Bamberg Opens the Dance of Death Festival with Music, History, and Moving Perspectives
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A Dance of Death as a Reflection of European Cultural History
The opening lecture of the 1st Bamberg Dance of Death Festival will take place on October 2, 2026, at the Alte E-Werk, traversing eight centuries of European art. Under the title You Too Must Join the Dance, Michael Hanisch illuminates the fascinating history of the Dance of Death motif – from medieval frescoes to music and literature, to the political art of the present.
From Danse Macabre to European Iconography
At the center is the medieval Danse Macabre. Around 1424, a monumental fresco was created in the Parisian cemetery of Saint-Innocent, portraying death as the great equalizer. Pope, emperor, citizen, child, and infant: No one escapes the dance. Comparable representations quickly spread throughout Europe, including in Constance, Ulm, Basel, Bern, as well as in the Netherlands, Denmark, and Sweden.
Music, Lecture, and Lively Stage Atmosphere
The evening combines historical context with musical moments. Following the opening by Ulrike Siebenhaar, advisor for culture, world heritage, and tourism, there will be music, the lecture by Michael Hanisch, and another contribution from Dr. med. Eva Nießen. The dramatic sequence creates a shift between sound, reflection, and concentrated listening.
Michael Hanisch: Expertise from Theater and Dance of Death Research
Michael Hanisch heads the Artistic Operations Office at the ETA Hoffmann Theater. Since his studies, he has been involved with the Dance of Death, is a board member of the European Dance of Death Association in Germany, and is a co-editor of the magazine Dance of Death Current. His perspective combines art historical expertise with experience from theater practice and stage organization.
The Bamberg Dance of Death in Focus
A particular focus will be on the Bamberg Dance of Death on the Michelsberg, presented as an outstanding example of baroque Dance of Death art. The lecture further extends into the 20th and 21st centuries, showing how artists repeatedly use the motif to express grief, anger, comfort, and confrontation with one’s own finitude.
An Evening Between Memory and Present
Following the main lecture, Dr. med. Eva Nießen, chief physician of the Hospice and Palliative Care Center Christine Denzler-Labisch House SAPV, will speak on You’ll Never Walk Alone – Palliative Care as Accompaniment at the Edge of Life. Thus, the evening connects art history with a contemporary, human perspective on farewell, dying, and accompaniment.
The audience can expect a multifaceted cultural event with music, historical imagery, and expert lectures. Those who wish to experience the Dance of Death not only as a medieval motif but as a living form of expression of European culture will find a compelling start to the Bamberg Dance of Death Festival at the Alte E-Werk.
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