatt, Maxim Gorki Theater, Berlin Front Page
A Serious Issue as a Farce
By: - Apr 15th, 2022Rabatt (discount), the newest production at the Gorki Theater in Berlin is a hilarious farce about a very serious issue – the burials of poor people in the world of the well to do.
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Berliner Ensemble, Berlin Front Page
God Is Not Bashful
By: - Apr 05th, 2022Gott Ist Nicht Schuechtern (God is not bashful) received its re-opening at the New Stage of the Berliner Ensemble in Berlin at the end of March 2022. It is now more appropriate with the war raging in Ukraine.
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Tanzplattform, HAU, Berlin, Germany Front Page
Hebbel am Ufer (HAU) hosts dance again
By: - Mar 22nd, 2022Berlin is dancing again, despite the rumblings of war from the Ukraine. Despite this horrible situation Germany tries to keep going. Against all odds, the Tanzplattform Deutschland returned in 2022.
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Lyudmila Dakhova, Artist In Ukraine Front Page
She is still making art now…
By: - Mar 16th, 2022Lyudmila Dakhova wrote in a message to us just a few days ago: "Art is civilization." And when we watch the news, Lyudmila is never far from our thoughts.
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Schwanda at Komische Oper, Berlin Front Page
The Bagpipe Player
By: - Mar 07th, 2022After a slow opening in Praha, Czech Republic, in 1927 Schwanda, der Dudelsackpfeifer (Schwanda, the bagpipe player) by Jaromir Weinberger turned into a huge success around the Western World - and before Hitler came to power.
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