New & Approved News from the region

NEW & APPROVED

News from the region

The Female Art of Comedy

IS THERE A typical female sense of humour? Do women laugh differently to men? Do they make different kinds of jokes? These are the exact questions that Anna Heiss has been trying to answer of late. The 31-year-old has been the director of the legendary Dekadenz, a small-scale theatre and cabaret cellar in Brixen/Bres

Anna Heiss has been the director of the legendary Dekadenz theatre in Brixen since 2017. The 31-yearold wants to empower more women to take to the stage.

sanone, since autumn 2017. Her mission during the current theatre season is to empower women by supporting female comedians to tread the boards. “Cabaret and small-scale theatre are so heavily dominated by men that I thought I would set up a counter movement,” says Anna, who was born in Brixen. “In our theatre, we’ve found that performances by women are generally better received, possibly because more women go to the theatre. When women account for 70 percent of the audience, why should 70 percent of the performers on stage be male?” Before launching her career as a cabaret director, Anna lived in Vienna, where she studied film, theatre and media as well as cultural management. She has contributed to various theatre projects and is a member of the VonPiderZuHeiss theatre ensemble. Her involvement in theatre started at a young age when she joined a youth dance theatre group in Brixen. The Dekadenz theatre is based in a historic cellar known as the Anreiterkeller in the medieval district of Stufels/Stufles. Besides putting on two in-house productions a year, it hosts performers from German-speaking countries and jazz musicians. Anna’s wish is for gender to no longer play a role in the cabaret industry – something that she herself is now contributing to.

A PlasticFree Mountain

The Plose massif is on its way to being a plasticfree mountain, its lodge managers having done away completely with plastic bottles. The stainless steel ones available as part of the Refill initiative can be filled up at quality-tested water fountains in the skiing and hiking area.

PLOSE, which residents of Brixen/Bressanone commonly refer to as their local mountain, is a massif with several peaks: Telegraph (2,486 metres), Pfannspitze (2,547 metres) and Gabler (2,576 metres). Besides being a popular skiing and hiking area, it is known for the high-quality mineral water sourced from its spring. Now the mountain is also making a name for itself by launching an environmental protection campaign. Since summer 2019, plastic bottles have no longer been available in any of the mountain lodges on the Plose massif. The lodge managers are also taking steps to minimise their general plastic consumption as far as possible. At the same time, the “Refill” initiative has been launched to make stylish stainless steel bottles available at all lodges on the Plose. Visitors, hikers and skiers can fill up these bottles – or their own drink containers – from drinking water fountains on the Plose marked with “Refill” stickers. The quality of the water from these fountains has been tested, reassuring users that they are enjoying fresh spring water whilst doing their bit for the environment. Thanks to the pioneering campaign, Plose has become the first plastic-free hiking and skiing area in the Alps.

www.brixen.org/km0

1.57

PISA ISN’T the only place with a leaning tower. Barbian/Barbiano has one too! The 37-metre-high spire on top of St. Jakob parish church is clearly leaning to one side, its uppermost part almost 1.57 metres out of plumb. The church was first mentioned in documents in 1378 and although the tower’s tilt was said to have been noticed during construction, it was not corrected. The defect was likely caused by the condition of the subsoil, which is partly earthy and partly rocky. In the 19th century, the priest at the time forbade the bells from being rung for fear that the spire could collapse. Today, however, the building is constantly monitored and the spire is secured firmly to the main body of the church.

A is for... Alpine Tales

Autumn has its own charm in the mountains. Nature is generous, with fruits, nuts and other delicacies; once again it colours the landscape in rich hues before the pale winter approaches. The South Tyrolean “Alpine Tales” event series is the perfect way to experience the special atmosphere of this season. The events taking place at mountain lodges concentrate on everything that autumn has to offer and bring you closer to the issues that matter to local residents. At every hut, visitors have the chance to immerse themselves in the world of farming – and, of course, to sample some local delicacies. You could end up discovering all you’ve always wanted to know about apples or herbs, or perhaps the focus will be on Watten, a traditional card game played in lodges and taverns across the region. Other topics and experiences include sunset hikes, local legends or life as a mountain farmer – don’t be too shy to join in!

For more information on next year’s programme, please visit

www.almgschichten.it

Did you know that... you can buy fruit from a vending machine?

Or at least you can in the apple-producing villages of Natz/Naz and Schabs/Sciaves near Brixen/ Bressanone, where it is now possible to buy apples, plums and apricots from two new fruit vending machines – one on the village square in Natz and the other by the Putzerhof hotel and restaurant on the Pustertaler Straße main road in Schabs. The idea came from Klaus and Peter Überbacher, farmers at the Tschanggerhof farm in the nearby village of Raas/Rasa. Far from being ugly metal monstrosities, as is so often the case with drinks machines, the fruit vending machines are cladded in South Tyrolean larch wood. An apple costs 60 cents, 250 grams of strawberries 2 euros and 250 grams of raspberries 3 euros.

More Water! More Light!

And more awareness and heedfulness in the fight against climate change and water shortages. This – and the important role water has always played in Brixen/Bressanone – is what the Water Light Festival is all about. Featuring shows, art exhibitions and environmental campaigns on streets and squares across the town, the event has been held annually in May since 2017. In 2019, the “Ice Melting Ice” neon tubes art installation by Italian artist Stefano Cagol was positioned above the point where the Rienz river meets the Eisack river as a flashing warning: the ice caps are melting and water is becoming scarce – we must act now.

www.brixen.org/waterlight

Love, Baby!

“You should find someone / You should find someone / You should find someone / you can love…” The fact that the two members of ANGER found each other literally brings music to our ears! With their sometimes dreamlike and sometimes brassy, poppy sound, they are currently taking the alternative scene by storm. ANGER is the

name of the band formed by Nora Pider and Julian Angerer from Brixen/Bressanone. They are a couple and a band – or a band and a couple. Either way, their formula seems to be working. Following on from their debut EP Liebe und Wut (Love and Anger, 2018), their single Baby made it to number 1 on the Austrian FM4 charts in 2019. They’ve known each other since childhood and used to perform together in the VonPiderZuHeiss theatre ensemble. They formed their band in Vienna in 2017, naming themselves after Julian’s surname and the street Nora grew up on in Brixen – Angerweg. Their debut album Heart/Break (Phat Penguin Records) was released in September 2019 and features ten songs, including Baby, All Over and Miami, with lyrics in a mixture of German, English and Italian. As the title suggests, the album deals with love and broken hearts. And it does so by breaking with traditional musical rules and genres, as well.

www.weareanger.com

A Perfect Set of Slopes

1: Trametsch

2: Mitterling

Name: Trametsch Skiing area: Plose Stand-out feature: At nine kilometres, it is the longest ski slope in South Tyrol What the locals say: “This slope will draw you in!” Highlight: the panoramic view over Brixen/Bressanone For: fit, experienced skiers Not for: non-sporty people 3: Gimmy Fun Ride Name: Mitterling Skiing area: Gitschberg Jochtal Stand-out feature: one of the steepest slopes in Italy What the locals say: “It makes your thighs burn!” Highlight: a gradient of up to 38 degrees For: daredevils and pros Not for: scaredy-cats

Name: Gimmy Fun Ride Skiing area: Gitschberg Jochtal Stand-out feature: steep turns, tunnels, slalom course, figures to high five What the locals say: “It’s great at tiring out the children!” Highlight: the jumps – easy but they give you butterflies For: the whole family Not for: killjoys

The Gitschberg Jochtal and Plose ski areas can be accessed with a single ticket: the “Gitschberg Jochtal – Brixen” multiple-day ski pass can be purchased in the ski areas’ ticketing offices.

4: Pfannspitz

Name: Pfannspitz Skiing area: Plose Stand-out feature: The slope can be blue, red and black all at once – depending on which section(s) you choose to ski on. What the locals say: “It’s one to try again and again so you can give all the sections a go.” Highlight: the view of the Peitlerkofel mountain from the top part, the tranquil turns through the forest in the lower section For: skiers looking for variety Not for: stick-in-the-muds

A Double Skier’s Paradise

Gitschberg Jochtal ski & holiday area

Number of slopes: 24 Number of lifts: 15 Kilometres of slopes: 55 km Highest point on the slopes: 2,510 m Ski lodges: 22 Toboggan runs: 3

Did you know? With its three children’s parks and day care service, Gitschberg Jochtal is one of the most popular family-friendly skiing areas in Italy.

www.gitschberg-jochtal.com

Plose ski resort

Number of slopes: 18 Number of lifts: 7 Kilometres of slopes: 42 km Highest point on the slopes: 2,505 m Ski lodges: 14 Toboggan runs: 2

Did you know? In 2019, a new black run awaits the most daring skiers. The descent starting at Pfannspitze peak is dedicated to the memory of former World Cup ski champion and skiing pioneer Erwin Stricker, and bears his nickname: Crazy Horse.