Würzburg harbor summer enriches the city’s cultural life again | Sunday paper

Mulo Francel was fascinated by the water right from the start. The head of the acoustic quartet founded in 1996 “New Frame” has been a guest with his band on the floating stage in the old port of Würzburg several times and has played thousands of concerts in the past quarter of a century. The unique atmosphere, however, with the stone grandstand covered by the oval of the thermal power station in front of him, the vines of the vineyards on the horizon behind him and Of course, the wet under him repeatedly enchanted the thoroughbred musician on Monday at the guest performance in Würzburg.

It is mainly music world travelers like him who, in the three weeks of the harbor summers at the Old Port next to the Kulturspeicher and be enchanted by the ambience. Again and again, water plays a role in the announcements of the saxophonist and founding member of the unusual troupe, which has already done so much: spices set to music, actress Ulrike Kriener provided musical support for Bible readings, recorded children’s albums and of course presented a Christmas album, as it is in this form as well is as unique as the port summer itself.

Good reception from the guests

Almost 1000 guests were seated on the steps and in the adjoining rows of chairs that evening. The events of the past few days, which have attracted artists as diverse as Thees Uhlmann, who became known as an alternative rocker with “Tomte”, or the Portuguese singer-songwriter Aline Frazão to the cathedral city, were consistently well attended. Also the guest performance of the “Songs on a summer evening” with songwriters of the present and old master Manfred Maurenbrecher. For two years there was radio silence at the old port due to corona. Now the port summer, a cultural flagship of the city of Würzburg, is being well received again.

Gone are the days when the festival, launched in 2007, had more of the air of an elite series of events for intellectuals. The right balance between high cultural standards and suitability for a majority is now working perfectly. The port summer does not necessarily appeal to the public who heave themselves onto the beer tables at the Kiliani folk festival, nor to the people who like to retire in the barren artists’ cellar. Or maybe there are still enough people from both worlds? In any case, there is still a lot on offer on the Hafensommer stage until August 7th. And between the Tokyo music collective “Minyo Crusaders” (August 3rd), singer Wallis Bird (August 6th) or the Munich “Jazzrausch Bigband” there is definitely something to discover.

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