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I Did It My Way cast
© Volker Beushausen, Ruhrtriennale 2025

Ruhrtriennale 2025: Retrospect

More than 630 artists from 38 countries, a total of 35 productions and projects with 136 events at eleven different venues in Bochum, Duisburg, Gladbeck, and Essen: After four weeks, the Ruhrtriennale 2025 has ended this past weekend. We would like to thank the audience – more than 77,000 visitors attended the festival this year – the artists, cooperation partners, sponsors, friends and everyone else who made this fantastic edition of the Ruhrtriennale possible! 

Artistic director Ivo Van Hove: "This year once again, the themes of the Ruhrtriennale resonated deeply with people. I was delighted by the many conversations and discussions - whether with participants of the International Festival Campus or with our festival guests [...] I am truly encouraged by this positive response and look forward to next year, with its many productions and conversations that will continue to engage with the pressing issues of our time."

The Ruhrtriennale 2026 will take place from mid-August to mid-September. But before that, we look back on the highlights of this year's edition.

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  • Lars Eidinger and Larissa Sirah Herden stand on a theatre stage in front of a bright house façade. Eidinger is wearing a light-colored shirt and beige trousers, looking downward with his head bowed and his hands in his pockets. Herden stands behind him with her eyes closed, wearing a lilac top and a brown skirt.
    I Did It My Way, director: Ivo Van Hove. Lars Eidinger, Larissa Sirah Herden © Jan Versweyveld, Ruhrtriennale 2025
  • Audience relaxing in deck chairs under a pink pavilion in a summer atmosphere.
    Festival centre Wunderland © Sabrina Richmann, Ruhrtriennale 2025
  • In the old machine hall in Gladbeck, a crowd dances in front of a stage where a DJ and musicians perform live. Large transparent balloons float above the dance floor, while pink and blue lighting design bathes the scene in a futuristic atmosphere.
    Rave-L Party, DJ Tatyana Jane © Christian Palm, Ruhrtriennale 2025
  • Person with a microphone, holding a notebook in their hands, with other participants seated on a sofa in the background. Industrial structures frame the scene.
    Spoken Acts, Jana Goller © Sabrina Richmann, Ruhrtriennale 2025
  • The Will Gregory Moog Ensemble performs in an old industrial hall, with two large, rusty turbines visible in the background. Eleven musicians are seated on stage, playing electronic instruments such as synthesizers, keyboards, and mixing consoles.
    Erased Music: Tribute to Wendy Carlos, Will Gregory Moog Ensemble © Heinrich Brinkmöller-Becker, Ruhrtriennale 2025
  • Joël-João playing electric guitar and singing on a stage in front of the “WUNDER” sign. Children and adults appear blurred in the foreground.
    Ruhr Diamonds, Joël-João © Sabrina Richmann, Ruhrtriennale 2025
  • Two performers in large, colorful cloaks dance toward each other with arms outstretched. The stage is bathed in warm golden light, creating a powerful, almost ritualistic atmosphere.
    Último Helecho, Ruhrtriennale 2025 © Heinrich Brinkmöller-Becker, Ruhrtriennale 2025
  • People dancing under a purple-lit industrial roof. In the background, you can read the term "Wunder" above the DJ booth.
    Down The Rabbit Hole x Cute Community Radio © Sabrina Richmann, Ruhrtriennale 2025
  • Visitors lie and sit relaxed on cushions in the Turbinenhalle Bochum, while the Will Gregory Moog Ensemble plays on a stage in front of old machines. The atmosphere is relaxed and focused at the same time.
    Relaxed With ... © Sabrina Richmann, Ruhrtriennale 2025
  • Audience watching a film screening on a large screen inside an industrial hall.
    Artists at Work, Sisters with Transistors © Hannes Woidich, Ruhrtriennale 2025
  • Pianist and organist Eliza McCarthy at the organ in the Evangelical Church at the Market in Katernberg during the event 124 Years of Reverb. Seen from the gallery, the perspective opens onto the church interior with its stained-glass windows, high wooden ceilings, and altar space, while McCarthy sits focused at the organ console.
    124 Years of Reverb, Evangelische Kirche am Markt Katernberg © Dennis Zimmermann, Ruhrtriennale 2025
  • Rafael-Evitan Grombleka translates the performance I Did It My Way in German Sign Language.
    I Did It My Way, Rafael-Evitan Grombelka © Sabrina Richmann, Ruhrtriennale 2025
  • Stage scene with several actors in a glass-walled room; above them a large video projection showing a close-up of three characters.
    Oracle, Regie: Łukasz Twarkowski, f.l.t.r. Mārtiņš Meiers, Ilze Ķuzule-Skrastiņa, Madara Viļčuka © Katrin Ribbe, Ruhrtriennale 2025
  • Cast of actors from the performance "Oracle" standing in a row on stage, bowing after a performance.
    Oracle © Sabrina Richmann, Ruhrtriennale 2025
  • View inside a large hall with a stage where Gaye Su Akyol and her band perform in purple light and haze in front of a large audience.
    Gaye Su Akyol © Thomas Berns, Ruhrtriennale 2025
  • Mohamed Toukabri in dark clothing stands against a black background with closed eyes. He raises both hands in front of his face, palms facing each other, in a focused, almost meditative pose.
    Every-body-knows-what-tomorrow-brings-and-we-all-know-what-happened-yesterday, Mohamed Toukabri © Stef Stessel
  • Alexander Laing, Yshani Perinpanayagam, Sarah Martin, Tyshawn Sorey, Key'mon Murrah, Khari Joyner, Joshua Stewart performing on an industrial stage in front of an audience.
    Cycles of My Being / Save the Boys, f.l.t.r. Alexander Laing, Yshani Perinpanayagam, Sarah Martin, Tyshawn Sorey, Key'mon Murrah, Khari Joyner, Joshua Stewart © Caroline Seidel, Ruhrtriennale 2025
  • Two DJs in red light in front of an audience
    The Third Room X Ruhrtriennale © Katharina Kemme
  • Luisa Neubauer and Sivan Ben Yishai sit on stage in a large industrial hall. Rafael-Evitan Grombelka stands next to them, interpreting in sign language. In the background, several old television sets are arranged, while in the foreground a large audience is seated.
    Brave New Voices II, f.l.t.r. Rafael-Evitan Grombelka, Luisa Neubauer, Sivan Ben Yishai © Dennis Zimmermann, Ruhrtriennale 2025
  • The Tyshawn Sorey Trio after their performance on stage in the Turbine Hall. From left to right: pianist Aaron Diehl, double bassist Harish Ragshavan, and drummer Tyshawn Sorey stand side by side, all dressed in black. In the background, the old rusted turbine is visible.
    Tyshawn Sorey Trio, f.l.t.r. Aaron Diehl, Harish Ragshavan, Tyshawn Sorey © Volker Beushausen, Ruhrtriennale 2025
  • A group of performers in colorful dresses and costumes lean closely together on stage, with musicians playing in the background.
    ...how in salts desert is it possible to blossom..., uKhoiKhoi, Garage Dance Ensemble © Katja Illner, Ruhrtriennale 2025
  • Several performers strike expressive poses on a brightly lit, elevated stage in front of a white panel wall inside an old industrial hall. In the foreground, colorful paper streamers float through the air.
    We Are The Lucky Ones, director: Ted Huffman, v.l.n.r. Alex Rosen, Sophia Burgos, Steven van der Linden, Nina van Essen, Claron McFadden, Michael Wilmering © Caroline Seidel, Ruhrtriennale 2025
  • Dein Couseng with microphone and colorful Hawaiian-style shirt performing outdoors. In his left hand, he holds an oversized inflatable mobile phone.
    Dein Couseng © Sabrina Richmann, Ruhrtriennale 2025
  • Live concert with red light and smoke, musicians on stage, audience in the foreground.
    OSMIUM, Rully Shabara, Hildur Guðnadóttir, Sam Slater, James Ginzburg © Thomas Berns, Ruhrtriennale 2025
  • Performers wrapped in paper, surrounded by children and adults
    Club Origami © Dennis Zimmermann, Ruhrtriennale 2025
  • The musicians of the band Karmakind performing live with electronic instruments outdoors.
    Karmakind, festival centre Wunderland © Sabrina Richmann, Ruhrtriennale 2025
  • Samuel Mariño in a lilac suit performs with raised hand in front of a baroque orchestra.
    High on Händel, Samuel Mariño, Jan Tomasz Adamus, Capella Cracoviensis © Christian Palm, Ruhrtriennale 2025
  • A group of children is lying on a large white floor covered in colorful scribbles. They are looking up at the camera with joyful expressions, holding colorful crayons in front of their faces or between their lips.
    WASCO! (3) © Karolina Maruszak
  • Curtain call from Falaise: The cast stands side by side in front of the dark, white-splattered stage backdrop, holding hands and bowing to the audience.
    Falaise, directors: Camille Decourtye, Blaï Mateu Trias. f.l.t.r. Oriol Pla, Lucia Bocanegra, Blaï Mateu Trias, Guillermo Weickert, Camille Decourtye, Marti Soler, Noëmie Bouissou, Julian Sicard © Caroline Seidel, Ruhrtriennale 2025
  • Two dancers in skin-toned costumes stand in the foreground, moving powerfully forward. In the background, additional dancers perform, enhancing the dynamism of the scene.
    Delay The Sadness, Keren Lurie Pardes, Darren Devaney © Vitali Akimov, Ruhrtriennale 2025
  • Visitors sitting at tables engaging in creative activities.
    Do-It-Yourself-Saturdays © Sabrina Richmann, Ruhrtriennale 2025
  • A post-apocalyptic stage scene inside an abandoned industrial hall. Thick smoke and orange light create a threatening, fiery atmosphere. A lone figure emerges from the fog, scattered debris are visible in the background.
    GenZ Don't Cry, directors: Sounddramaturgien-Kollektiv, Wolfgang Menardi. Schlo Meurer © Björn Hickmann, Ruhrtriennale 2025
  • At the center of a festive scene, a large bull figure stands on a flower-decorated table. People in historical costumes and uniforms surround the table as red and yellow balloons float in the air.
    Guernica Guernica - dress rehearsal, direction: FC Bergman © Caroline Seidel, Ruhrtriennale 2025
  • Concert with Chorwerk Ruhr and Bang on a Can All-Stars on stage in an industrial hall, with two large projections of abstract images in the background.
    before and after nature, Chorwerk Ruhr, Bang on a Can All-Stars, Florian Helgath © Christian Palm, Ruhrtriennale 2025

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