"Auditory Journey Through a Defunct Sea Terminal" - An immersive sonic experience at a once bustling maritime hub
The heart of Bremen's Overseas Town, once a bustling hub for ships from all over the world, is now the site of a major urban development project. This shift from a working port of goods to a space defined by real estate development reflects broader urban and economic changes where maritime trade activity has declined or relocated.
On Thursday, September 21, at 6 pm, the interactive urban performance "No ship will come" will premiere at the former Overseas Harbor, inviting the public to engage with this transition actively. This performance is led by Katrin Bretschneider, who is not only the director but also the producer and performer of the event. Bretschneider's team includes sound designer Ilona Marti, dramaturges Christina Vogelsang, and Verena Ries.
"No ship will come" explores the theme of longing for freedom, evoking the emotional and cultural resonance of the port as a gateway to travel, adventure, and open horizons. This longing contrasts with the reality of the port's closure or transformation, highlighting a tension between past functions tied to mobility and trade, and new urban realities focused on stationary living and investment.
The performance uses texts, sound collages, and O-tons to evoke the past of the place in the audience's imagination. It works with the deliberate overlap of different time levels, exploring themes such as the transformation of the port into a place of real estate trade, the role of longing for freedom and availability, and the implications for the identity of the people of Bremen.
Visitors are advised to wear weather-appropriate clothing and sturdy footwear for the performance. Tickets can be purchased at www.nordwest-ticket.de, by phone at (0421) 363636, and at the box office. The starting point for the performance is Blue Manege, Kommodore-Johnsen-Boulevard 11, 28217 Bremen.
"No ship will come" is a continuation of Bretschneider's artistic work on condensed audio walks at sites of change in Bremen, as seen in the digital audio walk "Shaking Hands With Ghosts" on the former AG Weser site. An image of the performance, titled "Katrin Bretschneider leads visitors to a time when ships still arrived and departed at the old Overseas Harbor," is available.
The performance has additional dates: September 21-24 at 6 pm, September 28 at 6 pm, September 29-30 at 5:30 pm, and October 1 at 5:30 pm. The interactive nature of the performance invites the public to engage with these transitions actively, shaping perceptions of the space as more than just real estate, but also a site of collective memory and aspiration.
Because no specific detailed sources on the performance "No ship will come" were found in the provided search results, this interpretation is based on typical urban cultural interpretations related to port-to-real-estate transformations and the symbolic meaning of ports connected to freedom and movement. The Bremen Overseas Town likely represents a case of these global phenomena of port urban regeneration.
- The interactive urban performance, "No ship will come," situated at the former Overseas Harbor, delves into the theme of home-and-garden, as it invites participants to contemplate the transformation of the port into a contemporary space for outdoor-living and real estate development.
- As a continuation of Katrin Bretschneider's artistic work, "No ship will come" explores the shift from a lifestyle centered on maritime trade to a urban environment focused on stationary living and investment, while preserving the emotional and cultural resonance of the port as a gateway to freedom and adventure.
