From the start of the 2009/10 season, Samuel Steinemann shaped a total of eleven seasons at the Zug Theatre and Music Society. Time and again, especially in the music department, he succeeded in bringing world-class talent to Zug. For example, Russian master pianist and conductor Mikhail Pletnev celebrated his comeback as a pianist at the Theater Casino after a career break of several years, the legendary Buena Vista Social Club gave one of its last concerts with Omara Portuondo, Nigel Kennedy was a guest performer, and jazz greats such as Chick Corea, Brad Mehldau and Hiromi performed in the theatre hall. Samuel Steinemann also discovered the ballroom as a space for open stage designs and as a chamber music gem with its acoustics, which are highly praised in renowned artistic circles. The pedalo, raft and carousel concerts on and around Lake Zug demonstrated unique creativity. International attention was garnered by ‘Casino Style’, a series of events for young adults featuring a classical late-night concert, a unique classical battle and an accompanying DJ party, which attracted a total of 6,000 young people to the casino.

During the renovation of the Theater Casino Zug between mid-2016 and mid-2017, he designed an entire season under the title "Casino. Theatre is always on.‘ at 14 different venues. Jazz concerts in the Zug city tram, Rossini's ’Barber" on a farm, a string quartet concert in a V-ZUG production hall, the main venue Shedhalle and much more are lasting memories of a creative event season.

Samuel Steinemann repeatedly gave artists from the region a platform, for example 300 Zug performers at the 30-hour cultural festival ‘Lampenfieber’, numerous choir formations at the 1st Zug Choir Night and regularly the Zug Sinfonietta and various Zug choirs. He sought collaborations with Zug institutions, such as the Young Dance Festival, the Accordion Festival Zug, the Turkish Cultural Association Zug and others.

The highlights of each season are summarised below.

2019/20 season

The 2019/20 season is the last to be programmed entirely by Samuel Steinemann. A new platform for young talent from the region, ‘Next Generation Talents’, is being introduced. Katrin Kolo will take over as artistic director on 1 November and will be responsible for the programme from 2020/21 onwards.

2018/19 season: Highlights

• «Casino on Fire»
• Begleitung im Entwicklungsprozess sowie Zusammenarbeit mit der (ersten) Zuger Chornacht
• Martin Zimmermann: «Eins Zwei Drei» (Ko-Produktion)
• Türkischer Festtag feat. Taksim Trio (in Zusammenarbeit mit dem Türkischen Verein Zug)
• Fatoumata Diawara
• Bodo Wartke & Melanie Haupt: «Antigone»
• Ruedi Häusermann: «Letzter Aufruf für Ursin und Kubus»
• Patricia Kopatchinskaja & Camerata Bern
• Theater Freiburg: «Ein Sommernachtstraum» (Regie: Ewelina Marciniak)
• Klavierrezital Jan Lisiecki
• Cuba Weekend feat. Juan de Marcos & The Afri-Cuban All Stars
• Mario Venzago, Klavierduo Soós-Haag, Zuger Sinfonietta
• Hazel Brugger: «Tropical»
• Andreas Ottensamer, Klarinette; Schumann Quartett
• Avishai Cohen Trio
• Geneva Camerata: «Dance of the Sun»

• Carl und Tobias Rütti: «Der Kreis» (Uraufführung)

   

2017/18 season: «Frisch geöffnet!»

«Freshly opened!» The grand opening weekend

On 16 and 17 September 2017, the newly renovated Theater Casino Zug was handed over to the people of Zug during a grand opening weekend. The highlight of the weekend was the spectacular light and video show by Projektil. Zug clubs also presented themselves in short performances, bands from Zug such as Delilahs and RundFunk played, before Swiss soul singer Seven rocked the stage in the ballroom. Themed tours, culinary delicacies and an official opening ceremony rounded off the packed programme for the weekend.

Highlights 2017/18 season

• Erste und enge Zusammenarbeit mit dem Young Dance Festival
• 5 Konzertzüge zu Lucerne Festival
• Klavierrezital Fazil Say
• Dimitri de Perrot: Myousic
• Kibbutz Contemporary Dance Company: «Horses in the Sky»
• Klavierrezital Mikhail Pletnev
• Münchner Volkstheater: «Nathan der Weise»
• VerTeDance: «Correction»
• LiquidStone (Premiere)
• Berliner Barock Solisten; Reinhard Goebel, Leitung
• Nederlands Dans Theater 2
• Giacobbo / Müller on Therapy Tour
• Klavierrezital Rafał Blechacz
• Zmorge im Biohof Zug mit Konzert von Bircherix

2016/17 season: 

A complete season in 14 different venues during the theatre renovation.

Venue:

• Shedhalle Zug (Hauptspielort)
• Kultursilo Böschhof Hünenberg
• Chollerhalle Zug
• Galvanik Zug
• Kirche St. Johannes Zug
• Werkstatt-Lagerhalle der Bavaria Auto AG, Baar
• Kirche St. Martin, Baar
• Produktionshalle der V-ZUG
• Aula Kantonsschule
• Chicago Bar & Lounge
• Stadtbahn Zug
• Dock Bar des Restaurant Schiff, Zug
• Hirschenplatz Zug
• Biohof Zug

Events:

• Fanfare Ciocârlia: Onwards to Mars!
• Hyeyoon Park, Violine; Daniel Huppert, Leitung; Zuger Sinfonietta
• Silberbüx: Knall uf Fall
• Kaleidoscope String Quartet: Curiosity
• Compañia Maria Serrano: por derecho
• CantaZUG: Singender Adventskalender
• Anet Corti: Optimum
• Daniel Dodds, Violine; Herbert Schuch, Klavier
• Sina: Pärlutaucher
• Tägg en Amsle: Trommler
• Nicolas Altstaedt, Violoncello; Matthias Foremny, Leitung; Stuttgarter Kammerorchester
• Martin O.: Der Mausiker
• Vijay Iyer, Klavier
• Olga Scheps, Klavier
• Raphael Christen und Freunde: rhythm'n'melody
• Cristina Branco: Menina
• Arno Camenisch, Julian Sartorius: Lesung mit Musik
• Hazel Brugger: Hazel Brugger passiert
• Patrick Frey: Dormicum
• Regula Mühlemann, Sopran; Casal Quartett
• Matthias Tschopp Quartet: Untitled
• Zehetmair Quartett
• Lucerne Festival Young Performance: Divamania
• Gidon Kremer, Violine; Kremerata Baltica
• Gardi Hutter: So ein Käse
• Lorenz Keiser: Matterhorn Mojito
• LGT Young Soloists
• Delattre Dance Company: Der Glöckner von Notre-Dame
• Gupfbuebä: Zmorge mit Konzert
• Theater Kanton Zürich: Der Revisor (Gogol)
• Kammeroper München: Der Barbier von Sevilla (Rossini)
• Echo vom Paradiesli: Muttertag-Zmorge mit Konzert
• Pablo Sáinz Villegas, Gitarre; Candida Thomson, Konzertmeisterin und Leitung; Amsterdam Sinfonietta

2015/16 season: Highlights

• Hujässler: Hujart (Akkordeon Festival Zug)
• Akkordeonjagd mit Silberbüx (Akkordeon Festival Zug)
• Martin Lubenov's Jazzta Prasta: Impressions (Akkordeon Festival Zug)
• Michael Elsener: Mediengeil (Premiere)
• Martin Zimmermann: Hallo (Ko-Produktion)
• Céu: Ao vivo
• Angelo Branduardi: camminando camminando
• Ensemble Chamäleon & Isabel Charisius, Klavier
• Flamencos en route: ... y que más! haiku flamenco
• Famiglia Dimitri: DimiTRIgenerations
• Christian Zacharias, Klavier
• Massimo Rocchi: EUä
• Junges Theater Basel: Strom
• Kammeroper München: La Finta Semplice (Mozart)
• Michael von der Heide: Bellevue
• Eric Bibb & Habib Koité Trio: Brothers in Bamako
• Rob Spence: Echt stark
• Bodo Wartke: Was, wenn doch?
• Dimitri Ashkenazy, Klarinette; Zuger Sinfonietta
• Bayerisches Staatsballett Junior Company
• Bei den Hirten auf dem Feld
• Theater Tägg en Amsle

2014/15 season: Highlights

• Lampenfieber - das 30-Stunden-Kulturfest
• Nigel Kennedy: Bach meets Kennedy
• Hiromi: The Trio Project. Alive
• John McLaughlin and the 4th Dimension
• Luzia von Wyl Ensemble: Frost
• Hagen Quartett
• Bruno Ganz (Sprecher) und Kirill Gerstein (Klavier)
• Mikhail Pletnev, Klavier
• Aterballetto: Don Q. und Rossini Cards
• Ana Moura: Desfado
• Schauspielhaus Bochum: «Othello» (William Shakespeare; Regie: David Bösch)
• Sabine Meyer (Klarinette) und Kammerorchester Basel

2013/14 season: Highlights

• Al Di Meola Duo
• Bodo Wartke: «Klaviersdelikte»
• Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet
• Dimitri Clown: Die Highlights
• Hitziger Appenzeller Chor: Joli-Yo
• Düsseldorfer Schauspielhaus: «Der zerbrochne Krug» (Heinrich von Kleist; Regie: Dušan David Pařízek)
• Thomas Hampson (Bariton) und Amsterdam Sinfonietta
• Casino Style #10
• Regula Mühlemann (Sopran) und Helmut Deutsch (Klavier)
• Michel Camilo, Piano solo

2012/13 season

• Avishai Cohen Trio
• Kammeroper München: «La Cenerentola» (Rossini)
• Zuger Sinfonietta und Bettina Castaño: «Desde España con amor»
• Konstantin Wecker: «Wut und Zärtlichkeit»
• Irène Schweizer (piano) und Jürg Wickihalder (sax)
• Dimitri und Mitglieder der Berliner Philharmoniker: «L'histoire du soldat» (Strawinsky)
• Hagen Quartett
• Schauspiel Frankfurt: «Die Physiker» (Friedrich Dürrenmatt; Regie: Markus Bothe)
• Zimmermann & de Perrot: «Hans was Heiri»
• Gonzalo Rubalcaba, piano solo
• Mikhail Pletnev (Klavier und Leitung) und Kremerata Baltica
• Silberbüx und Mitglieder des Tonhalle-Orchesters Zürich: «Mit Zupf und Strich»
• Juan de Marcos González & The Afro Cuban All Stars

2011/12 season: Highlights 

• Teo Gheorghiu, Klavier, und Musikkollegium Winterthur
• EIDG. MOOS - weltbekannt bis zum Mond
• Orquesta Buena Vista Social Club® featuring Omara Portuondo
• Gidon Kremer, Violine, und Kremerata Baltica
• Michael Elsener: «Stimmbruch» (Premiere)
• Theater Basel: «Das war ich nicht»
• Quatuor Ebène and The other Ebène
• Lorenz Keiser: «Big Bang»
• Emerson String Quartet
• Olli Mustonen, Klavier, und Zuger Sinfonietta
• Cristina Branco: «Fado Tango»
• Ballett Basel: «3»(x)
• Zukerman Chamber Players
• Gauthier Dance: «Poppea/Poppea»
• Kidd Pivot: «Dark Matters»
• Anouar Brahem Quartet: «Astounding Eyes of Rita»
• Sabine und Wolfgang Meyer, Klarinette, und Carmina Quartett
• «Oper am See»: Regula Mühlemann, Sopran, und Bläserphilharmonie Zug
• sowie Flosskonzerte auf dem Zugersee

2010/11 season: Highlights

• Lancierung der English Stand-up Comedyreihe CH-uckles
• Lancierung der Konzertreihe «Keynote Jazz» in der neuen Bar & Lounge
• Ursus & Nadeschkin: «Zugabe»
• Massimo Rocchi: «rocCHipedia»
• Carmina Quartett und Hiroko Sakagami, Klavier
• The Golden Gate Quartet
• Juliane Banse, Sopran, und Stuttgarter Kammerorchester
• The Gypsy Queens and Kings
• Kammeroper München: «Die diebische Elster» (Rossini)
• James Carter Organ Trio
• Martin Stadtfeld, Klavier
• Martin O.: «Cosmophon»
• CabaretCuo DivertiMento: «Plan B» (Derniere)
• Abdullah Ibrahim Trio
• Ballett Basel (inkl. Workshop mit Richard Wherlock und Roderick George)
• sowie Pedalokonzerte auf dem Zugersee

2009/10 season: Beginn der neuen Ära

Samuel Steinemann takes over as artistic director and will be responsible for the cultural events of the Theatre and Music Society from 1 June 2009. Together with the City of Zug and the Zug Casino Theatre Foundation, the Theatre and Music Society will celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Zug Casino Theatre in October with three events for four generations («Antanzen, Auftanzen, Abtanzen»).

• Erste Ausgabe von «Casino Style» (klassisches Konzert, Klassik-Battle, DJ-Party)
• Ballett Basel (inkl. Workshop mit Richard Wherlock und Roderick George)
• Theatermacher Hamburg: «Die Räuber»
• Vienna Art Orchestra: «Third Dream»
• Seven und Band
• Giacobbo, Müller, Frey: «Erfolg als Chance»
• Borodin Quartett
• Herman van Veen
• Dino Saluzzi, Musikkollegium Winterthur
• Kolja Blacher, Solisten des Lucerne Festival Orchestra
• Sandrine Piau, Münchener Kammerorchester
• Tokyo String Quartet

• Roberto Fonseca Group

   

2008/09 season

The last season for which August P. Villiger was responsible as artistic director.

• Flamenco en route: «¡miram!» (Premiere)
• Cantori Contenti, Zürcher Kammerorchester: Haydn «Die Jahreszeiten»
• Margrit Läubli: «Mein Leben für’s Cabaret»
• 450 Schülerinnen und Schüler, Armon Caviezel, Zuger Sinfonietta: «Sing mit»
• Salzburg Chamber Soloists, Lavard Skou-Larsen, Tecchler Trio
• Elisabeth Leonskaja
• Andreas Vollenweider
• Erich Vock: «Zwei für eis (Two into one!)»
• Kammer-Solisten Zug: «Grand Duo»
• George Gruntz, Thomas Demenga, Tobias Preisig: «Jazz & Classic»
• Emil: «Drei Engel» - Kabarettistische Lesung
• Chor Audite Nova, Staatskapelle Halle: Mendelssohns «Elias»
• Michael Quast, Philharmonische Cellisten Köln

2008: 200 years

‘The past is the present and has a future’ – true to this motto, the Zug Theatre and Music Society celebrated its 200th anniversary with various events throughout the year. However, the focus was not only on the many highlights of the past, but above all on looking ahead: the celebrations deliberately focused on young people, whose enthusiasm and interest in culture should be awakened as early as possible. This concern was a recurring theme throughout the anniversary year.

Ceremony

The celebrations kicked off on 20 January 2008 – exactly 200 years to the day after the Zug Theatre and Music Society was founded. Numerous personalities from society, politics, business and culture accepted the invitation to the Theater Casino Zug, including the entire city council with Mayor Dolfi Müller, Landammann Joachim Eder, Councillor of State Patrick Cotti, Councillor of States Rolf Schweiger and artists such as Erich Vock and Margrit Läubli, who had themselves performed on the Casino stage.

In an elaborate multimedia production, the president of the Theater- und Musikgesellschaft, Toni Luginbühl, and the then artistic director August P. Villiger brought the most important milestones of the last 200 years back to life. The last three decades played a significant role in this, during which world stars such as jazz trumpeter Miles Davis, Sviatoslav Richter, Mummenschanz, Herman van Veen and Philipp Glass had graced the city of Zug thanks to the TMGZ.

The multimedia presentation was visually designed with great attention to detail by Atelier Christen in Zug. The magnificent musical accompaniment by André Desponds (conductor, arrangement, piano), Duilio Galfetti (violin, mandolin, guitar), Thomas Dobler (vibraphone, percussion) and Matthias Ziegler (flutes) rounded off the impressive retrospective, which was met with endless applause from the audience.

As part of the festive occasion, TMGZ showcased two of its core competencies.

Fil Rouge

Four large cubes were the talk of Zug from 10 to 21 June 2008: they were part of the Fil Rouge exhibition, for which state archivist Peter Hoppe had searched for data, facts and anecdotes from the city's eventful past. These were presented on large quadrants at the four locations where the TMGZ had brought music and theatre to life over the past 200 years: at the first theatre building on Kolinplatz (now the police station), on Postplatz (now the administration building), and at the old and new Casino Theatre on Artherstrasse. The mobile exhibition units were designed by Atelier Christen in Zug. Several young people were deliberately involved in the construction. This gave apprentices from various Zug companies the opportunity to create a joint work that was met with great admiration.
After the summer holidays, the cubes were presented together once again under the portico of the new Theater Casino on Artherstrasse.

Spectaculum

As part of the Lake Festival on 21 June 2008, TMGZ put on a veritable Zug ‘Spectaculum’ and once again placed its hopes in the rising stars of Zug's cultural scene of tomorrow. In the afternoon, the spotlight was on all those children and young people who are discovering the world of music with great commitment and passion at the municipal music schools in the canton of Zug. They played in various formations throughout the city in honour of the 200th anniversary of the TMGZ and the 150th anniversary of the Zug Cadet Band. The real highlight followed on Landsgemeindeplatz: what an incredible sight it was for the audience when around 400 young musicians gathered for the joint premiere of Rudolf Barth's ‘Zuger Bräglete’. A spectacular and unforgettable ‘birthday serenade’ that will certainly go down in the history of the city of Zug.

In the evening, visitors to the lake festival finally experienced a magnificent interplay of fireworks and music: the programme was tailored to a composition that Zug musician Dani Häusler had written especially for this occasion on behalf of the TMGZ. This ‘Hujässler’ project was presented for the first and only time in this form on 21 June.

Musical opera Nikki

The actual highlight of the anniversary year followed at the end of August – the musical opera NIKKI (29 August to 7 September 2008). The significance of this TMGZ production, directed by August P. Villiger, for the city and canton of Zug was demonstrated by the highly illustrious audience at the premiere on 29 August: The Zug government attended en masse – both the entire city council led by Mayor Dolfi Müller and all members of the cantonal government led by Landammann Joachim Eder. Numerous personalities from the worlds of business and culture were also among the guests, such as Zug restaurateur Hubert Erni and well-known artists such as Marco Rima, Erich Vock, Brigitta-Luisa Merki and George Gruntz.

‘Impressive, surprising, outstanding, never seen anything like it’ – the response to this unique stage and multimedia spectacle was overwhelming. Author and director Rudolph Straub's exciting and sophisticated story about journeys through time and the soul, hidden worlds and the inscrutability of life captivated audiences from the first minute to the last. Musically, the two composers Carl and Tobias Rütti succeeded in building a bridge between musical and opera, between classical, jazz and pop. In addition to Sarah Grangier's period costumes, the unique, impressive stage design with video and photo inserts was particularly impressive. Under the direction of Daniel Christen, Andreas Iten, Christoph Gutmann, Mark Blezinger and André Stocker created a breathtaking backdrop. 

The young Danish actress Kristine Yde Eriksen enchanted the audience in the lead role with her wonderful voice and charisma. At her side, renowned artists such as Martin Huber, Alexandra Prusa and Uwe Schönbeck added further highlights to the production. The four cool beach boys, played by Tim Müller, Pius Föhn, Gábor Németh and Pascal Illi, provided excitement and drama.

The audience was particularly taken with the little twin boys, played alternately by Jules Aeschlimann and Alban Müller, and Axel Umiglia and Silvan Amrein. The four boy soloists from the Lucerne Choir mastered their first big performance with flying colours. The Cantus Zug choir and an orchestra put together especially for NIKKI rounded off the first-class ensemble.

(Text: Regula Elsener, aus: Theater- und Musikgesellschaft Zug. Ein Dialog)

200th General Meeting

On 28 November 2008, the anniversary year came to a close with the 200th General Meeting. Toni Luginbühl stepped down as President of the Zug Theatre and Music Society at this General Meeting and was succeeded by Daniela Hausheer.

Tramonto: A gift to the Theater Casino Zug

Every day, at the moment of astronomical sunset, the Theater Casino Zug resounds on the lake side. Calm music fills the space between the theatre and the lake, music that seems to emanate from the building itself – as if the façade were singing. Music created especially for this space – drawn from this space.
No story is told. A space begins to come alive for the ears; 15 minutes every day from a continuum of intangible expanse; but duration is irrelevant here: a space becomes audible, begins to vibrate, in this transition from day to night.
Every day, the sequence of sounds changes, intertwining, supporting each other and leaving space, spinning a fine web through the twilight; gentle, calm, unpredictable and open...
Does twilight breathe? – Small will-o'-the-wisps appear; - the soul vibrates - .
Wasn't all this always there?

Tramonto was conceived and realised by sound artist Walter Fähndrich and was a gift from the Zug Theatre and Music Society to the Theater Casino Zug on the occasion of its 200th anniversary in 2008.

please find all information on the german site.

please find all information on the german site.

please find all information on the german site.

please find all information on the german site.