Karja/Renard/Wandinger: DANGER / DANGER / OHT

Broken machines in the "structured structurelessness": The new Estonian jazz sound of the 21st century! Concert incl. panel discussion.

The fact that modern art necessarily requires peace and freedom seemed to be as certain as it was abstract in Europe for a long time. However, the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine and the global resurgence of national borders have made questions about security and freedom of movement concrete again in recent years.

But what does the changing security architecture mean for the European cultural scene? How have artists been working together since the caesura of 2022? And what consequences does this have for Europe's self-image? A cooperation between the Politik im Freien Theater festival and Jazzclub Leipzig e.V. is dedicated to these questions.

Invited is the jazz trio Karja/Renard/Wandinger, whose music oscillates between free improvisation and contemporary composition. The musicians Kirke Karja (piano, Estonia), Étienne Renard (bass, France) and Ludwig Wandinger (drums, Germany) embody a pan-European understanding in musical form in their collaboration. The formation has released two albums since 2022, most recently the critically acclaimed "Caught In My Own Trap". Even the renowned US magazine Downbeat was enthusiastic about the trio, whose sound reminded it of "a mixture of The Bad Plus and Punkt.Vrt.Plastik".

Following the concert, Karja and Estonian curator and theater scholar Madli Pesti will discuss how pan-European art production - especially in music and theater - has changed since February 2022 in an on-stage talk moderated by Dr. Barbora Schnelle. (The talk will be held in English).

The 12th Festival Politik im Freien Theater is a cooperation of the Federal Agency for Civic Education with LOFFT - DAS THEATER, Schaubühne Lindenfels, Schauspiel Leipzig, Theater der Jungen Welt and Westflügel Leipzig.

The 12th Festival Politik im Freien Theater is funded by the City of Leipzig. The funding was made possible by the resolution of the Leipzig City Council on the submission VII-DS-06803 "12th Festival 'Politik im Freien Theater' 2025 in Leipzig" and by the Saxon State Ministry for Science, Culture and Tourism. This measure is co-financed by tax funds on the basis of the budget adopted by the Saxon State Parliament.

The Embassy of Estonia Berlin supports the event "Gefahr / Danger / Oht".