Premiere in Berlin: A year without summer inspires with provocation!

Premiere in Berlin: A year without summer inspires with provocation!

On May 22, 2025, the Volksbühne at Rosa-Luxemburg-Platz in Berlin celebrated the premiere of the highly anticipated performance “A Year without Summer”. Directed and choreographed by Florentina Holzinger, the piece offers a multimedia examination of the infamous year 1816, which went down in history as the “Year without a Summer” due to the volcanic eruption of Mount Tambora. During this time, Mary Shelley and her contemporaries took refuge in a house on Lake Geneva to tell each other scary stories.

The piece, which runs for over two hours without an intermission, not only addresses historical figures and medical questions, but also mixes these with current issues. On stage, intimate scenes of performing artists meet unconventional elements, such as the use of robotic animals and the inclusion of performers over the age of 80 to illustrate aspects of aging and acceptance. Musically, the performance is led by Born In Flamez and Stefan Schneider, while the ensemble is accompanied by lively music that brings empowerment and humor to the audience.

Content and staging

The representation of community and love in an end-time scenario becomes the central theme of the performance. Provocative scenes, including the spraying of art poop, and the grooming of older performers create a contrast to the quiet moments in which the ensemble finally conveys a melancholic note in the “stage snow”. The use of musical elements gives the production an additional dynamic.

The creative implementation requires an extensive team: Nikola Knežević is responsible for the set design, while Christiane Hilmer designed the costumes. Kevin Sock is responsible for the lighting design, which supports visual perception, and Zoe Bassi and Max Heesen are responsible for the video design. Dramaturgically they are supported by several cooperation partners, such as Felix Ritter and Michele Rizzo, who take care of the structure of the performance.

Collaborators and co-productions

The ensemble is made up of a variety of talented performers, including Saioa Alvarez Ruiz, Liane Jil Apel and Andrea Baker. The artistic standards are underlined by the co-productions with renowned institutions such as the Tanzquartier Wien and the International Summer Festival Kampnagel. The production by Florentina Holzinger/Spirit in cooperation with neon lobster and the Volksbühne shows the support of the Austrian Federal Ministry of Art, Culture, Public Service and Sport and enables an interdisciplinary event.

Overall, “A Year without Summer” represents a multifaceted and provocative reflection on historical and contemporary issues. It combines the old with the new and creates a space for discourses about immortality and technology, while not neglecting humor. The piece promises to be an exciting experience that will captivate the audience.

All performance details can be found on the website night review and theater forms.