We are pleased to invite you to the opening of our upcoming exhibition “Among the Trees” on 6 September 2026.

Presented by Passage Art at Villa Schöningen, the exhibition spans three centuries of painting, sculpture, and photography, approaching the forest not as a fixed motif but as a shared terrain continuously observed, recorded, and reimagined. Set within the historic park landscape of Potsdam, it unfolds as a dialogue between art, nature, and space. Rather than proposing a thesis, Among the Trees offers something rarer: a place for contemplation, where beauty, transformation, and the quiet presence of the forest invite us to pause and look anew.

To celebrate Open Monument Day on 13 September, we are offering a guided tour of the history of Villa Schöningen. During the tour, you will learn more about its long history, from the Prussian era through the post-war period to its role during the Cold War. Besides, there will be a historical tour of Villa Schlieffen. This tour will focus on the history of Villa Schlieffen from 1945 to 1994, when the Soviet Army was stationed in the so-called Military Town No. 7, also known as the ‘Forbidden City’.

Sara Vidal Cabré is a singer, composer and multidisciplinary performer who trained at the Institut del Teatre in Barcelona. Her neo-soul project, Mío Ma, has amassed 150,000 streams and 4,000 monthly listeners. She has composed original music for theatre and film, including commissioned works for the National Theatre of Catalonia (Tàrsius, 2025) and the theatre production HERE, which toured internationally. Sara has performed at the Fusion Festival (DE), the Noisy Festival (UK) and the Palau de la Generalitat (ES).

Jarrah Dhyan is a Berlin-based producer, composer and multi-instrumentalist whose work spans jazz, soul and electronic music. His contemporary jazz project, Skyline Sun, has amassed over 300,000 streams, performing at major festivals such as Roskilde (DK), Nišville (RS), the Ankara Jazz Festival (TR) and Fusion Festival (DE), as well as at Club Gretchen (DE). Jarrah is an experienced curator and event producer who has organised over 50 live events and hosted numerous international artists in Berlin. He trained at the Australian Institute of Music and maintains active connections to the Australian jazz and contemporary music scenes.

Since 2020, Jarrah and Sara have worked together on several collaborative projects, including Souljam Berlin and Chow Chow Disco. They have produced and released original music together, creating a distinctive sound that blends contemporary jazz, neo-soul and electronic influences. In January 2026, they toured Australia with the support of Initiative Musik and the Goethe-Institut.

The event is curated by Pedales Jazz Project and is being held in cooperation.

Villa Schöningen is pleased to once again invite you this year to musical and literary performances by the Hans Otto Theater as part of the series “Hans Otto Visits the City’s Gardens and Homes.”

“Oh, how I long to see you!”

The historic villa, with its sprawling garden, provides a special setting for this series: Ronni Rath and Mia Rainprechter, two new, young ensemble members of the Hans Otto Theater, will read from the correspondence between Virginia Woolf and Vita Sackville-West. They will be accompanied by pianist Rita Herzog. Georg Kehren will moderate the event in his usual capable manner. Afterward, we look forward to a discussion with the artists.

A collaboration between the Hans Otto Theater and the Berliner Vorstadt e. V. association.

On September 19 Villa Schlieffen will be open to interested visitors and can be viewed as part of a free guided tour.

After the withdrawal of the Soviet army in 1994, the villa remained unused until 2023. Traces of this period are still visible in the rooms today and bear witness to its eventful history.

Complementing the architectural and historical exploration, Barbara Hammer’s video installation Sanctus from the Döpfner Collection is currently on display, adding an impressive contemporary perspective to the location.

A Figure Drawing class with a live model will take place on September 24, 2026, at Villa Schöningen, amidst the exhibition “Among the Trees”.

Led by artist Katrin Seifert, the class is open to anyone interested in art, regardless of their level of experience. The exhibition provides an extraordinary and inspiring backdrop for focused and creative drawing.

Participants should bring their own drawing materials (sketchpad, pencils, and a firm surface, ideally A3 size).

The number of participants is limited.

Hailing from Berlin, the exceptional singer Natascha Roth has enjoyed a multifaceted career as a jazz singer, composer and university lecturer in jazz and pop vocals for many years. Having performed on international stages, she sings with stylistic confidence and unique expressiveness. Her music transcends musical and geographical boundaries. Having spent many years living in southern Africa, other European countries and New York City, Natascha now lives and performs in Berlin.

The event is curated by Pedales Jazz Project and presented in cooperation.

City guide Kerstin Zarbock will take you on Sunday, September 27 on an impressive journey through the history of Villa Schöningen, a place of great significance in German history. Located directly on the former inner-German border, the villa was the setting for historic events, especially spy exchanges at the Glienicke Bridge.

This tour highlights the house’s role during the GDR era and its significance as a symbol of the Cold War. It is an informative and atmospheric approach to a place where world history becomes tangible.

A staged reading with Max Urlacher and Uli Plessmann
Concept and direction: Prof. Jürgen Haase
Followed by a discussion with Dr Karl-Heinz Bomberg, former client of Wolfgang Schnur’s psychotherapist specialising in trauma

The play “Die Anhörung” by Prof. Dr Jürgen Haase is based on the final interview between Wolfgang Schnur and journalist Alexander Kobylinski. Rather than being an artistic adaptation, the play focuses on Schnur’s final statements, which are presented faithfully: a unique piece of contemporary history that illustrates how dictatorship works and its impact on people.

Regarded in Rostock and beyond as a brilliant lawyer, Wolfgang Schnur (1944–2016) took on the GDR state on behalf of his clients. In 1990, he almost became the first freely elected Minister-President of the GDR. What nobody suspected was that Schnur was not only a lawyer for members of the opposition and a Christian, but also an informant for the Ministry for State Security for 25 years.

On October 11 Villa Schlieffen will be open to interested visitors and can be viewed as part of a free guided tour.

After the withdrawal of the Soviet army in 1994, the villa remained unused until 2023. Traces of this period are still visible in the rooms today and bear witness to its eventful history.

Complementing the architectural and historical exploration, Barbara Hammer’s video installation Sanctus from the Döpfner Collection is currently on display, adding an impressive contemporary perspective to the location.

Three authors, three literary voices, three culinary creations: the successful Lecker Lesen series brings literature and fine food together for a special evening at Villa Schöningen.

Between courses, the invited authors will read from their latest books, offering very different perspectives on relationships, social dynamics, and personal experiences. An evening combining lightness, depth, and sensory pleasure.

Readings by:
Anke Engelmann from Blender (Voland & Quist)
Frank Willmann from Balkanblut (Klett-Cotta)
Felice von Senkbeil from Ein Herz für Psychopathen (Mitteldeutscher Verlag)

Moderated by: Torsten Seifert

“The Art of Songs” brings together two exceptional musical voices for the first time: Singer Mia Knop Jacobsen captivates audiences with her clear, warm voice and an intense, nuanced storytelling style. Her music spans jazz, Scandinavian folk, and modern songwriting, characterized by Nordic melancholy, openness, and subtle dynamic nuances.

Guitarist Tal Arditi combines virtuoso playing with a keen sense for songwriting. His music blends jazz, indie, and singer-songwriter traditions. Together, the two present their own compositions and selected reinterpretations.

Look forward to a concert full of intimacy, musical subtlety, and spontaneous moments. The event is curated by Pedales Jazz Project and presented in cooperation with them.

On October 24, the sound of the harp will fill the exhibition Zwischen Bäumen. Harpist and singer Towadei will accompany visitors musically through the exhibition for one hour. Visitors are invited to wander among the works, linger, and experience the exhibition anew through the interplay of art and music.

Towadei has played the Celtic lever harp since childhood and accompanies her playing with vocals. The harp has been her lifelong companion, taking her to all kinds of unexpected places: from churches and circus tents to readings, dance performances, and exhibitions. Her music combines light melodies and clear vocals with rich, layered soundscapes and rhythmic dance tunes.

For Zwischen Bäumen, Towadei responds through her music to the unique atmosphere of the exhibition, inviting visitors to drift between artworks, trees, and sounds.

The harp concert will take place in the exhibition from 3 to 4 pm and is included in the regular admission price.

On October 22, 2026, Villa Schöningen invites you to a life drawing class with a live model as part of the exhibition “Among Trees.”

Under the guidance of artist Katrin Seifert, participants will have the opportunity to capture the human body through drawing and develop their own forms of expression in the process. The class is open to anyone interested, regardless of experience level. The exhibition’s unique atmosphere provides an inspiring setting for focused work and spontaneous sketches.

Please bring your own drawing supplies: a sketchpad, pencils, and a sturdy surface, preferably in A3 format. Space is limited.

Larry Porter is one of the most respected jazz pianists in Germany. For five decades, his personal approach to jazz and his inventive improvisations have shaped his performances of standards and original compositions. He has collaborated worldwide with jazz legends such as Chet Baker, Mel Lewis, Archie Shepp, Thad Jones, and Art Farmer.

Max Leiss and Ivars Arutyunyan round out the ensemble with their unique talent and individual musical voices.

Saxophonist Peter Weniger captivates audiences with his warm tone and creative improvisation. As a fixture of the German jazz scene, he combines emotional depth with virtuosity to bridge the old and the new. Since 1999, he has taught as a professor at the Berlin University of the Arts and served as director of the Jazz-Institut-Berlin from 2005 to 2019. His collaborators have included Billy Cobham, Maceo Parker, Eddie Palmieri, Mike Stern, and Peter Herbolzheimer, among others.

The quartet presents a diverse program featuring standards from the American Songbook, works by Thelonious Monk and Duke Ellington, as well as Larry Porter’s original compositions.

Doors open at 6 pm, and the ticket price includes admission to the in-house art exhibition, which you can visit before the concert. Our café offers warming soup, fine wine, and what is arguably the most beautiful atmosphere for a jazz concert.