September 25, 2024

More articles from the category

September 25, 2024

Slava's Snowshow Magic of pantomime enchants Zurich

For almost 30 years, Slava's Snowshow has captivated people all over the world, immersing them in a world of dreams, poetry and childlike imagination. In December 2024, this unique theater experience will stop again at Theater 11 in Zurich, where it will take viewers on a journey into their own childhood for five days. The show, created by the famous Russian clown and mime Slava Polunin, is a celebration of mime, non-verbal communication and emotional depth that does not require words. With influences from artists such as Monty Python, Fellini and Charlie Chaplin, Slava's Snowshow has achieved cult status worldwide. A theater experience with a difference Slava's Snowshow is much more than a classic clown show. It combines elements of mime, absurd theater and visual art to tell an emotional and poetic story that every viewer can experience in a very personal way. Slava Polunin himself describes the show as a “journey into childhood”, a journey into a world of bright colors, genuine feelings and small but meaningful details that are often alive only in the youthful mind. The magic of the show lies in the ability to communicate without words and yet create a deep connection between the artists and the audience. According to Polunin, this “intimate communication” consists of “elusive fibers of contact” that arise during the performance and evoke a subtle but intense emotional response. It is precisely this invisible connection that makes Slava's Snowshow an unforgettable experience. Inspiration and origin Slava

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Perchtoldsdorf: City:Culture brings Austria's cabaret greats to the stage

Perchtoldsdorf, an idyllic community on the outskirts of Vienna, will once again become Austria's cultural hotspot in autumn 2024. With the Stadt:Kultur cultural festival, the historic Perchtoldsdorf Castle has long since established itself as a venue for top-class literary and cabaret events. A diverse program with well-known figures from the Austrian cabaret scene as well as up-and-coming talents promises a cultural fireworks display this year that will attract visitors from all over the country. From the gifted satirist Gunkl to the versatile Thomas Stipsits to the newcomer Toxische Pommes - the line-up leaves little to be desired. The highlights of the program The kick-off on October 3rd will be the musician and cabaret artist Gunkl, who will make the audience laugh and think with his program "Not only, but only also". Gunkl is known for his clever, philosophical and humorous reflections on life, society and politics. Just one day later, on October 4, Christoph Fritz will follow with his program "Zärtlichkeit". Fritz, who made his debut in 2016, has made a name for himself in the Austrian cabaret scene in a very short time and inspires with his dry humor and keen powers of observation. A special highlight awaits visitors on October 5 with the performance of Toxische Pommes. The trained lawyer and social media star became known during the Corona pandemic through her 15-second satirical videos in which she comments on current socio-political issues in a humorous way. With her program "Ketchup, Mayo and Ajvar" she is now celebrating her first appearance at Stadt:Kultur and bringing a fresh, young perspective to the stage. One of the highlights of the festival is certainly the

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Disney's "Frozen" comes to Stuttgart: A top-class musical experience

From November 26, 2024, the Stage Apollo Theater in Stuttgart will be transformed into the magical world of Arendelle. With Disney's "Frozen", another top-class musical is moving to the Swabian capital and promises to delight audiences with rousing music, impressive stage effects and touching stories. The production has already become a crowd favorite in Hamburg, captivating almost 2021 million viewers since its premiere in November 1,5. Now the people of Stuttgart can also look forward to the magical adventure based on the globally successful Disney film adaptation. A strong ensemble for a strong musical At the center of the musical are the two sisters Elsa and Anna, whose relationship is at the heart of the plot. With Ann Sophie as "Elsa" and Abla Alaoui as "Anna", two outstanding musical actresses have been hired for the main roles. Both artists are already well known in the German musical scene and have extensive stage experience. Ann Sophie, who was born in London and trained at the renowned Lee Strasberg Theatre & Film Institute in New York, quickly made a name for herself in the German musical world. After appearances in “Paramour” and “Flashdance” and most recently as Satine in the musical “Moulin Rouge!” in Cologne, she is now making her Stuttgart debut as Elsa. She is really looking forward to the new role: “I am really looking forward to Stuttgart, because I am playing a role here for the first time. The fact that it is also the main role of Elsa makes it incredible for me.” Ann Sophie explains her fascination with the role by saying that the relationship

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Easyjet launches new flights from Milan to Pristina earlier

Easyjet has announced that it will launch its new flights between Milan Malpensa Airport and Pristina on October 28, more than a month earlier than originally planned. The service will now operate twice a week, on Mondays and Fridays. During the peak travel period from December 10, 2024 to the first week of January 2024, Easyjet will also introduce an additional weekly flight, making a total of three flights per week available. In addition, the airline will also launch a new service between Amsterdam and Pristina on October 28.

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Slovenian tender for new flight connections remains without applications

No airline has applied for the Slovenian government's fifth tender to promote new air connections through subsidies. The Slovenian Ministry of Infrastructure announced this in a statement to Bloomberg Adria. The deadline for applications ended shortly before midnight on Monday, and despite a month to submit them, there have been no responses from the airlines. A total of EUR 2023 million has been made available for the period from 2026 to 16,8, of which only EUR 1,1 million has been drawn down so far. These funds cover up to 50% of the fees for new routes. With the fifth anniversary of the collapse of the national airline Adria Airways approaching, the ministry is intensively looking for solutions to improve air connections in Slovenia. Airlines such as Luxair, airBaltic and Norwegian Air Shuttle participated in previous tenders, but the question remains whether establishing a national airline is the best solution to improve connections.

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Macedonian government promotes new air connections with subsidies

The Macedonian government has published a public call for airlines to introduce new routes to Skopje and Ohrid airports, in exchange for subsidies. Nejat Kurt, General Director of TAV Macedonia, reported that many airlines have already expressed interest in the call, but did not name any specific names. He stressed that the initiative has been discussed regularly with the Ministry of Transport and Communications. This measure comes in the context of a comprehensive master plan for Skopje and Ohrid airports, aimed at long-term growth of the aviation industry. The master plan, which is being prepared with the support of majority owner ADP, aims to identify the necessary improvements at both airports to position them as regional air transport hubs. The current call for subsidies will remain open until October 7, 2024. Unlike previous calls, which were dominated mainly by Wizz Air, non-European airlines are now also allowed to participate. However, applicants must meet certain criteria, including handling at least five million passengers in 2023 and generating a net profit of at least ten million euros.

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Lufthansa increases minimum transfer time at Frankfurt hub to 60 minutes

Lufthansa has announced that from March 30, 2025, the minimum connecting time (MCT) for flights at the Frankfurt hub will be increased to 60 minutes. This adjustment, which was implemented in all reservation systems on September 12, 2024, affects numerous domestic German and European connections as well as flights from the Schengen area to the USA, South Africa and Singapore. Until now, a minimum connecting time of 60 minutes applied to many flights, but there were numerous exceptions that allowed connections in 45 or 50 minutes. This applied in particular to domestic German flights and many connections within Europe. Lufthansa has now decided to standardize this rule and set the MCT at 60 minutes. This decision aims to guarantee passengers a more reliable connecting time and to make connecting flights more efficient. According to Lufthansa, the affected bookings (PNRs) have been rebooked primarily on the connecting and connecting flights since September 12, 2024. In many cases, the tickets were also automatically revalidated where this was technically possible. However, if passengers had booked before the deadline and their transfer times do not comply with the new regulation, the airline recommends contacting the Lufthansa Group Sales & Service team. Impact on passengers and sales partners This change has an impact on both passengers and sales partners. Travelers who wish to book or rebook flights from the 2025 summer flight schedule should make sure to adhere to the new minimum transfer time. The adjustment could be particularly important for travelers who use close connecting flights. A longer minimum transfer time can reduce the likelihood of missed connections, which can improve overall travel comfort.

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Boeing restructures military and space business

Boeing is forced to take action due to significant financial losses in its military and space business. After repeated problems with the Starliner spacecraft and difficulties with armaments projects, new CEO Kelly Ortberg has replaced division head Ted Colbert. Steve Parker, previously responsible for operations, will take over as acting head. The Starliner had serious technical problems on its first manned flight, including engine malfunctions and helium leaks, which led NASA to return the capsule to Earth without astronauts. Astronaut Suni Williams and astronaut Barry Wilmore will now remain on the International Space Station ISS until February while they wait to be brought back by the SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft. In addition, Boeing is struggling with high cost overruns in the conversion of two 747 jumbo jets for the US President and the KC-46 tanker aircraft. In the last quarter, the military and space division reported an operating loss of around one billion dollars. The problems are further exacerbated by a strike by Boeing's largest union, which represents 33.000 workers.

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DRSF confirms no higher burdens for tour operators after FTI bankruptcy

Following the insolvency of the tour operator FTI, the German Travel Insurance Fund (DRSF) is faced with the challenges of managing refunded customer funds on a large scale. Despite initial fears on the part of tour operators that insolvency insurance could become more expensive, the all-clear has now been given. The DRSF has confirmed that the financial burdens will remain stable in the coming contract period from November 2024. As a spokesperson for the DRSF explained when asked, the contributions of the tour operators will remain unchanged. They will continue to pay one percent of the turnover from the package tour business to the fund. In a recent webinar, the managing directors of the DRSF, Ali Arnaout and Stefan Mees, emphasized that the amount of the required collateral will also remain stable. This will continue to be between five and nine percent of annual turnover, depending on the creditworthiness of the respective company. The positive news for the industry is due in particular to the realization that the financial burdens caused by the FTI insolvency are not as serious as initially feared. The DRSF expects that the capital gap caused by the insolvency will be less than 100 million euros. This is because a large part of the claims can be covered by collateral that FTI itself has deposited. According to estimates, this amounts to more than 200 million euros. Repayment of customer funds and insolvency prevention The repayments to FTI customers, which have been delayed, are another aspect that has been viewed critically. However, the DRSF announced that, with a few exceptions, all customers will receive their money back by autumn. The delays in reimbursement were attributed to incomplete customer data,

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Lebanon: Walkie talkies and pagers banned from flights

A series of explosions occurred in Lebanon in which thousands of pagers and walkie-talkies detonated simultaneously. These incidents claimed at least 37 lives and injured around 3.000 people. Middle East Airlines has subsequently decided to ban the affected devices from transport. The Lebanese Civil Aviation Authority issued a corresponding directive. The explosions are suspected to have been attributed to the Mossad, the Israeli secret service, as the communication equipment used by Hezbollah terrorists appears to have been targeted. The security situation in the Middle East is deteriorating after a high-ranking member of Hezbollah was killed in an air strike.

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