Mike Litt in conversation with Ruth Legelli of the Düsseldorf Symphony Orchestra

How are you, Düsseldorf?

Our new podcast "Alle Rhein" for culture in times of Corona - now every week on Friday until further notice: Our host Mike Litt talks to Düsseldorfers from the art and culture scene. He has set up a home studio especially for this purpose.
What Mike Litt wants to know: How do the talk guests experience the surreal time of isolation? What projects are they working on anyway? And what do they miss most about Düsseldorf?
In episode 3, Mike talks to Ruth Legelli from the Düsseldorf Symphony Orchestra.

Ruth Legelli is representing her orchestra in the best possible way these days. Because the Tonhalle and Deutsche Oper am Rhein, where she usually goes in and out as a solo flutist, are closed, she unceremoniously performed in front of a retirement home on Easter Sunday. The open-air concert brought great joy to the elderly, who have to struggle especially with weeks of isolation. But how is she herself doing in times of contact bans? Ruth Legelli says: Musicians miss the contact with the audience and their applause.

In recent weeks, the DÜSYS, as the Düsseldorf Symphony Orchestra abbreviates itself, have shown impressive creativity in dealing with digital projects. At www.tonhalle.de, many offers were made: musical miniatures in sound and image, exciting conversations with the chief conductor Adam Fischer, and there was even an invitation to make music together on the net.

During the crisis, the cohesion in the orchestra strengthened and contact with music lovers developed in a special way, Ruth Legelli reveals. In our podcast, she also tells us why breathing protection is not possible for brass and woodwind players and why the DÜSYS are currently feeling a sense of optimism. And - of course - we also asked her how the city of Düsseldorf actually sounds to her.

Our host

Mike Litt was born in the US state of Virginia and lived in Bochum for many years. The globetrotter usually works in Cologne but lives with his family in the beautiful Düsseltal district of Düsseldorf. He is a radio presenter (1Live, WDR 2, DLF Nova), a DJ with Mayday festival experience and an author (‘The loneliest DJ in the world’). For our podcast, he holds fascinating conversations with other people from Düsseldorf’s cultural scene.

Photos:
Cover Ruth Legelli © Susanne Diesner
Mike Litt © [email protected]