A visionary theatre!
The Wilo-Foundation has a special affinity with Dortmund culture. To strengthen the cultural potential of Dortmund, for the benefit of the region and beyond, and to promote international exchange with Dortmund’s twin cities (e.g. Xi’an (China), Rostov-on-Don (Russia)), the foundation supports the opera, ballet and drama sections of Dortmund’s local theatre, the Theater Dortmund.
Opera: Through its support, the foundation creates the opportunity for outstanding opera productions such as “Echnaton” by Philip Glass (2019), which also involved the NRW Junior Ballet, and from 2020 onwards will also provide funding for a project of the opera’s new director Heribert Germeshausen – a large-scale opera production that includes symposiums and is part of the “Wagner Cosmos” festival (2020-2024).
NRW Junior Ballet: The NRW Junior Ballet was established by the state of North Rhine-Westphalia to promote dance in the region. By providing scholarships, the Wilo-Foundation has been supporting some exceptionally talented young dancers ever since the programme was launched in 2014. The programme gives young dancers from all over the world an opportunity to gain two years of vital stage practice and professional experience. In 2018, the Wilo-Foundation also supported the China ballet tour “Faust II” of Dortmund’s ballet director Xin Peng Wang with performances in Xi’an, Dortmund’s twin city, and in Peking and Dalian.
Academy for Digitality: The Wilo-Foundation supports the theatre’s drama section in implementing visionary formats. A key focus is on the Academy for Digitality and Theatre – unique in Germany – which is publicly funded and also receives some financial support from private sponsors such as the Wilo-Foundation in hosting conferences such as “Enjoy Complexity” (2018) and in providing fellowships for research projects (2019-22).
Our funding partner:
Theater Dortmund, with its five segments of opera, ballet, concert, drama and junior theatre, has played a central role in Dortmund’s cultural scene for more than 100 years. With over 750 performances and around 70 productions every season, it is one of the most productive theatres in Europe. Its opera house, theatre, studio, junior theatre and youth opera are venues for programmes that set cultural benchmarks well beyond the city’s boundaries.
