Festspiele Balver Höhle
Festspiele Balver Höhle is an arts festival, featuring musical and theatrical performances, in Balve, Germany. The festival is centered on the cave of Balve. The association was founded in 1985 in Volkringhausen and based on an idea by Franz Hoffmeister and Theodor Pröpper.
Lukas Koch is the chair of the board.
Activities
Balver Märchenwochen
The most successful adaption was Pippi in Taka-Tuka-Land in the year 2001.Justus Frantz
The German musical director and pianist Justus Frantz was invited by the Festspiele Balver Höhle from 1995 to 2007 each year. In the early years it was a cooperation with the Kreishandwerkerschaft Märkischer Kreis.He conducted a soulful version of Tchaikovsky's 5th symphony with the Philharmonie der Nationen.
Festivals
- Balver Märchenwochen
- Irish [Folk & Celtic Music]
- ''Internationales Jazz- und Bluesfestival''
Single music acts
- Rustavi ensemble
- Carmina Burana
- Klangräume
- Earth Spirit
- Om mani padme hum
- Aida
- Philharmonic Orchestra Hagen
- Scala & Kolacny Brothers
Single theatre acts
- Katharina von Georgien
- The Crucible
- Peer Gynt
- The Caucasian Chalk Circle
- Das große Welttheater
- Iphigenie auf Tauris
- Little Shop of Horrors
- Jedermann
Rehearsals
- Krippenspiel
- Christian Bollmann
- Jazzfestival
Patronage
- Johannes Rau, patron 1985 – 1998
- Wolfram Kuschke, patron 1999 – 2008
- Wolfgang Bosbach
Board
Chairmen
In December 2007 Winfried Hagen resigned as chairman together with his wife Gabriele Hagen, his daughter Stephanie Hagen and the arts director Werner Traud.History
- Agatha Allhoff-Cramer, chairman 1985 – 1995
- Werner Traud, chairman 1996 – 2003
- Winfried Hagen, chairman 2004 – 2007
Directors
The director organizes the cultural events at Festspiele Balver Höhle. The board appoints the artistic director.Artistic directors
- Hermann Wedekind, artistic director 1985 – 1996
- Alfred Gärtner, artistic director 1997 – 2000
- Jochen Zoerner-Erb, artistic director 2001 – 2003
- Werner Traud, artistic director 2004 – 2007
Children's theatre director
The artistic director appoints the children's theatre director.- Werner Traud
- Kai Wolters
- Matthias Hay
- Gabriele Krieger
Dance director
The artistic director appoints the dance instructor especially for Balver Märchenwochen.- Monika Eickelmann
- Sigrid Kanthack-Leser
- Claudia Waltermann
- Anna Maczuga-Schwabe
- Anke Lux
- William Danne
Musical directors
The artistic director appoints the musical director especially for Balver Märchenwochen.- Alexander Schwarze
- Walter Kiesbauer
- Walter Czakiel
- Philipp Schreiber
- Ralf Linke in cooperation with Berthold Wagner
Discography
CD
- Robin Hood 1995
- Tu es Petrus 1997
- Aladdin und die Wunderlampe 1998
- Phantastische Reise zu Kapitän Nemo 1999
- Pippi in Taka-Tuka-Land 2001
- Peter Pan 2008
DVD
- Der Zauberer von OZ 2005
- Robin Hood 2006
- Peter Pan 2008
- 5th Irish Folk & Celtic Music 2006
- 6th Irish Folk & Celtic Music 2007
Video
- Katharina von Georgien 1984
- Ronja Räubertocher 1993
- Robin Hood 1995
- Der Zauberer von OZ 2005