VA - In 50 Jahren ist alles vorbei - Originalaufnahmen aus dem alten Wintergarten und seiner Zeit

This is an album with orignal recordings of cabaret artists of the 1920s, 30s and 40s, related to the famous "Alter Wintergarten", a large variety theatre in Berlin-Mitte. The album features artists like Otto Reutter, Rosita Serrano, the Comedian Harmonists, Fritzi Massary, Paul Lincke, Gustav Gründgens, Claire Waldoff, Josephine Baker and Marlene Dietrich.

The Central Hotel opened in the year 1880 in Friedrichstraße. A special attraction for its guests was the “jardin de plaisanterie” or winter garden. Situated in a magnificent glass hall reminiscent of a crystal palace, it covered some 2,000 sq. m. and was unrivalled in quality and size at the time. The guests at the plush hotel delighted in promenading through the garden with its palm trees, evergreen shrubs and creepers, fountains and grottoes. The first concerts were held the same year.

In 1888 the stage was extended and fitted with the large, semicircular apron later regarded as its hallmark. The appropriate technical facilities were installed to allow for performances by acrobats. Both the management of the theatre and the press refered to the Wintergarten for the first time as a variety theatre.

In the year 1895 the Wintergarten scored a world premiere when the Skladanowsky brothers brought the sensational new art of cinematography to the stage.

In 1900 the management was changed and further conversion work was carried out. The famous starry sky was installed in the auditorium, which has already been fitted with a concert shell, main stage and scene bay. The Wintergarten ranked as the best of the 80-odd variety theatres in Berlin at the turn of the century. No new act, no sensation and no great entertainer could afford to ignore the Wintergarten. The theatre played host to many opera and circus stars, the best-known dancing girls, virtuoso performers, the clowns, Grock and Charlie Rivel, the marvellous juggler, Rastelli, and the incredible escape artist, Houdini. Stars, entertainers and muses of every nationality regarded an engagement at the Wintergarten as an honour.

Variety theatre boomed in the Roaring Twenties and the Wintergarten was in its heyday. During these crazy years full of eccentric fashions, demure divas and talented characters it were Claire Waldoff and Otto Reutter, in particular, who leaved their mark on the Wintergarten.

After 56 years of shows and a final performance on 21 June 1944 the Wintergarten was destroyed in a bombing raid. The most spectacular variety theatre Germany has ever known lied in ruins.

The name "Wintergarten" was taken on by a theatre in Potsdamer Strasse in 1992.

VA - In 50 Jahren ist alles vorbei - Originalaufnahmen aus dem alten Wintergarten und seiner Zeit
(256 kbps, cover art included)