On December 28, 2025, Hildegard Knef would have celebrated her 100th birthday. With the release of the single Prosit Neujahr on December 28, 2024, exactly one year before Knef's birthday, Madeleine Joel and her magnificent band, the Hildeguards, kicked off the anniversary year. Since spring 2025, Joel has been presenting her new concert program Tapetenwechsel (Change of Scenery) in German-speaking countries. Brilliantly rearranged by American pianist Rob Bargad, the modern interpretations of the new album of the same name, which was released at the end of September, will be performed.

Blessed with a charismatic, dark voice, singer/saxophonist Madeleine Joel impressively succeeds in retelling Knef's lyrics without imitating her. Rob Bargad transforms the chansons into sophisticated, contemporary songs with his arrangements; jazz in its most diverse facets, harmonically refined and rhythmically varied. We are particularly delighted to welcome three illustrious star guests to the stage with Madeleien Joel & the Hildeguards this evening: Karin Bachner and Willi Landl, two vocal artists of the highest caliber, as well as saxophone legend Heinz von Hermann, who played with Knef in the studio and on stage with the Rias Big Band Berlin.
Come and celebrate with us when we say: Happy Birthday, HILDE!