The cultural scene has been waiting impatiently for this, now the time has come: the “Bergson Art Power Plant” will open its doors in the west of Munich in April. What has grown out of the ruins of the former heating plant in Aubing in recent years is probably the largest and most innovative cultural venue that Bavaria currently has to offer. Or as Spiritus rector Michael Amberger said at a press conference: “pure adventure”. His dream is “a place where high culture meets subculture,” where opera aficionados and poetry slammers meet.
The excitement and anticipation are also so great because there have been small changes in timing recently. The Allguth brothers Michael and Christian Amberger acquired this lost place, marked by techno raves and parties, in 2005 and, step by step, jazzed it up to a great vision. The gas station operators stuck to their bold plan to open in October 2023 for a long time. Construction has been going on since the pandemic year of 2021, and the topping-out ceremony was in the summer of 2023. The January 2024 date could not be met either, but at least there was a pop-up offer in the Munich building, as a foretaste of the upcoming Bergson program, so to speak Town hall at Marienplatz.
Spiritus rector and entrepreneur Michael Amberger dreams of a “place where high culture meets subculture,” where opera aficionados and poetry slammers meet.
(Photo: Georg Stirnweiss)
But now life is gradually coming to life in the 20,000 square meter area in Aubing, where the sensitively modernized and listed industrial ruins from the 1920s and the new Bergson building are located, both designed by the architects’ office Stenger 2. The “Elan vital” , to which the namesake and French philosopher Henri-Louis Bergson devoted a lot of thought in the early 20th century, should be tangible for everyone. There is still drilling, hammering and screwing being done at and in the art power plant these days, and restaurant furniture is being delivered. But the “staggered opening” from April to October is also intended to have a dramatic effect.
And that’s how the opening round begins: As befits a project of this dimension, a “housewarming party” will be celebrated several times: on five evenings, April 9th to 13th, visitors will warm up to the Bergson with electronic dance music and drinks .
Perhaps the most spectacular event in April is the immersive party concert “Bergson’s Rise” (more than ten dates starting April 20). Here the team called “Bergsonians” can show what they mean by making culture permanently tangible for everyone. “Interactions and inspiration” under one roof, as Michael Amberger says. The ennobled Orchestra in Residence Jazz Rush Big Band with the artistic director Roman Sladek plays partly in the middle of the audience, while the 25 meter high atrium is highlighted by a light show.
Roman Sladek’s famous Jazzrausch big band is the Orchestra in Residence at the Bergson. Sladek (below right) is also the artistic director at Bergson.
(Photo: Sebastian Reiter)
Sladek emphasizes the importance of in-house productions like this. Bergson explicitly wanted to be a “producer of cultural content”; In addition to guest performances, artists from the region should also be featured. The regularly involved “Bergson Artists” alone consist of 100 Munich residents.
The first dance, theater and live music evenings have already been bagged, as well as family experiences such as “Peter and the Wolf” with members of the Bavarian State Orchestra and crossover events such as cultural and culinary experiences.
Gastro plays a big role anyway. The Zeitlang restaurant opened on April 10th, reservations are possible from April 13th, and promises “fine dining with a casual, informal atmosphere”. There are also several bars and, in summer, a beer garden. The Bergson culinary team is headed by Christopher Engel (Hotel Vier Saisonen), who is said to have worked for Madonna and the… Rolling Stones cooked.
In total, more than 50 employees and 20 temporary workers are already working at the Bergson, and dozens more jobs are to be created. The program director is the ex-BR journalist Maximilian Maier. He wanted to appeal to “the broadest possible audience.”
The live club in the basement of the old building (“Barbastelle”, in June) and the modern concert hall with space for up to 500 people in the new building (beginning of October) will gradually be revitalized. The gallery in the silo and atrium will also open on May 7th. Firstly, works by the artist Monira Al Qadiri from Berlin, who has already had solo exhibitions in China and the USA and can be seen at Haus der Kunst, will be shown. A group exhibition will follow in July in the new building on four floors. With a total of around 2,000 square meters, what Bergson calls the “largest gallery space in Germany”.
Old industrial charm meets modern architecture: insight into the old Bergson building, where the mezzanine “beletage” will also be used.
(Photo: Benjamin Günther/Bergson)
Our own academy with lectures and discussion groups starts in June. Already on April 18th there will be a panel about the Munich cultural scene, including cultural speaker Anton Biebl and Serge Dorny, director of the Bavarian State Opera.
Despite all the temptations that the Amberger brothers are constantly offering with their major project, some people still ask themselves: Will the audience go along with it? Will not only the surrounding area come to Aubing, but also city people, if possible in large numbers and regularly? Aubing is the westernmost district of Munich. From Marienplatz it takes just under 20 minutes by S-Bahn to Langwied station, then it’s another seven minutes on foot.