Entertainment

Theo Koll was drawn to the wider world from an early age. He studied political science, history, sociology, and constitutional law, among other places, in London and Paris – cities to which he later returned for many years as a ZDF correspondent. He began his journalistic career at ARD, including stints as a studio representative in Washington and Tokyo. Subsequently, he received an invitation to join ZDF, initially serving as a government correspondent in Bonn, before progressing to present programs such as Frontal 21, Auslandsjournal, Politbarometer, and ZDF-Spezial. In a managerial capacity, Koll merged and led all of ZDF’s domestic and foreign political editorial teams, and most recently was responsible for ZDF’s reporting from the capital, hosting Berlin direkt. Since 2024, Theo Koll has been presenting Phoenix persönlich, regularly providing commentary on the ZDF morning show and on Maischberger. He has received numerous awards, including the Golden Camera, the German Television Award, the Hanns-Joachim-Friedrichs Prize, and was named TV Journalist of the Year.

Heiko Maas, born on 19 September 1966 in Saarlouis, is a German politician (SPD) and lawyer. After completing his secondary education (Abitur), he studied law at Saarland University, where he passed the first and second state examinations in law. In 1996, he was elected to the Parliament of the Saarland for the first time and subsequently held various political offices. From 1998 to 1999, he served as Saarland Minister for the Environment, Energy and Transport, later becoming chairman of the SPD parliamentary group in the state parliament and subsequently Minister for Economic Affairs, Labour, Energy and Transport, as well as Deputy Minister-President. At the federal level, Maas was appointed Federal Minister of Justice and Consumer Protection in 2013, serving in Angela Merkel’s cabinet. In this role, he was notably committed to strengthening data protection in the digital sphere and combating online hate crime. From 2018 to 2021, he served as Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs. After leaving the federal government, Maas withdrew from frontline politics. Today, he works as a lawyer at the commercial law firm GSK Stockmann; he is also Chairman of the Board of the Montan Stiftung Saar and President of the German-Polish Institute.

Rüdiger Freiherr von Fritsch, born in 1953, studied history and German literature and spent 35 years in the German Foreign Service, with postings in Warsaw, Nairobi, Bonn, Brussels, and Berlin. There he headed, among other roles, the Planning Staff of the Federal President and served as Vice President of the Federal Intelligence Service (BND). From 2010 to 2014 he was German Ambassador to Warsaw, and from 2014 to 2019 to Moscow. Since then, he has been a sought-after keynote speaker and media commentator. His books became Der Spiegel bestsellers, including Russia’s Path, Turning Point, and A World in Upheaval. In two autobiographical works, he describes how he helped a cousin escape from the GDR in 1974 (Endgame 1974: An Escape in Germany) and explores the intertwining of his family’s history with his own (History Within Me: A German Family in the 20th Century). He is a partner at the consulting firm Berlin Global Advisors, a Senior Advisor at McKinsey & Company, and Chairman of the “zis – Foundation for Study Travel,” which awards scholarships to young people to enable them to gain personal experience through travel abroad.

Photocredit: Benjamin Westhoff

Pianist Ragna Schirmer is praised for her nuanced and detail-oriented playing. She won international awards early in her career and gained attention in 2000 with her recording of Bach's Goldberg Variations. Her recordings of Handel’s works earned her the Handel Prize and ECHO Klassik. Schirmer has released 21 CDs and several DVDs and is the only pianist to have won the International Bach Competition in Leipzig twice.

She also engages in unique projects and focuses on Clara Wieck-Schumann’s legacy. In 2019, she celebrated the composer with over 100 concerts and a CD. Ragna Schirmer performs worldwide and was the "Artiste étoile" at the MozartFest Würzburg in 2023. She is also active in cultural politics and was described by the FAZ as one of the "wisest, most thoughtful, and most energetic artists" in the country.

Photocredit: Maike Helbig

The Schumann Quartet has reached a point where anything is possible—precisely because it dares to let go of certainties. The audience is part of this adventure: “A piece truly comes alive only in concert,” they say. “On stage, every imitation falls away – that’s when real communication happens.” In the 2025/2026 season, the quartet performs in renowned halls such as the Musikverein Vienna, Elbphilharmonie Hamburg, Muziekgebouw Amsterdam, Cologne Philharmonie, and Konzerthaus Dortmund, as well as at major festivals including the Schleswig-Holstein Musik Festival, the Mozartfest Bath, and the Heidelberg String Quartet Festival. February brings the third edition of “Expedition Mozart” with Kit Armstrong, featuring concerts in Salzburg and La Chaux-de-Fonds. The season concludes with a chamber music tour alongside Lisa Batiashvili in July 2026. Their albums – including Intermezzo (2018, Opus Klassik 2019), Fragment (2020, dedicated to Schubert), and The Music Year 1923 (2023, with works by Berg, Janáček, Hindemith, and Copland) – have received international acclaim. Brothers Mark, Erik, and Ken Schumann have played together since childhood, joined by Veit Hertenstein on viola. Inspired by mentors such as Eberhard Feltz, the Alban Berg Quartet, and Menahem Pressler, the ensemble’s openness, curiosity, and deep nonverbal connection make each performance a unique experience.

Photocredit: Eva Maria Richter

The Hamburg-based songwriter, singer, and music producer lùisa creates a compelling sound that blends dream pop with influences from folk, disco, and ethereal '80s rock. With her distinctive, deep voice and catchy, atmospheric arrangements, lùisa crafts multifaceted and captivating songs that explore themes such as female empowerment and finding one’s own voice, while also delving into deeper subjects like grief and loss. Her most recent and third album, New Woman, received acclaim beyond Germany's borders and brought her energetic live performances to stages across Europe — including festivals like Iceland Airwaves — and as a support act for Grammy-nominated artist Arlo Parks. lùisa is also part of the international Keychange network, which advocates for intersectional feminism in the music industry. Recently, lùisa was awarded the Female Producer Prize for her work as a producer and was invited by Alanis Morissette to join her on tour as a support act. New music by lùisa is set to be released in 2025, with her new self-produced album scheduled for 2026.

Oana Nechiti and Erich Klann are two outstanding professional dancers who have made a strong impact on the international dance scene. Oana, born in Romania, discovered her passion for dance at an early age and became widely known through the TV show “Let’s Dance.” Her creativity and talent have established her as a sought-after choreographer who is also actively involved in social projects. Erich Klann, born in Germany in 1985, started dancing at the age of ten and went on to win numerous national and international titles. He also gained recognition through “Let’s Dance,” where he impressed audiences with his exceptional skill and stage presence. Together, they share a deep passion for dance and frequently collaborate on innovative artistic projects. Both are highly committed to supporting young talent and regularly host workshops to pass on their experience and knowledge. In their free time, they enjoy traveling and drawing inspiration from different cultures to further develop their artistic vision. For Oana and Erich, dance is a universal language that brings people together.

Natalia was born in Lublin, Poland, where she began dancing as a child and quickly achieved national success. As a teenager, she lived in Latvia for three years to pursue her dance career, gaining recognition on the international stage as well. In autumn 2015, she moved to Germany to begin a partnership with Lars and build a shared professional future. Lars was born in Kempen on the Lower Rhine and learned to dance at an early age in his parents’ dance club in Krefeld. Over the years, he achieved both national and international success with his previous partners before meeting Natalia in 2015, when they decided to represent Germany together. Natalia and Lars turned professional in February 2017 and went on to become German Professional Champions in the Latin American dances as well as in Latin Showdance. Internationally, they won the American Dance Sport Festival in the Professional division and reached the finals of both the World and European Championships. In addition to their competitive careers, they are active as trainers, adjudicators, and officials for the German DanceSport Federation.

Zsófia and Domenico have been gliding across the dance floor since a young age and successfully compete together in the professional division of the German DanceSport Association. As a team, they are the reigning German Champions in Latin and Showdance, semi-finalists of the 2024 European Championships in Leipzig and the World Masters in Innsbruck, as well as finalists at the Euro Dance Festival at Europa-Park Rust, alongside many other achievements. As an active competitive dance couple and show act for events and television, they captivate audiences with their expertise in the Latin dances Samba, Cha-Cha, Rumba, Paso Doble, and Jive. In addition, both professionals are passionate about sharing their knowledge and experience with young dance couples, competition groups, and dance clubs. Zsófia was born in 1984 in Debrecen, Hungary, and grew up in Germany. Throughout her career, she has celebrated numerous notable successes, including becoming a finalist at the German Open Championships and ranking among the world’s top 20 dance couples. Domenico, whose roots are in Sicily, was born in 1990 in Calw, Germany. He was fortunate to begin his dance career in a club with a long-standing tradition of success, winning multiple regional championship titles and achieving semi-final placements at German Championships. As part of the national squad team, he ranked among the top 12 dance couples in Germany.

Verena K. Gabbe and Julian Pfersich discovered their passion for competitive dancing at a very young age, already during preschool. Trained by multiple German and world champions, they continue to compete in the supreme discipline of dance sport—the “Ten Dance” competition—on both national and international dance floors. So far, the pair has won more than ten championship titles across four German federal states. They were also German runners-up in formation dancing and only recently achieved an outstanding fourth place at the World Championships. In 2023, German singer-songwriter Tim Bendzko became aware of the dance couple, captivated by their passion and emotional performance. Verena and Julian were then cast as the protagonists in the music video for the radio hit Magneten, in which they vividly portray the powerful attraction between two people through dance.

On this journey, Verena and Julian are our experts in the standard dances. Their specialties include the slow waltz, tango, slow foxtrot, Viennese waltz, quickstep, and discofox.