400 Years First Folio - Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories & Tragedies
William Shakespeare's legendary first complete edition celebrates its 400th birthday. The anniversary is international: institutions all over the world are showing their First Folios. And so are we!
There are 234 First Folio copies left in the world today, only 14 of which are Top Class I or "Class A" editions, i.e. unrepaired books in the best state of preservation. One of these is owned by the University of Cologne. The university bought the book, along with four other Shakespeare volumes, on the antiquarian book market in 1960 for 425,000 German marks. Today, the First Folio is one of the most expensive books in the world.
In Shakespeare's time, theater companies rarely wrote down their plays so as not to provide material for the competition. Many works from that time have therefore not survived today. But fortunately things were different for Shakespeare: two good friends and fellow actors of the writer printed Shakespeare's 36 plays after his death in a large, leather-bound folio format on high-quality paper. The title: "Mr. William Shakespeare's Comedies, Histories & Tragedies." To this book we owe plays such as Macbeth, Julius Caesar, or A Midsummer Night's Dream, which otherwise would not have been handed down.
To mark the anniversary, the University and City Library has digitized its valuable edition to make it available to everyone on an open access platform in the future. The "First Folios Compared" platform enables a direct literary comparison of different First Folio copies in split-screen view.
But of course, the original will also be on display for the anniversary. Together with the Wallraf-Richartz-Museum & Fondation Corboud and the Theaterwissenschaftliche Sammlung, the University and City Library is showing the First Folio in an exhibition. In addition, there will be a supporting program with readings, theater, music and a Shakespeare dinner.
28.09.2023: Shakespeare as Inspiration - On the Trail of Anthony Powell
The influence of William Shakespeare's work on literature is still enormous today - quotations from Macbeth, Hamlet & Co can be found - sometimes hidden and sometimes quite obvious - again and again in books, films and idioms. The English writer Anthony Powell used Shakespeare quotes as titles for his memoirs and Shakespeare's traces can also be found in his 'Micellaneous Verdicts'. In the process, he has made references even to Marcel Proust. We cordially invite you to discover inspirations, cross-references and allusions with us!
Venue
Bibliotheca Reiner Speck, Kämpchensweg 58, 50933 Cologne-Müngersdorf
2:30 p.m.: Tour of the Proust and Petrarch collections 16:00: Welcome & Introduction Dr. Henner Löffler 16:15: A very special treasure: The First Folio of the USB Cologne Dr Christiane Hoffrath 5:00 p.m.: The Perfection of Literature: Shakespeare & the 'Great Rule Breaker' as judged by Anthony Powell Prof. Dr. Theo Langheid 17:45: Powell`s Will - A Reading of the Author Dr. Johanna Dombois
Afterwards we invite you to a drink together.
The event is organised by the University and City Library of Cologne in cooperation with the Anthony Powell Society. Admission is free.
03.03. - 11.06.2023: The whole drama - Shakespeare's "First Folio" from 1623
The Wallraf-Richartz-Museum shows Shakespeare's legendary complete edition combined with graphic works from the world of art and theater. The exhibition makes Shakespeare's literary world with its fantastic characters and scenes visible and tangible.
The Shakespeare Festival Neuss presents THE ERLKINGS. The band puts Shakespeare to music in their very own way in the replica of Shakespeare's legendary Globe Theater at the Neuss Racecourse. The multi-storey construction made of wood and steel opens its doors every year in early summer as part of the Shakespeare Festival. The audience sits in a semicircle on different levels, so that the artists on stage are within reach.
At Kunsthalle Lindenthal, Shakespeare's sonnets will be read, interpreted and placed in the context of modernity. Marco Sprinz, Burcin Keskin, Hans-Peter Speicher and Nico Feiden, each with a background in acting, directing and literature, will talk about the meaning of the sonnets and discuss different interpretations. The audience is invited to join in the discussion! What universal statements are inherent in the works? What personal meaning do the texts have for the readers and what can be argued about?
Free admission!
Start: 7 pm
Venue: Kunsthalle Lindenthal, Aachener Straße 220, 50931 Cologne, Germany
23.04.2023: Shakespeare-Day
On Shakespeare's birthday, there is a special programme all about the playwright at the Wallraf-Richartz-Museum. Tina Wilhelm and Sven Gey perform scenes from "A Midsummer Night's Dream", "Richard the Third", "Macbeth" and "As You Like It" in a Shakespeare medley.
There will also be a screening of the 2015 Macbeth film adaptation starring Michael Fassbender and Marion Cotillard, and exclusive curatorial tours of "The Whole Drama - Shakespeare's First Folio of 1623".
Admission is free!
Programme:
12:15: Film screening "Macbeth"(2015). GB / USA / F 2015 - 110' - FSK: from 12 - Director: Justin Kurzel With Michael Fassbender, Marion Cotillard, Jack Reynor, David Thewlis, Elizabeth Debicki a.o. in the Stiftersaal
2 p.m.: Guided tour of "The Whole Drama" with Prof. Dr. Peter W. Marx
3 p.m.: Shakespeare Medley in the Stiftersaal
4 pm: Guided tour of "The whole drama" with Prof. Dr. Peter W. Marx
All the world's a stage - Kunstspäti meets Schauspiel Köln
The event organised by jungekunstfreunde is especially aimed at all those between 18 and 28 years of age and offers exciting tours and performances by Schauspiel Köln.
The Shakespeare Company Coelln presents Shakespeare's first great comedy at the Urania Theatre in Cologne. The play deals with the struggle between man and woman and the inequality of the sexes. The Shakespeare Company takes the gender issue to the extreme on this evening of theatre: after the actresses on stage refuse to continue acting in the misogynistic play, the only option left for the male cast members is to regress to Shakespeare's times. This is how "The Taming of the Shrew" ends at the Urania Theatre this evening played by a historical all-men ensemble - all roles are played by men.
Schloss Türnich invites you to an Old English mystery evening like in Shakespeare's time. The renowned author Ulrich Land will read from his historical English crime novel "Messerwetzen im Team Shakespeare" (Sharpening the Knives in Team Shakespeare) and will be musically accompanied by Florian Stadler on the accordion. The reading will be accompanied by a historical 3-course menu in organic quality in a fitting castle ambience.
Start: 6:30 pm
Location: Schloss Türnich, Nussbaumallee corner Ulmenweg, 50169 Kerpen
30.03.2023: Shakespeare & Theatre / Karin Henkel & Prof. Dr. Peter W. Marx
What distinguishes the staging of Shakespeare's plays? What challenges does Shakespeare pose for a director and what possibilities are offered in dealing with his material and characters? The renowned theatre director Karin Henkel explores these challenges and pleasures in dealing with Shakespeare's works in a discussion with Prof. Dr. Peter W. Marx at the KunstBewusst lecture.
ub.uni-koeln.de
![[This content is not available in "Englisch" yet] Das Titelblatt der berühmten First Folio, auf dem Shakespeare abgebildet ist.](/sites/UB/user_upload/firstfolio_titelblatt.jpg)
![[This content is not available in "Englisch" yet] Ein Foto des gut erhaltenden Einband mit der Aufbewahrungskassette.](/sites/UB/user_upload/firstfolio_einbandaufbewahrung.jpg)
![[This content is not available in "Englisch" yet] Foto des Inhaltsverzeichnisses aus der First Folio.](/sites/UB/user_upload/firstfolio_inhaltsverzeichnis.jpg)
![[This content is not available in "Englisch" yet] Foto der Titelseite vom "Sommernachtstraum".](/sites/UB/user_upload/firstfolio_titelseite.jpg)
![[This content is not available in "Englisch" yet] Foto des Vorgangs in dem die First Folio behutsam in einem Spezialscanner digitalisiert wird.](/sites/UB/user_upload/firstfolio_spezialscanner.jpg)
![[This content is not available in "Englisch" yet] Foto des Vorgangs in dem die First Folio behutsam in einem Spezialscanner digitalisiert wird.](/sites/UB/user_upload/firstfolio_individuelleanpassung.jpg)