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The composer Kurt Weill (1900-1950) was born in Dessau as the son of a Jewish Kantor. He is best known in Germany for The Three Penny Opera (1928) and The Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny (1930) -- both to texts by German dramatist and poet Bertolt Brecht (1898-1956), about whom I have said more on my Augsburg page.
When Weill had to flee from the Nazis he went first to Paris and then to London, but soon emigrated to America, where he wrote the music to Knickerbocker Holiday (1938), Lady in the dark (1941) and the musical film Where do we go from here? (1945). He also wrote an American opera, Street Scene, which had its world premiere in New York in 1947 and was first performed in Dessau in 2004.
For more on Kurt Weill and some of his contemporaries, please see my tip/review called The lost generation of opera composers on my Zürich page.
In 1926 Kurt Weill married the actress Lotte Lenya (1898-1981), who played the pirate Jenny in the original production of The Three Penny Opera. They were divorced in 1933, but remarried in America in 1937.
While Weill was growing up in Dessau his family lived in several houses, none of which are still in existence. But there is an interesting "Kurt-Weill-Centre" in the Master House that was originally built for the painter Lyonel Feininger.
Updated Dec 13, 2011
Address: Ebertallee 63, 06846 Dessau
Website: http://www.dessau.de/amt41/kulttour/de/natur_kultur/kurt_weill_zentrum.html
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The Anhalt Theatre Dessau is the cultural centre of the town. It serves as theatre, opera, dance theatre and houses the Anhalt Philharmonic Orchestra. It is the largest theatre in Saxony-Anhalt. According to a local our guild over 500 performances take place here yearly.
The ticket price depends on the performance. Students and kids get a discount.
Updated Jul 29, 2007
Address: Friedensplatz 1a
Website: http://www.anhaltisches-theater.de
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This baroque palace in the center of Dessau was built between 1747 - 1752 and was originally the palace of Prince Dietrich and his wife Princess Henriette Amalie. In the years from 1777 - 1793 it served as the seat of philanthropist Basedow. A few years ago the building was completely restored and today it houses the scientific library of the Anhalt State Library. The library is open to public and ca be visited. Highlights are for sure books from the 16th century. Various exhibitions take place here as well.
Updated Jul 26, 2007
Address: Zerbster Straße 35
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The Umweltbundesamt (Federal Environment Agency) is an architectural highlight, hidden behind the Wörlitzer Bahnhof (Wörlitz Station - a former station which serves now as an office building). This composition of glass, steal and wood was made by the architects Sauerbruch and Hutton. It appears outwardly that the building has no rectangular corner. And indeed, there's neither a corner in the atrium nor outside.
The building is not open for private visit but guided tours can be booked.
Written Jul 26, 2007
Address: Wörlitzer Platz 1
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This building is a kind of landmark. Located on the busiest intersection in town it catches everyones eyes. This copy of the St. Spiritus Hospital near Rome was build in the mid 18th century as a charitable institution. Today it hosts the Museum for Natural History and Prehistory.
The museum is open daily except mondays from 10am to 5pm (Thusdays to Fridays it openes already at 9am). Admission is € 3,-- (in 2006).
Written Jul 26, 2007
Address: Askanische Straße 32
Website: http://www.mv-sachsen-anhalt.de/
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This Baroque chruch was built in early 18th century. It is located a few hundred meters south of the market square. In the 1960s and later in the early 1990s the church became extensively restored.
Written Jul 26, 2007
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The Johannbau, originally built around 1530, is perhaps the most beautiful building in town. The Renaissssance wing of the former castle was reconstructed after the fire air raids in 1944/45. Today it houses the City Museum with permanent exhibitions.
The museum is opened daily except mondays from 10am to 5pm. Admission is about € 3,-- (in 2006)
Written Jul 26, 2007
Address: Am Schlossplatz 3a
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"Der Alte Dessauer" can be translated as the old man of Dessau. This memorial near St. Mary's Church is a trubute to Prince Leopold I. of Anhalt-Dessau. The Prince was general field marshal in the Prussian army who created the Prussian infantry.
He brought the Gose beer to Leipzig (the town, not me), which is still a popular and unique type of which can only be drunk here.
Updated Jul 26, 2007
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This Late Gothic gem with Renaissance elements can be found right behind the town hall. It was originally built between 1506 - 1554 by the architects Schmiedeberg and Binder. Due to an air raid in 1944 which destroyed over 90% of the city the church became destroyed. After reunification the church was rebuilt.
Written Jul 26, 2007
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With constructing the Bauhaus Building, based on designs by Walter Gropius in 1925, Dessau became famous in the modern world. The building opened as the High School for Design. Later more buildings in Bauhaus style were erected in the city.
UNESCO has added the Bauhaus Building to their World Heritage List in December 1996.
Updated Jul 25, 2007
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With constructing the Bauhaus Building, based on designs by Walter Gropius in 1925, Dessau became famous in the modern world. The building opened as the High...
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My first visit to Dessau was in March 1994, in the fourth year of German reunification. The streets were deserted and dimly lit after sundown. Lots of people were still driving their old Trabbis and...
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I've got some interesting experiences in Dessau. I'd love to share with you the 1 tip I've written, the 2 photos uploaded, and 0 travelogues I've created.
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While heading to Woerlitz coming from Leipzig it seemed a good idea to visit the BauHaus site in Dessau. BauHaus is probably the most known design school name all over the world; founded in Weimar in...
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