The Sophiensæle (also occasionally spelled as Sophiensäle or Sophiensaele) is a venue for independent performance, theater, and dance, in Berlin, Germany. It is located in the courtyard of Sophienstraße 18, in the Berlin district of Mitte.
 Facade of the Sophiensæle, as viewed from the inner courtyard | |
 | |
| Address | Sophienstraße 18, 10178 Berlin Germany |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 52°31′33″N 13°24′06″E / 52.52594°N 13.40156°E |
| Opened | 1996 |
| Website | |
| sophiensaele | |
History
editThe Sophiensæle was founded in 1996 by Sasha Waltz, Jochen Sandig, Jo Fabian, Zebu Kluth, and Dirk Cieslak.[1][2]
The first performances took place the same year, beginning with the play Durchgehend Geöffnet by Dirk Cieslak and Armin Dallapiccola, in February and March. The official opening of the Sophiensæle followed on September 26, 1996 with the premiere of Sasha Waltz’s production Allee der Kosmonauten.[3][4]
In 2011, the Sophiensæle’s premises and the surrounding building were renovated, mostly through the support of funds from the German Lottery Foundation. The venue reopened on December 2, 2011. The Sophiensæle currently occupies three main rooms in the building: the ballroom (Festsaal), the wedding hall (Hochzeitssaal) and the canteen (Kantine).[5]
Amelie Deuflhard was artistic director of the venue until 2007, followed by Heike Albrecht from 2007 to 2010. At the end of 2011, Franziska Werner took over the artistic direction, and in 2023, Jens Hillje und Andrea Niederbuchner took on this position as a shared role.[6][7][8][9]
The site of the Sophiensæle was originally the Handwerkervereinshaus — the house of the craftspersons’ association — and as a result was a site that was connected to significant political events in German history. For example, it was the location where Karl Liebknecht appealed to the workers of Berlin to join the 1918 German Revolution. Then, from 1950 to 1990, the location served as a theater workshop for the Maxim Gorki Theater. The building is a protected monument.[10]
Programming
editSince its founding in 1996, the Sophiensæle has been a central production location for independent theater, performance, and dance in Germany. It is currently one of the most significant venues for independent theater in the German-speaking world, and an anchor institution for the independent artistic scene in Berlin.[11]
Artists from the local, national, and international scene are invited to produce and present their work at Sophiensæle, with the venue providing support in applying for funding, finding co-production partners, and in press and public relations work. In some cases, the venue also takes over production management.
Around 90 productions and several festivals are presented in the Sophiensæle each year. This includes theater, dance, performance, music, discussions, and presentations in various experimental or speculative formats.[12]
References
edit- ^ "Sophiensaele". Visit Berlin (in German). Retrieved 2024-05-28.
Im Herbst 1996 eröffneten dann schließlich die Sophiensaele als Spielort und Produktionsstätte für Freies Theater unter der Leitung von Sasha Waltz.
[“In the autumn of 1996, the Sophiensaele then opened as a venue and production facility for independent theater, under the direction of Sasha Waltz.”] - ^ "Sophiensæle". Theater der Zeit (in German). Retrieved 2024-05-29.
Zu den Gründer:innen gehörten damals Sasha Waltz, Jochen Sandig, Jo Fabian, Dirk Cieslak und Holger Zebu Kluth.
[The founders at that time included Sasha Waltz, Jochen Sandig, Jo Fabian, Dirk Cieslak and Holger Zebu Kluth.] - ^ Schock, Axel (1997-02-21). "Vorschlag: „Durchgehend geöffnet" – die Gruppe Lubricat in den Sophiensälen" [Recommendation: “Durchgehend geöffnet” — the group Lubricat, in Sophiensäle]. Die Tageszeitung (in German). p. 28. ISSN 0931-9085. Retrieved 2024-05-28.
- ^ Luzina, Sandra. "Mutter aller freien Räume: Wo die Freie Szene in Berlin zuhause ist" [Mother of all free spaces: Where the independent scene in Berlin feels itself at home]. Der Tagesspiegel (in German). ISSN 1865-2263. Retrieved 2024-05-28.
1996 gründeten [Sasha Waltz und Jochen Sandig] gemeinsam mit dem Choreografen Jo Fabian und dem Regisseur Dirk Cieslak die Sophiensæle, bis heute einer der wichtigsten Produktions- und Spielorte für die freie Szene, die längst über Berlin hinaus ausstrahlen. Die Eröffnung mit „Allee der Kosmonauten" von Sasha Waltz wurde ein Riesenerfolg und machte die Spielstätte mit einem Schlag bekannt.
[In 1996, [Sasha Waltz and Jochen Sandig] founded the Sophiensæle together with choreographer Jo Fabian and director Dirk Cieslak. To this day it remains one of the most important production and performance venues for the independent scene, with an impact that has long since reached beyond Berlin. The opening with “Allee der Kosmonauten” by Sasha Waltz was a huge success and made the venue famous overnight.] - ^ Badelt, Udo (2011-12-01). "Sophiensäle: Ein bisschen bröckeln darf es noch" [Sophiensäle: It might still crumble a little]. Der Tagesspiegel (in German). ISSN 1865-2263. Retrieved 2024-05-29.
Annähernd drei Millionen hat das gekostet, das meiste kam von der Lottostiftung, eine halbe Million vom Eigentümer des Hauses.
[“It cost almost three million, most of which came from the lottery foundation and half a million from the owner of the house.”] - ^ "Amelie Deuflhard". Theater der Zeit (in German). Retrieved 2024-05-29.
Von 2000 bis 2007 Künstlerische Leiterin der Sophiensaele (Berlin)
[“Artistic Director of the Sophiensaele (Berlin) from 2000 to 2007”] - ^ Draeger, Volkmar. "Abschied in Schwarz". Neues Deutschland (in German). Retrieved 2024-05-29.
Seit Juli 2007 leitet [Heike Albrecht] die gebürtige Potsdamerin den Probe-, Recherche- und Aufführungsort.
[“Since July 2007, the Potsdam native [Heike Albrecht] has been in charge of the rehearsal, research, and performance venue.”] - ^ Bernstein, Sanders Isaac (2023-06-15). "Franziska Werner: Joy, pleasure and communal mourning". The Berliner. Retrieved 2024-05-29.
Franziska Werner has been the artistic director of Sophiensaele, one of the most important spaces for Berlin's 'Freie Szene,' since 2011.
- ^ Seidler, Ulrich (2022-10-12). "Jens Hillje und Andrea Niederbuchner übernehmen die Sophiensäle" [Jens Hillje and Andrea Niederbuchner are taking over the Sophiensäle]. Berliner Zeitung (in German). Retrieved 2024-05-29.
- ^ "Malerische Straße mit kämpferischer Vergangenheit" [A picturesque street with a combative past]. Berliner Zeitung (in German). 2020-01-11. Retrieved 2024-05-29.
Das Vereinshaus in der Sophienstraße wurde zu einem wichtigen Ort der deutschen Arbeiterbewegung. Karl Liebknecht rief im Oktober 1918 zum Kampf auf. Wilhelm Pieck sprach auf der ersten Versammlung des Spartakusbundes.
[“The clubhouse on Sophienstrasse became an important location for the German workers’ movement. Karl Liebknecht appealed to all to join the struggle in October 1918. Wilhelm Pieck spoke at the first meeting of the Spartacus League.”] - ^ "Kulturelles und Bildung". Berlin.de (in German). 2015-02-12. Retrieved 2024-05-29.
Heute sind die Sophiensæle einer der wichtigsten Produktions- und Spielorte für freies Theater im deutschsprachigen Raum.
[“Today, the Sophiensæle is one of the most important production and performance venues for independent theatre in the German-speaking world.”] - ^ "Sophiensæle » About us". Sophiensaele.com. 2024-05-31. Retrieved 2024-05-29.