Cologne - Riga

Photo: private Benjamin Weber

is a freelance journalist from Cologne who works for WDR, Deutschlandfunk Nova, musikexpress and the taz. His home editorial office for Close-Up is the intercultural radio station Cosmo. Weber is interested in subject matter moving between pop culture, media, politics and society. He is presently working on the first issue of a small, self-made magazine with the theme “absence.”

Davis Engelis

Davis Engelis © Matīss Markovskis © Matīss Markovskis lives and works in Latvia. He studied classical guitar and is now working on his Master’s thesis in music philosophy. He works for Radio Classic Latvia and writes about music for several magazines.

Articles

Close-Up
Private snapshots in the Museum der Dinge – Headless into the evening

Swinging family parties and lunch with the swastika: The Berlin Museum der Dinge is exhibiting private photo albums as time documentation. No matter if you grew up in East or West Germany, just about everybody is familiar with such parties in the family living room.

Close-Up
The Wagner Hall in Riga II

There is a public debate going on in Riga about the legacy of Richard Wagner and his importance for the capital of Latvia. He came to the German Theatre in Riga in 1837 as a 24-year-old, largely unknown Kapellmeister. In 2017, the house where Wagner conducted French and Italian operas 180 years ago is now empty.

Close-Up
The Wagner Hall in Riga

Concert halls are a controversial topic in Riga, too. There is a hall there in which the young Richard Wagner conducted operas many years ago: Mozart, Weber, Beethoven. There is a movement calling for the hall to be refurbished. The Wagner brand alone cannot raise the money required. Benjamin Weber tells the story.

Close-Up
“There are many myths about Wagner; this is not one of them”

The government building in the centre of Riga’s Old Town once housed one of the most beautiful concert halls in the city. Since 2007, no concerts have been held in the building, erected in 1782. The building has stood empty. Now, that is to change. Eva Wagner-Pasquier, the great-granddaughter of Richard Wagner, spoke with Benjamin Weber.

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