When the magic of film blends with the magic of the night sky, Duisburg cinephiles know it's time for the Stadtwerke Summer Cinema. Under the direction of Stefanos Tsialis, the Duisburg Philharmonic Orchestra is once again participating in this cult open-air event this season. On screen: Charlie Chaplin's last great silent film masterpiece, "Modern Times." On the music stands: the moving music that the leading actor, director, screenwriter, and producer Chaplin composed for this classic of film history, which premiered in 1936 – with the help of accomplished Hollywood musicians, incidentally, as he couldn't read or even write music. From the noisy sounds of the machine age to echoes of Giacomo Puccini's music, Charlie Chaplin, seen here for the last time as a tramp with a mustache, cane, and hat, uses a diverse palette of moods for the catchy soundtrack. Above all, the yearning final melody is well known not only to enthusiastic moviegoers, but with a subsequent text version entitled “Smile” it still has a musical life of its own today.

Stadtwerke Summer Cinema

Landschaftspark Duisburg-Nord

It is all so heartbreakingly tragicomic, tears roll alternately from laughing and crying. An hour and a half of being overwhelmed by images and sounds, yet so lovingly everyday, so not even worth mentioning: No, he is still mute, the Tramp, even though talkies have long since conquered the screen. Words are used as sounds. A major exception is Léo Daniderff's hit song "Titina", which the protagonist sings towards the end of the film "Modern Times". A chanson, so important simply because in 1936 the world was able to hear the voice of the little tramp for the first time: Chaplin sings! 

Charlie Chaplin: “Modern Times”

Laeiszhalle Hamburg

Fairytale sounds, royal fanfares, hunting horns in the forest and festive dances at court - in the classic film Three Hazelnuts for Cinderella, music plays a key role alongside the magical title character. Sensitively conceived, the simple and wonderfully designed orchestral score by Karel Svoboda provides the appropriate sound flair until Cinderella finally finds her fairytale prince in her search for love and happiness.
The Philharmonie for the Film is bringing the film to the main house of the Volkstheater. Thanks to the technical possibility of separating sound tracks, the film will be shown with original dialogue and accompanied by the North German Philharmonic Orchestra Rostock.

Stefanos Tsialis

Events

Past events

21 - 23 Aug, 2025

Stadtwerke Summer Cinema · Duisburger Philharmoniker

Apr 17, 2025

Charlie Chaplin: “Modern Times” · Symphoniker Hamburg

Future and recently performed repertoire

Conductor in Charly Chaplin by Times

Symphoniker Hamburg

About

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