How does music become political? In a conversation with sociologist Simon Teune, Claudia van Hasselt, artistic director, dramaturge, and singer of FrauVonDa, as well as Konstanze Schmitt and Danae Nagel from the Lauratibor collective, discuss different perspectives on the relationship between music, theatre, and politics. The panel discussion examines this question through two different contexts of artistic practice: on the one hand, institutionally embedded forms of music theatre; on the other, artistic practices emerging from social movements and using public space as a site of performance.

The discussion focuses on two specific projects: the documentary, interactive new music performance Echoes of Silence by FrauVonDa and the protest opera Wem gehört Lauratibor? by the Lauratibor collective, which addresses issues of urban development, displacement, and housing politics in public space. Excerpts from both works are integrated into the discussion.

Drawing on these examples, the German-language panel discussion explores questions surrounding the conditions of political art production, the role of art institutions and funding structures, as well as artistic practices connected to social movements. It highlights different ways in which music can engage with political issues and intervene in social contexts.