Interview Joachim Sartorius, Intendant of the Berliner Festspiele

Congratulations again, Dr. Joachim Sartorius, on your appointment a year ago as Intendant of the Berliner Festspiele. Looking back into the past, how long has the Berliner Festspiele been in existence?

The Festspiele have a long history and look back on 52 turbulent years, first in walled West-Berlin, then in the reunited metropolis.

How many sections are under its umbrella, and how would you describe its mandate?

There are five festivals under its umbrella, the Berlinale, MärzMusik (a festival for contemporary music), the Theatertreffen (presenting the 10 most remarkable theatre productions from Austria, Switzerland and Germany), the Festwochen in September and October, a mix of theatre, dance, music, performance and literature, as well as JazzFest Berlin in November.

Is it completely financed by the Bund?

Its mandate is to bring the exceptional to Berlin and to start a cultural dialogue among the world's big cities. The Federal Government is financing these festivals, but we also have sponsors and a quite considerable income, almost five million Euro.

Is it linked to the Berlinale?

The Berlinale is, in terms of finance and organisation, a part of the Festspiele, but its director, Mr. Dieter Kosslick, has complete artistic autonomy.

In the past the Festspiele served as a »bridge« between East and West, some say as a »beacon« to Central and Eastern European countries. Is this still true today?

The fact that the Wall fell does not mean that ­ in terms of cultural political goals ­ Central and Eastern Europe is less important than before. On the contrary, I believe that the Festspiele have to establish a continuous dialogue based on confidence and curiosity with the Eastern neighbours of Germany. We will have in 2003 programmes with Poland and Russia and ­ in the field of music ­ with the Baltic States. There is one more point to make: the European Union is a club where the rich Western members seem to exert possessory rights. International cultural exchange must counterbalance that and show not only due respect, but passion for the cultural achievements in Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic and Rumania.

Since new embassies have opened in Berlin ­ some appropriately equipped with stage-space-screening facilities ­ will the Berliner Festwochen profit from this cultural largesse? Will the Berliner Theatertreffen expand beyond a German-language event?

Cooperation with the Embassies in Berlin is part of our daily dealings. All the festivals under the umbrella of the Festspiele are international ­ with the exception of the German-language Theatertreffen. I would not like to change this for the moment because its reputation is a high one and because we sell 35,000 tickets within one day. I might at one point like to »Europeanize« the Theatertreffen, but this would mean changing the jury and with it a lot of procedures. Allow me some more time.

As a poet and l’homme de plume in your own right, you are known to be particularly interested in literature and fostering literary events at the Berliner Festspiele. Do you have any plans or innovations in this regard?

Yes, literature is perhaps my greatest passion. But I have a keen sense of all that is already going on in this field in Berlin: four literary institutions, whose life is not easy, and an international literary festival. There should not be too much unnecessary competition. I will limit myself therefore to a series of poetry readings focussing on one language and one cultural space. Its name is »Landkarten der Poesie« (Maps of Poetry). We start this fall with two long nights of Arabic poetry with Mahmoud Darwisch and Adonis and many other famous poets from Yemen to Morocco.

Do you have a vision of the New Berlin?

Asked for visions I always feel the need to look for my glasses. A metropolis produces culture, but also needs a lot of fresh input. The Festspiele are here for that ­ to help create new aesthetic forms and languages.

Thank you for the interview, Dr. Sartorius, and all the best for the Berliner Festspiele under your aegis.

The Editors