Culture

With heavy censorship and no copyright laws, being a musician in Iran is a thankless job. But that doesn't mean there isn't a thriving scene - even if it can spell serious danger for performers.

Jazz meets grand 19th century opera? Saxophonist Angelika Niescier makes it work in a piece commissioned by DW for Wagner's anniversary year in 2013. The genre-bending "Kundry" recently debuted in Washington.

From rock and pop to world and classical: Each week, we look back at an important event from the world of music. Below you'll find the current as well as recent editions of Music This Week.

Deutsche Welle presents a new series of performances from the Beethovenfest. Whether excerpt or complete work, each download is free of charge.

Christian Thielemann has been called the the world's foremost living Wagner conductor. In Dresden, he spoke with Hans Christoph von Bock about Wagner as a "healthy drug" and whether musical keys can be politicized.

Famous German composer Richard Wagner was a vehement anti-Semite. But he also admired Jews like poet Heinrich Heine and had both Jewish patrons and fans. How does it all fit together, and where did his hatred come from?

The German Jazz Orchestra (BuJazzo) has rounded out its African tour, returning enriched and inspired by their experiences. The young musicians are looking for ways to host their West African colleagues in Germany.

It was nearly 20 years ago that the band gave their first concert at home in Ibbenbüren near Münster, in western Germany. They've come a long way since, and they just wrapped up a tour with Flogging Molly in the US.

Ask people what German bands they've heard of, and they're likely to say Rammstein or Kraftwerk. But Germany's pop landscape is diverse with a lot to discover. DW presents concerts and portraits in this monthly podcast.