»The Giants Arrive« - News20 Jahre Mauerfall
11/19/09The Giants’ Photo Book
Just in time for Christmas: a book full of delightful memories for everyone who witnessed this once in a lifetime experience – and a wonderful gift for those who could not be present in Berlin.
Includes DVD »Royal de Luxe – Die Riesen in Berlin«
[45 mins, ARTE/ZDF 2009]
further information
10/07/09The music for the GIANTS
The Giants’ soundtrack also made a lot of new fans in Berlin. It was created by the French composer, musician and vocalist Michel Augier, who has been working for Royal de Luxe for more than 20 years now. His band “Les Balayeurs du Désert” accompanied the Giants in Berlin and delivered the perfect Soundtrack for the Open-Air theatre spectacle. “Les Balayeurs du Désert” published their newest album in June 2009. Find out more about the band and their swinging sound at www.pyrozone-edition.fr.
10/07/09GIANTS documentary on www.arte.tv
For anyone who wants to wallow a little bit longer in their memories of the Giants’ visit, Tita von Hardenberg’s documentary „Royal de Luxe – Die Riesen in Berlin“ can still be viewed (in German) until Saturday 10th October. This special broadcast (45 min) can be seen one more time at 9.50 am on Sunday 18th October on ARTE.
10/06/09Two million people celebrated the anniversary of the fall of the wall with the Giants
The Giants’ fairy tale for Berlin commemorating the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Wall was a huge success: For four whole days the Giants enchanted around two million people on the capital’s streets, squares and bridges. More than 80 million viewers followed Royal de Luxe’s theatrical spectacular on their television screens. The undisputed highlight was the symbolic meeting of the Little Giantess and her uncle the Big Giant in front of the Brandenburg Gate on German Unity Day. The next day’s celebratory parade also spread a euphoric mood amongst the onlookers, hundreds of thousands of whom subsequently gathered on the banks and bridges of the Spree to say goodbye to the Giants. The mood of celebration in Berlin, both peaceful and moving, allowed the emotional significance of the historic landmark of the fall of the wall to be felt once again and spread a positive image of Berlin all around the world.
The great “Berlin Reunion” is now history – but everyone who was there will remember these days of dreamlike wonder for the rest of their lives.
10/04/09The GIANTS’ celebratory parade
After the Big Giant and the Little Giantess woke up this morning in the Pariser Platz and passed the Brandenburg Gate in front of an enthusiastic crowd of onlookers, they are now strolling along the Straße des 17. Juni, happily reunited. The cannon will now at last spit out the long lost letters from the Little Giantess’ postbag. Their celebratory parade will take the two GIANTS through the government quarter, past the Chancellery to the Moltke Bridge, where uncle and niece will board a boat at 2pm and leave Berlin by water in the direction of the museum island, the Jannowitz Bridge, Oberbaum Bridge and Elsen Bridge. Anyone wishing to wave goodbye to the GIANTS is welcome to do so along the banks of the Spree or from one of Berlin’s many bridges …
10/03/09Joyful Reunion at the Brandenburg Gate
Uncle and niece are finally reunited! The little girl GIANT practically flew across the Brandenburg Gate and into the arms of her uncle, who had travelled so far by land and sea to find his niece. Along with Minister of State for Culture Bernd Neumann, Governing Mayor Klaus Wowereit, his colleague from Nantes Jean-Marc Ayrault and Frédéric Mitterand, French Minister of Culture and Communications, thousands of spectators have celebrated “The Berlin Reunion” at the Brandenburg Gate. The GIANTS will subsequently go to sleep in the Pariser Platz, where they can be admired in their slumbers all night long. However, the fairy tale is not yet over – from 11am on Sunday morning both GIANTS will take part in a huge celebratory parade in the direction of the Moltke Bridge, where they will climb aboard their boat and sail away.
10/03/09Giant Diver Spotted in City
The big reunion is getting closer and closer – now the Big Giant has also “popped up” in the city, out of the Humboldtbecken near the Hauptbahnhof. Surrounded by enthusiastic spectators, this deep sea diver dripping with water has set off across the Moltke Bridge and through the government quarter in search of his niece and is currently taking a midday break in the Straße des 17. Juni. Meanwhile the Little Giantess has strolled down the Friedrichstraße towards Checkpoint Charlie just like a proper Berlin tourist and then walked over to Potsdamer Platz. Together with her ocean-going boat she has now returned to Unter den Linden. Unknown to her, she is now having her short siesta only 200 metres away from her uncle as the crow flies.
The GIANTS will be on the move again around 3pm, when they will both head for the Brandenburg Gate... and then? We’re looking forward to seeing what happens when the two see each other again after such a long time.
10/02/09Little Giantess goes walking around the Gendarmenmarkt
Rested and cheered by her midday nap, the GIANT girl has set off on a journey of discovery through Berlin – searching for her uncle, the Big Giant. The Little Giantess walked along Friedrichstraße and Charlottenstraße as far as the Gendarmenmarkt, where her ocean-going boat was waiting for her. Tired of walking, she is now boating back to the Lustgarten, where – after a short dance at 6pm – she will spend the night. Don't forget that you can admire the gently snoozing giant in the Lustgarten all night. Maybe the GIANT girl is dreaming of meeting her uncle again at the Brandenburg Gate?
10/02/09Little Giantess wakes in front of Rotes Rathaus
She’s here at last! Sleepy and confused, the Little Giantess opened her eyes this morning alongside her ocean-going boat in front of the Rotes Rathaus to see many sets of eyes staring at her. To the swinging sound of Les Balayeurs du Désert, the “desert sweepers”, who are accompanying the spectacle on their giant music truck, the much-travelled GIANT girl first set about her morning ablutions. Freshly showered and sparkling clean she then met the enthusiastic Governing Mayor Klaus Wowereit on his balcony and congratulated him with a present – a giant photo of her uncle the deep sea diver – on his birthday yesterday. Following a sightseeing tour around the outside of the town hall, the Little Giantess climbed aboard her boat around midday and made her way to the Bebelplatz. Exhausted from her many new experiences and surrounded by fascinated members of the public she then had a much-deserved midday nap. The Little Giantess' adventures will continue at 3pm …
10/01/09 Strange things are happening in Berlin …
“The Berlin Reunion” has begun today with some enigmatic first signs of the events to come. The Little Giantess and the Big Giant may not have been sighted yet, however, a gigantic rusty anchor in the Pariser Platz and a foaming geysir in the Schlossplatz have been heralding their imminent arrival in the capital since the early hours of the morning. Despite the rain amazed tourists and spectators have flocked to see these vast harbingers of the theatrical spectacle. Tomorrow the moment will finally arrive for the Little Giantess to appear in Berlin! Maybe you’d like to come and welcome her at 10am in front of the Rotes Rathaus?
