SAVE THE DATE | Press conference to mark the reopening of the Semper Building at the Zwinger with the Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister and the Skulpturensammlung up to 1800

27 January 2020

[Translate to English:] StD GAM 2

The Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden (SKD) hereby invite you to join in the celebrations marking the reopening of the Semper Building at the Zwinger. After having been partially closed for seven years, the Semper Gallery will be regularly opening its doors to the public again as of Saturday, 29 February 2020 and people of all ages are invited to come and participate in a varied and eventful weekend of festivities.

This great ‘feast for all the senses’ will get off to a musical start on the evening of 28 February 2020. Following the official ceremony for invited guests, the actor and singer Christian Friedel and his band Woods of Birnam will be performing two concerts at the Schauspielhaus. Woods of Birnam were invited by the SKD to take paintings by the Old Masters in the Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister as inspiration for new musical compositions, which they have put together on their new album “How To Hear A Painting”; the said concerts will present these works for the first time. “So geht sächsisch.” – the official campaign to promote the Free State of Saxony – will be relaying one of the concerts at 8.30 pm, both of which are already sold out, live to the Zwinger as a special highlight, free of charge for all comers. A range of culinary delights will add to the overall aesthetic experience, which will culminate in the Night in the Museum: from 10 pm until 2 am the Semper Building will be opening its doors to the public. The weekend will feature a multifaceted programme of accompanying events for people of all ages, with live speakers, an open workshop with artists, family guided tours, discussions with experts, and further music. Throughout the weekend, visits to the exhibition will be free of charge, but on Saturday and Sunday a ticket for a specific time window will be required.

 

EXHIBITION

Around Raphael’s popular “Sistine Madonna” visitors can expect a unique tour through European art history. For the first time, the Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister and the Skulpturensammlung up to 1800 are jointly presenting their works in the extensively renovated and refurbished Semper Building at the Zwinger.  The completely redesigned permanent exhibition impressively showcases key works of each period. A groundbreaking feature is the integration of the Skulpturensammlung: after ten years in the ‘Schaudepot’ (display storeroom), the important Dresden collection of classical antiquities is now attractively presented in the Semper Building. Antique statues and busts, as well as sculptural works dating from the early modern era, are on display in direct dialogue with selected paintings from the Renaissance and Baroque periods.

In addition to the cautious but decisive modernization of the building, over 20 masterpieces have been carefully restored and numerous frames have been renovated or specially made in preparation for the reopening. New coloured wall coverings, extensive accent lighting and interactive multimedia terminals enrich the museum experience and enhance visitors’ enjoyment of the exhibition.

 

PROGRAMME

FRIDAY, 28 February 2020

8.30 pm NIGHT OF THE OLD MASTERS. “So geht sächsisch.” relays the concert by Woods of Birnam live to the Zwinger free of charge. At the same time, a wide variety of culinary specialities will be on sale.

22 pm - 2 am Night-time opening of the Semper Building at the Zwinger, admission free.

 

SATURDAY, 29 February 2020

10 am – 6 pm Free admission to the Semper Building at the Zwinger. Admission only with a limited number of timed tickets. Tickets will be available from 12 February 2020 at the SKD’s museum ticket sales desks; any remaining tickets will be on sale at the ticket sales desk on the day.

10 am – 4 pm Live speakers in the exhibition

11 am – 5 pm Open workshop “Making your own small musical instruments and playing them” under the guidance of sculptor Constanze Nowak in association with Kreative Werkstatt Dresden e.V. (Material costs € 2).

11 am – 5 pm DUO UNARUM FIDIUM. The musical ensemble of Uwe Ulbrich and Julia Chmielewska-Ulbrich specialises in performing early Baroque works for violin and basso continuo in a historically informed style. 

3 pm Family guided tour: “Is it possible to hear art? – A musical journey to paintings and sculptures” with Simone Seifert. Afterwards, participants can make their own small instruments in the workshop (Material costs € 2, Please register at: besucherservice@skd.museum or 0351 / 49 14 2000).

4 – 6 pm Discussions with curators and restorers. Museum experts provide comprehensive insights into the history of important works of art.

 

SUNDAY, 1 March 2020

10 am – 6 pm Free admission to the Semper Building at the Zwinger. Admission only with a limited number of timed tickets. Tickets will be available from 12 February 2020 at the SKD’s museum ticket sales desks; any remaining tickets will be on sale at the ticket sales desk on the day.

10 am – 4 pm Live speakers in the exhibition

11 am – 5 pm Open workshop “Gilding with genuine gold leaf” with the painter and printmaker Kornelia Schuster-Kaiser in association with Kreative Werkstatt Dresden e.V. (Material costs € 4).

11 am – 5 pm FRIEDHOFFS BRASS. This musical ensemble directed by Christine Höpfner consists of brass players who perform wind music dating from the Renaissance and Baroque periods down to contemporary works.

3 pm Family guided tour “Red, blue, green and gold – a blaze of colour” with Maria Krimmling. Afterwards, participants can work with genuine gold leaf in the workshop (Material costs € 4, Please register at: besucherservice@skd.museum or 0351 / 49 14 2000).

4 – 6 pm Discussions with curators and restorers. Museum experts provide comprehensive insights into the history of important works of art.

 

The special programme for the Opening Weekend will be followed by a programme for the Week of Celebrations. For further information see: www.skd.museum/semperbau2020

The SKD communicate on social media via #gemäldegaleriealtemeister, #semperbau2020 and #skdmuseum and #woodsofbirnam.