At the Southern Baltic coast... TERVE ROSTOCK!

The Baltic Sea connects Germany with the Scandinavian countries, the nation of the South-Eastern Baltic and the North-West of Russia. It is a border, but also a bridge to us.

From the Rostock perspective, Finland lies on the other side of the Baltic. A little country with a rich cultural heritage, which hardly could be described exhaustively with terms like Mika Hakkinen and Sauna, Leningrad Cowboys and mosquitoes, Sibelius and Karelian pasties. Finns and North-Eastern Germans have a lot in common in their histories. Over the centuries they were influenced by strong nations, they had a special period of reformation as well as active commerce and sea traffic. This relationship across the Baltic Sea now will be extended, from the exchange of goods to an exchange of culture.

During this season, the Volkstheater Rostock presents Finnish theatre and Finnish music allowing the public a view into the rich theatre culture of Finland. Some of the best pieces of Finnish authors and composers will be shown on different stages of the city: theatre art treating themes and questions which are important in the people's life of both countries. Many artists from Finland came to Rostock to work together with the theatre Company of Rostock: authors, conductors, stage designers. Besides the works they made possible to get in touch with Finnish theatre aesthetics and new perspectives towards their country and its internationally successful cultural scene. In cooperation and with the support of the Finnish Theatre Information Centre TINFO, the Embassy of Finland in Germany, the General Consulate of Finland in Hamburg, the Finland Institute in Germany, the cities of Rostock and Turku and the University of Music and Theatre Rostock (HMT), the Volkstheater Rostock was able to offer a programme full of variety which finds its peak in April 2009 during the Festival Terve Rostock! In addition, on occasion of the 50th anniversary of the city twinning relationship between Rostock and Turku in 2009, we will be able to present a very special highlight: a guest performance of the Theatre of Turku. The stage performances of Terve Rostock! are accompanied by book readings, concerts, exhibitions and a varied framework plot in the whole city. The presentation of Finnish arts and the meetings with artists from Finland are in the focus of the Festival, and so we are looking forward to a wide resonance of the public.