POTSDAMER CLOSING NIGHT
-LES RENDEZ-VOUS AU PARK SANSSOUCI-
Sanssouci Castle,
Maulbeerallee
14469 Potsdam
Potsdam - concerts, readings, laser tunnels, but also significantly fewer visitors than in the past: Under the motto "Les Rendez-Vous au Park Sanssouci", part one of the Potsdam Palace Night took place on Friday evening - for the first time under Corona conditions. Also on Saturday evening, visitors to the illuminated Sanssouci World Heritage Park were able to experience a varied cultural program, including dance and theater performances or acrobatic performances.
Among others, the magician Jisu Park from South Korea, the Swiss harpist Joel von Lerber and the aerial artist Sol'Air with a circus theater piece will be there. Glass grinder Rogier Kappers played on a glass organ, for example the Beatles song "Eleanor Rigby". Actors Esther Schweins and Benno Fürmann (Alexandre Dumas: "The Lady of the Camellias") were present for readings in the Orangery Castle on Friday, while Dietmar Bär, Andrea Sawatzki and Christian Berkel were expected on Saturday. Here, however, a weakness of the concept became apparent: the number of spectators in the orangery was limited, but there were loudspeakers outside - so that visitors could hear the words spoken. Several guests told the PNN that there was not much mood that way. But overall the mood seemed resolved - after the Castle Night 2020 could not take place due to the corona crisis. "I always say: We are selling the little luck here", organizer Peter Schwenkow had already told the PNN in advance. The national concert promoter had been able to have the event approved as a model test. The aim is to test how large-scale events can work under pandemic conditions. "To ensure a safe event, the attendance capacity was halved. This means that the guests have double the space," said the organizers. Schwenkow spoke of up to 12,500 possible guests per day.
The admission controls were correspondingly strict. Visitors needed a negative corona test or a vaccination certificate or a recovery notification, an activated Corona warning app and had to show their ID. This sometimes led to somewhat longer queues in the entrance area. Masks should also be worn, at least when many visitors are standing close together. However, it turned out that this requirement was largely ignored, especially in the evening hours: Hundreds of guests crowded together when the program items were particularly successful. This included the much applauded performances of the violinist Mona Seebohm at the foot of the Orangery Castle, which turned out to be a fire and light spectacle at the same time. The performances of the two musicians Felice & Cortes, which were to be found at the Musenrondell, were also very popular. Drummer Cortes in particular amazed the audience because he could juggle while drumming.
Rogier Kappers and his glass organ at the Castle Night 2021 PHOTO: HENRI KRAMER
The organizers were satisfied with the level of interest. Sales of the tickets went very well, said spokesman Fabian Giese. The demand, especially in the week before the double night, also shows "people's longing for such events," said organizer Schwenkow on Wednesday. On Saturday evening, the exact numbers were then also certain: 9,000 tickets had been sold for Friday and 12,500 for Saturday, said spokesman Giese. So Saturday was sold out.
Nonetheless, the visitor restriction on site was noticed on Friday - this caused various reactions. While some visitors enjoyed the fact that the park was not overcrowded and the queues at the numerous food stalls did not get excessively long, other guests just missed the crowded narrowness of past editions. However, almost intimate moments could be experienced in this way, especially since the palaces in the park were all illuminated and many other light effects provided a nice atmosphere. However, the cultural offer is not as diverse as in previous editions of the Castle Night, was another criticism from long-term visitors - especially since the tickets cost around 40 euros. The organizers had no part in the fact that after dark a fortunately short rain shower fell on the visitors.
A laser tunnel on the way to Charlottenhof Palace: The Palace Night 2021 offered beautiful pictures
By the way: If you wanted to be vaccinated, you could do so as part of the Palace Night: The state capital Potsdam offered vaccination options at the Brandenburg Gate near Sanssouci Park. (with dpa)
Theater, literature, acrobatics and cabaret in front of a Unesco backdrop
This year only half the capacity of the visitors could be on the site. The guests had to present a negative corona test and wear a mask indoors - for readings, for example - and at hotspots with many people. That worked perfectly, said the spokesman.
The castle night offered concerts, dance and theater performances, literature, acrobatics and cabaret in the illuminated World Heritage Park under the motto "Les Rendez-Vous au Park Sanssouci".
Fantastic summer nights in Sanssouci: After the Corona break in 2020, 21,500 guests celebrated the Potsdam Palace Night on the weekend. A successful comeback!
Despite the increasing number of infections, the state government of Brandenburg allowed the major event as a model project. With strict requirements: halved the number of guests, proof of vaccination or test, check-in with the Corona app, mask requirement in the event of a crowd.
But the effort was worth it: castles, paths and parks shone in colorful spotlights. Musicians, cabarets, actors and acrobats cast a spell over the visitors. There was a folk festival atmosphere on the food mile - just like before the pandemic.