Austria News » Culture

Austrian stage actors below the poverty line

admin — Wed, 05 Jan 2011 06:31:39 +0000

Being a stage actor in Austria means to lead a hard life, reports Austrias Broadcasting Corporation “ORF”.

A new study of the ministry of education and cultural affairs revealed the fact that many actors have to live with a monthly salary of 700 Euro. This means they have to live below the poverty line. Many actors also work self-employed and have no access to the unemployment benefit.

“During the practice time it’s not possible to take a side job”, reports an affected actress. “I have to survive with the money I get”, she confirmed. Only 2,4 percent of the actors in Austria are employed. The rest has to work free-lance, shows the study.

The result of the study is a disaster for the manager of a theatre in Salzburg. “For a cultural nation like Austria it’s disastrous”, was his short comment. Many actors even also have no health insurance. Politicans already promised to improve the situation, but most of the actors stay sceptical. “If there will be more money for culture, it will disappear in the administration and the bureaucracy”, was the unanimous opinion from the side of the actors.

Photographer: Vinicius Tupinamba | Agency: Dreamstime.com

Austrian social researcher against Facebook

admin — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 06:00:15 +0000

An Austrian social researcher confirmed his critical view on the internet social network provider “Facebook”. The Lower Austrian Media festival was the right place to do that. Irrelevances like “I am going to take a shower” dominate the character of the web service, and turn the inside of a humans private life out.

Especially people between 15 and 17 years are very exicted about Facebook. The researcher claims that people in such age usually spend more than 4 hours everyday on the controversial website. He warns that such kind of internet service has an addictiveness, which shouldn’t be underestimated.

The social researcher explains that Facebook users think they have many social contacts, but those in the internet are not the reality. Most of the users are going to have a massive identity problem sooner or later, he believes.

Michael Jackson memorial concert in Vienna?

admin — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 04:31:53 +0000

According to media reports, Jermaine Jackson, who is the brother of the deceased pop singer Michael Jackson, plans to organize a memorial concert in Vienna infront of the famous Schloss Schönbrunn castle. The concert should take place at the end of September, and there should be enough space for 85.000 visitors.

But it seems the responsible persons of Vienna are not too excited about such an idea. A lot of permits for the concerts are still missing. One of the main problems is that the Western driveway to Vienna must be totally closed if the concert takes place.

Also the operator of the castle behaves upstage. An agreement is not in sight. The main problem for the operator is the noise protection. Not clear either is the information which artists are going to join a Michael Jackson memorial concert. There are rumours that Madonna, U2, or Whitney Houston would come and show their performances.

Despite all problems, Viennas Socialdemocratic vice mayor Renate Brauner is optimistic about it. “I think we can realize the concert in Vienna”, she said.

Viennese prefer Italian restaurants

admin — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 04:28:12 +0000

Every second male Viennese and every third female Viennese visit a restaurant once a week.

Their destination in the evening is usually an Italian restaurant. Viennese prefer Italian cuisine.

This reveals a new study of the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber. In spite of the financial crisis, the gourmets of Vienna don’t want to save money by choosing their meals. But they try to be economical by choosing the drinks.

42 percent of the Viennese declared that they are going to decrease their restaurant visits. In one month the average Viennese spends 57 Euro for drinks and 72 Euro for meals. Two third have a regular haunt.

Only two percent visit a restaurant every day. 20 percent several times a week, 22 percent once a week, 30 percent one time in two weeks, 26 percent rarely or never. The most enthusiastic visitors of restaurants in Vienna are between 14 and 29 years old.

Viennas most popular restaurants in the evening are Italian restaurants. 72 percent of the women and 57 percent of the men prefer the Italian cuisine. The second most popular restaurants in Vienna have native cuisine in their menu. Wiener Schnitzel is one of the most popular meals in Austrias capital. On the third rank comes the Asian cuisine.

Festival Of Regions 2009 in Linz

admin — Mon, 18 May 2009 04:28:39 +0000

Upper Austrias every 2 years recurring Festival Of Regions is this year located in the Southern part of Linz called “Auwiesen”. “Normality” is the official title of the festival.

The official website fdr.at writes: In 2009, in collaboration with Linz 09 Cultural Capital of Europe, the Festival of Regions will be oriented toward the southern edge of the city of Linz, along the Traun River, with focus on the satellite town of Auwiesen and the residential complexes of solarCity.

From Allende Square to Luna Square, beyond the inner urban orientation toward concentration, commercial use and entertainment, and at a certain safe distance from the cultural spectacles propagated on all sides, the Festival of Regions is interested in the factual or imagined state of normality in urban life and in seeking out its cultural expression. Since 1993 the Festival of Regions has been taking place every two years at decentralized locations in the state of Upper Austria with its capital, Linz, and since then it has developed into contemporary vent with a focus on present-day, site-specific art and culture. At the interface between art and veryday life, the festival’s projects incorporate the populace into a critical engagement with social, olitical and artistic questions. Outside the centres, the Festival of Regions combines contemporary ultural ork and art forms with local histories, problematics and idiosyncrasies.

I have visited the “Garden of the senses”. An unplanned plot on the lane called “Magerweg”, between parking lots and residential blocks, and publicly accessible from the outset, the free lance artist hailing from Serbia built, on his own initiative, a botanical-artistic mini-biotope with plants, workshop area, watercourses, places to sit and shady spots.

A very interesting and bizarre place in the centre of high rising residential houses. The artist who created this kind of oasis is Petar Radisavljevic. A very kind and friendly man who takes a lot of time for his visitors, and enjoys to tell a lot of stories about him and his beautiful garden.

Welcome to the Festival Of Regions 2009 in Auwiesen!

There is a lot of advertising everywhere.

Finally I made it to the “Garden Of Senses”.

The entrance.

The cactus collection. An affectionated arranged stairway leads to the centre of the garden.

The heart of the garden. A look back to the entrance and the stairs.

The passionate artist in his element. He attracts the attention of the visitors with exciting stories about his botanic artwork.

Selfphotography. Der artistical gardener as shadow.

The green oasis in the south of Linz.

The small garden in the centre of residential house facilities.

Online dating service for Austrias folk musicians

admin — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 05:36:23 +0000

Austrias folk musicians have problems to find the right partner. To guarantee enough of offspring from relationships between folk musicians, the governing body of that certain musical direction opened an online dating service for such kind of people.

The director of the governing body from the federal state of Salzburg knows what is important in life: love and music. Finding the perfect match, someone who likes and can play the favourite kind of music, is the ultimate ambition of the project.

“It’s easy to participate”, claims one of the joint founders. The lonely musician has to call a telephone number and give away his name, telephone number and his e-mail address. His data will be published on the website, and someone who is interested can contact the advertiser directly.

The first participant of the online dating service was a 14-year-old boy from Bavaria who likes to play guitarre.

Austrian movie “Revanche” from Götz Spielmann nominated for Oscar

admin — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 05:41:40 +0000

“Revanche” made by the Austrian film maker Götz Spielmann was chosen to be one of the five best none-English movies last year, and nominated for this years Oscar. The movie was shot in Lower Austrias Northern province “Waldviertel”, close to the border of the Czech Republic.

The four other chosen flicks are the German “Der Baader Meinhof Komplex”, the French Cannes winner “Entre les murs”, the Jewish Golden Globe winner “Waltz with Bashir” from Israel, as well as the Japanese movie “Departures”.

“Revanche” already received many prices in Austria and abroad. The most important actors of the movie are Johannes Krisch, Ursula Strauss, Irina Potapenko, Andreas Lust and Hannes Thanheiser.

“Revanche” is about a bank robber who lost his girlfriend during the raid. She was shot on the escape by a policeman. The bank robber vows vengeance and meets the wife of the policeman who shot his girlfriend.

Lower Austrian pupils enjoy to trash their teachers

admin — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 05:37:27 +0000

A new study of violence in Lower Austrian schools led to an interesting result. Already every 10th teacher of Lower Austria was trashed by his pupils in the school. And the violence is still increasing.

What is the reason of such an outbreak of violence against teachers? Does pupils have too much energy? Or is it the outdated learning style which makes those young people so much angry?

A smart psychologist thinks to know the answer. The reason for the violence is located in the families of the pupils. Lower Austrian parents are known as quite silent. Silence makes children aggressive. If parents would be more talkactive in their family life, the children wouldn’t beat their teachers

The teachers of Lower Austria have to live in fear. They could become a helpless victim in school anytime. Some of the pupils have good boxing skills. “This can hurt”, says an insider.

Additionally teachers are quite helpless in such situations. If they struggle and fight back, they are going to lose their job. They are even not allowed to touch the teenage aggressors. They only thing they can do is to hope that the pupil does not hit too hard.

Many teachers in Lower Austria are afraid to go to work. They become depressive and mentally sick. Now politicans should find a solution against the indefensible conditions. A professional security service, social workers, and psychologists in school classes during the lessons should help to solve the problem.

Photographer: Vinicius Tupinamba | Agency: Dreamstime.com

Viennese campaign artist disgusted about contracts for African artists

admin — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 05:38:09 +0000

The famous Austrian singer, campaign artist, author, and actor Andre Heller from Vienna is disgusted about the contracts for artists from Africa, who are travelling through Austria with their circus show called “Afrika! Afrika!”

The Viennese city magazine “Falter” reports about the infeasible conditions for the artists. One artist of the circus was dismissed unexpected. He decided to go to court now.

Mr. Heller is not very happy about the manager of the show. “He is a severe calculating businessman. This is not good for the artists. The success of the show is located in the joy and the safety of the artists”, confirmes Heller.

Heller thinks that the artists should receive contracts as employees, and not as freelancers. “If the manager won’t accept that, I am sure the whole circus is dead within one year”, says Heller.

Heller was the one who had the idea of the African circus. He left the project after differences in opinion with the manager. The show is known for its expensive entrance fees.

Young theatre actresses from Vienna as erotic models

admin — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 05:11:44 +0000

Some of Viennas most famous theatre actresses undressed themselfes for erotic pictures. Twelve of those pictures can be seen in the foyer of the Burgtheater.

“The wind of change is blowing”, “pure erotic”, and “this is modern art” were the pedantic comments of some critical observers. It was the director of Viennas Burgtheater who had the glorious idea to do such kind of photos.

The main subject of the photos was the engagement with the body, explains theatre director Klaus Bachler. Curator Otmar Rychlik told that those photos should not be considered as remembrance exhibition.

Even star actress and beauty queen Birgit Minichmayr had no problem to undress herself infront of the camera. Such courage also impressed the leading managers of Austrian mail service. They promised to publish the erotic pictures on 55-cent-stamps.

Photographer: Vinicius Tupinamba | Agency: Dreamstime.com