Entertainment

Dr. Peter Frey, born in 1957, served as Editor-in-Chief of ZDF from 2010 to 2022. On the program heute journal, he regularly provided commentary on national and international politics. He hosted numerous shows, including Berlin direkt, auslandsjournal, and ZDF-Morgenmagazin, and, together with Bettina Schausten, interviewed all key figures in German politics as part of the series Was nun? (What Now?). Since the 1990s, he conducted 48 interviews with Angela Merkel. Highlights of his television career include the coverage of Barack Obama’s election as U.S. President, the elections and funerals of Popes John Paul II, Benedict XVI, and Francis, as well as the ceremonies surrounding the death of Queen Elizabeth II. Frey also served as a correspondent in Washington and authored the book Von Bagdad nach St. Petersburg, published by Hoffmann und Campe. He began his journalistic career in his early twenties at Südwestfunk radio and for the newspaper Die Zeit, where one of his first features was a report on the writer Anna Seghers and her novel The Seventh Cross. Between 1978 and 1986, he studied political science, Romance studies, and education in Mainz and Madrid, earning a doctorate on Spain’s accession to the European Union. As Editor-in-Chief, Frey actively engaged in dialogue with viewers and critics of public broadcasting. Since his retirement, he has been involved in German-Polish initiatives.

The Canadian dancer and choreographer Johnny McMillan is considered one of the most outstanding talents of his generation. After graduating from the renowned Interlochen Arts Academy, he began his career at Hubbard Street 2 in Chicago and was later promoted to the main company, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago. During this time, he co-founded the interdisciplinary performance collective The Rainbow Body Project, which is dedicated to personal transformation through artistic self-exploration. After his time in Chicago, McMillan moved to Europe, where he first joined the contemporary ensemble of the Royal Swedish Ballet. He later transitioned to the Staatsballett Berlin, where he further expanded his repertoire. Currently, McMillan lives and works as a freelance dancer in Berlin, frequently performing with the internationally celebrated company L-E-V Sharon Eyal on stages worldwide. McMillan’s artistic style combines powerful dynamics with emotional depth, creating a unique movement language. His choreographic works have been presented at the Deutsche Oper Berlin and the Peter Jay Sharp Theater in New York, among others. In his projects, he constantly explores new forms of expression and regularly collaborates with leading companies and artists. As part of the exclusive "NEW GEN" program aboard the MS EUROPA, Johnny McMillan brings the vision of a new generation of artists to the stage—beyond traditional ballet forms. As both choreographer and dancer of his own works, his performance promises to be a touching and impressive experience: full of emotion, beauty, and artistic innovation.

Photocredit: Frank Schröder