‘Fairground or reality?’ conference: talk on social transformations in Lusatia – and Rummelplatz opera world premiere

On 21 September 2025, Friederike Pank will be giving a talk on social transformations since 1990 in the Eastern German region Lusatia based on her fieldwork which she conducted for the EMPTINESS project. The talk is part of the conference Fairground or Reality? which brings together scholars of history, literature, and the social sciences, as well as authors and other prominent figures from art and culture to discuss the legacy of East Germany’s ruptured history in literature and society. The conference is part of a larger project which includes the world premiere of Rummelplatz, an opera about Soviet-led uranium ore mining in the region. Friederike also convenes the discussion series Carousel of Thought which follows each performance and sheds light on the rich historical, political and cultural themes of the opera.