Florian Illies / Anton Gerzenberg

Performers:

Florian Illies, reading
Anton Gerzenberg, piano

When the sun goes down
A family spends the hot summer of 1933 on the French Mediterranean coast, in Sanary-sur-mer: Thomas Mann, whose 150th birthday it is this year, has fled there with his wife and two of his children. After the political situation in Europe came to a head, he was stranded there after an adventurous escape. The new book by Florian Illies is about the loss of the Mann family's home and possessions, the fear of looting by the Nazis, about melancholy, defiance and passion, but also about the ordeal between Klaus and Erika and their father. The author, who has already transformed past eras into the living present with his great successes “1913. The Summer of the Century“ and »Magic of Silence« about Caspar David Friedrich, will read from his new book »When the Sun Goes Down«. Anton Gerzenberg will play music on the piano that was of great importance to Thomas Mann, including Wagner arrangements by Franz Liszt.

program

Florian Illies liest aus seinem neuen Buch »Wenn die Sonne untergeht. Familie Mann in Sanary«,
Anton Gerzenberg spielt dazu Wagner-Bearbeitungen von Franz Liszt und Werke anderer Komponisten

Place

The Konzerthaus in Vienna (German: Wiener Konzerthaus) was opened 1913. It is situated in the third district just at the edge of the first district in Vienna. Since it was founded it has always tried to emphasise both tradition and innovative musical styles.

In 1890, the first ideas for a Haus für Musikfeste (House for music festivals) came about. The idea of the new multi-purpose building was to be more interesting to the broader public than the traditional Vienna Musikverein. In addition to the concert hall, the first drawings by Ludwig Baumann for the Olympion included an ice-skating area and a bicycle club. In an attached open air area, 40,000 visitors would be able to attend events. The drawings were not accepted. However, today an ice skating area is situated right next to the building.

The Konzerthaus was finally built between 1911 and 1913. The architects were Ferdinand Fellner and Hermann Helmer; the work was done in cooperation with Ludwig Baumann.