ORF III weekly highlights: From the Vienna Volksoper: “The Merry Widow”, opulent International Women’s Day focus

2024-02-29 13:24:11

Also: “Thursday Night” with Lisa Eckhart, “On the Red Chair” and much more – from March 4th to 10th, 2024

Vienna (OTS) – “ORF III Theme Monday” on the topic of electromobility

The “ORF III Theme Monday” on March 4th will be the “E-Car Check” (8:15 p.m.) with the new production “Climate Rescuer or Deceptive Packaging” and will address the promises of automobile manufacturers and the real challenges – including increasing CO2 emissions due to SUV trends , high charging losses and controversial lithium extraction – to the bottom. The expansion of public charging stations for e-cars is stagnating, while electronic means of transport such as e-scooters and e-bikes are becoming more important, especially for short distances. The new production “The Tricks with Electromobility” (9:05 p.m.) examines the question of how e-mobility works in everyday life and whether it can be a complete alternative to conventional combustion cars. The subsequent ORF III productions “Austria – really green and eco?” (9:55 p.m.) and “Energy transition – just hot air? (10:45 p.m.) conclude the main evening.

“ORF III Cultural Tuesday” with a focus on Vienna in “Heritage Austria”

On March 5th, “ORF III Cultural Tuesday” will present the second film in the three-part new “Erbe Österreich” production “Viennese Lifestyle:
Dumplings, Goulash, Mazzes” (8:15 p.m.) and is dedicated to Bohemian cuisine as well as language and their integral part of everyday Viennese culture. The “Erbe Österreich” production “Vienna Grätzel Stories” (9:05 p.m.) then takes a journey “from Meidling to Simmering”: from the slum in Untermeidling to the regulation of the Vienna River, which ultimately led to the development of villa areas near Schönbrunn.
Afterwards, the second part of the documentary trilogy “Vienna as it once was” (9:55 p.m.) highlights the changes in the later belt districts in “Old Vienna”, which benefited most from the demolition of the city walls and the opening of the inner city. The main evening concludes with the documentary “Lebensraum Grinzing” (10:45 p.m.), which shows the area from a day of swimming in the Krapfenwaldbad to a walk in the Vienna Woods to an evening of wine and socializing.

Documentary highlights on Wednesday and Thursday: “Home Austria”, “Country Life” and “Land of Mountains”

As part of the comprehensive focus on the “European Capital of Culture Bad Ischl Salzkammergut 2024” project on ORF III, “Heimat Österreich” will present “Life in Attergau” (8:15 p.m.) on Wednesday, March 6th. In this new production, director Alfred Ninaus explores the authentic lives of the people around Lake Attersee in the Upper Austrian Salzkammergut, where farming traditions still play an important role in everyday life today. The “Country Life” documentaries “Around the Pielach” (9:05 p.m.) then take you to the Mostviertel, which is known as the “Valley of the Dirndls” because of the cornelian cherries, and to the “Semmering and Voralpen” area (9:55 p.m.).
A “Land of the Mountains” production on Thursday, March 7th presents the “Prince of the Mountains”: the Schafberg (8:15 p.m.) with its almost 1,900 meters in the Salzkammergut. Then it’s regarding the Traunstein, the “guardian of the Salzkammergut” (9:05 p.m.).

“MERYN on Monday” and “treffpunkt medizin” on Wednesday

In a new edition of “MERYN am Montag” (6.45 p.m.), ORF health expert Siegfried Meryn and Univ.-Prof. Dr. Georg Stary, University Clinic for Dermatology at MedUni Vienna, talks regarding the health risks of tick bites and protective measures and answers questions from the audience.
On Wednesday, March 6th, a new issue of “treffpunkt medizin” (10:30 p.m.) will be dedicated to the topic of hormones. They regulate a variety of vital functions, from growth to metabolism. However, many myths surrounding hormones often revolve around their supposedly magical powers, which range from extreme mood swings to uncontrollable behavior. In collaboration with experts, widespread assumptions are taken up and examined in more detail in order to answer essential questions: “Which emotions can hormones trigger and how do they do this?” And what actually happens when there is a hormone deficiency?” Finally, “treffpunkt medizin” (11.20 p.m.) takes a look at gender medicine with the program “Women are different, so are men: The future of medicine”.

“Thursday Night”: Martin Frank from the Graz Orpheum, Didi Sommer and Tereza Hossa in “Cabaret in the Tower”, “On the Red Chair” with Lisa Eckhart

“Thursday Night” begins with “Kleinkunst from the Orpheum Graz” and Martin Frank’s “One for all, all for none” (9:55 p.m.). A new edition of “Cabaret in the Tower” follows at 11 p.m., this time with Didi Sommer and his new program “Auftrumpfn” – a merciless, bitterly evil existentialist piece regarding country life. In a new edition of “On the Red Chair” cabaret artist Lisa Eckhart talks regarding her fear of death, society’s sensitivity and private outbursts of anger (11:55 p.m.). Tereza Hossa ends the evening at “Cabaret in the Tower” with her solo program “Adventure” (12:50 a.m.).

ORF III on International Women’s Day

On International Women’s Day, March 8th, ORF III will feature “zeit.geschichte” portraits of important Austrian women on the program: The first is “Margarete Schütte-Lihotzky” as “architect, communist and resistance fighter” (1:25 p.m.), followed by the “Master Builders of the Republic” Adelheid Popp (2:05 p.m.), Hertha Firnberg (3:00 p.m.), Freda Meissner-Blau (3:50 p.m.) and Johanna Dohnal (4:45 p.m.). “Home of Great Daughters” portrays “Hedy Lamarr: The Austrian Hollywood Legend” (5:35 p.m.). The “Film Legends” series complements the series of resounding names with a documentary regarding “Romy Schneider” (6.30 p.m.) – from the young Sissi to the fragile beauty, whose mysterious death still poses a mystery decades later.
Live from the Globe Vienna, ORF III will then present a concert from the women’s concert series #WEARE, which has been organized by the Viennese singer-songwriter Virginia Ernst since 2018, under the motto “Strong voices, strong women – The show for International Women’s Day” (10.40 p.m.) – STRONG VOICES, STRONG WOMEN. Numerous artists gather at Ernst’s side – musicians and cabaret artists such as the Poxrucker Sisters, Katharina Straßer, Birgit Denk, Dorretta Carter, Sara De Blue, Schick Sisters, Laura Bilgeri, Kernölamazons and Maria Muhar – as well as a special Guests Michael Niavarani and his Simpl ensemble. The event is moderated by Andi Knoll and Markus Freistätter.

“zeit.geschichte” evening on Austrian economic history

Petroleum and natural gas have now become two of the most important, albeit controversial, sources of energy. ORF III is presenting two “zeit.geschichte” editions on this topic on Saturday, March 9th: The documentary “Black Gold – History of the Oil Industry in Austria” (8:15 p.m.) by Alfred Schwarz deals with the history of the domestic oil industry as well as with the current energy crisis. The subsequent production “Good Business – History of Gas Supply in Austria” (9:05 p.m.) by Werner Müller tells of gas supply contracts with the Soviet Union and the construction of Austrian gasworks. The subsequent two documentaries show “success stories in red-white-red”: “From Sensenschmied to Voestalpine” (9.55 p.m.) focuses on the Austrian iron and steel industry, while “From Ringstraße Palace to Glocknerstraße” (10.45 p.m.) focuses on historical development from small or medium-sized craft businesses to global corporate empires.

Classic on Sunday: “The Merry Widow” in “Experience Stage”

“Experience Stage” presents “The Merry Widow” (8:15 p.m.) from the Vienna Volksoper on Sunday, March 10th. Audience favorites Daniel Dirthard and Anett Fritsch sing the main roles in this new production of Franz Lehár’s most famous operetta. The French director Mariame Clément makes her debut with her production of the turbulent plot between love and reasons of state in the house on the Währinger Belt. The Volksoper’s orchestra is conducted by its new music director, Ben Glassberg.
The “Experience Stage” editorial team dedicates the broadcast to ORF TV director Volker Grohskopf, who recently died during production preparations. The project was taken over and continued at short notice by Jakob Pitzer.

Further details regarding the ORF III Culture and Information program are available at tv.ORF.at/orf3.