The level of the Elbe has fallen and now stands at 6.19 metres. “We are greatly relieved that the high water was largely kept away from the city, thanks in no small measure to our excellent and extensive flood defences,” says Dr Bettina Bunge, Managing Director at Dresden Marketing GmbH. “These spared the old town of Dresden and the cultural treas-ures of the city from the worst of the flooding.”

Tourist industry partners in the city such as the hotels are well prepared for their guests. “For the Dresden hotels and guesthouses, including those located in the historic centre, it is business as usual, and we look forward to welcoming visitors,” says Marco Bensen, Chairman of the Board at DEHOGA Dresden and Managing Director of INNSIDE by Meliá Dresden. “To anyone who asks how they can help, we say: Come to Dresden, visit our beautiful city and attend some of the major cultural activities and events that are due to take place in the coming weeks. There is no reason to cancel any trips you may have planned.” It is not only possible to make private visits to Dresden without any problem; conferences, business meetings and congresses can also take place as scheduled.

Only a few hotels and guesthouses have had to cancel bookings because of the high wa-ter. These include the Hotel am Terrassenufer which will now not be open again for guests until 16th July. With the exception of the Saxon Steamship Company fleet and the Elbe ferries, public transport in Dresden can be used without restrictions.

The museums of the Dresden State Art Collections in the Royal Palace, in the Zwinger with Semper Building, in the Albertinum, in the Lipsius gallery, in the Jägerhof and in the Japanese Palace are open as normal. Only the Museum of Decorative Arts at Pillnitz Pal-ace is expected to stay closed until 16th June. The season continues as programmed at the Semperoper Dresden. “The risk of flooding over recent days has now passed,” said a spokesman for the opera house. “Consequently, the Semperoper Dresden will proceed as planned with a performance of ‘Ein William Forsythe Ballettabend’ on Thursday 13th June. Furthermore, the performance of ‘Der Rosenkavalier’ at 6pm on Sunday 16th June will take place in the full theatrical version, and the new production of ‘The Flying Dutchman’ will receive its premiere as intended at 3pm on 19th June.”

Booking offices are also seeing the tail-end of a hectic period. Matthias Hundt who works at Dresden Information GmbH: “At the moment, we are still fielding a lot of calls from anx-ious tourists who are unsure about whether they should be coming. By providing compre-hensive updates on the situation, we have been able to allay their fears in most in-stances.”

Visitors from Germany and abroad who want to be absolutely sure should call their hotel or tour operator prior to travel. Additionally, they can contact Dresden Information GmbH who will be pleased to answer any queries and suggest suitable tour packages.

Events in June (selection)
Festivals
Verdi anniversary featuring the choir of the Frauenkirche · Frauenkirche · 22nd June 2013, www.frauenkirche.de
Festival OFF · Dance, puppetry and drama · Societätstheater Projekttheater · 1st – 30th June 2013, www.societaetstheater.de, www.projekttheater.de
23rd Bunte Republik Neustadt · District festival · Outer Neustadt Dresden · 14th – 16th June 2013
Goldenes Prag (Golden Prague) Midsummer Night’s Ball · Schloss Wackerbarth · 22nd June 2013, www.schloss-wackerbarth.de
23rd Elbhang Festival, 28th – 30th June 2013, www.elbhangfest.de

Exhibitions
Verlorener Sieg (Lost Victory). Dresden 1813 · Local History Museum · 15th June – 13th October 2013, www.stadtmuseum-dresden.de
Constable, Delacroix, Friedrich, Goya: Die Erschütterung der Sinne (A Shock to the Senses) · New Masters Gallery in the Albertinum · until 14th July 2013, www.skd.museum
Der Akt um 1900 (The Nude at the Turn of the 19th Century). Body, landscape, eroticism · Special exhibition at the Sculpture Collection in the Albertinum · until 21st July 2013, www.skd.museum
ÜBER GRENZEN (ACROSS BORDERS) Photo exhibition by OSTKREUZ · German Hy-giene Museum until 11th August 2013, www.dhmd.de,
Wols Photograph: Der gerettete Blick (Photographer Wols: The saved view) · Centenary of the birth of Wolfgang Schulze · Collection of Prints, Drawings and Photographs in the Royal Palace · until 26th August, www.skd.museum
Roman Polanski, director and actor · Special exhibition in the new Kraszewski Museum until 1st September 2013, www.stadtmuseum-dresden.de
Traumschmelze (Melting dreams). German animated cinema 1930 – 1950 · Exhibition staged by the German Institute for Animated Film · Technical Collections Dresden · until 1st September 2013, www.tsd.de
Zugpferde: Als Pferdestärken noch echte Pferde waren (Workhorses: When horsepower still meant real horses) · Dresden Transport Museum until 1st September 2013, www.verkehrsmuseum-dresden.de

Stage
Semperoper premiere of The Flying Dutchman. Romantic opera in three acts by
Richard Wagner · Staatskapelle Dresden at the Semperoper · 15th June 2013
www.semperoper.de
Premiere Dresden State Operetta · GUIDITTA. Operetta by Franz Lehár · 21st June 2013, www.staatsoperette-dresden.de
Premiere Landesbühnen Sachsen theatre · Drei Haselnüsse für Aschenbrödel (Three Wishes for Cinderella), a musical · Rathen Open-Air Stage · 22nd June 2013, www.felsenbuehne-rathen.de
Dresden – where Wagner became WAGNER: A special programme of events to celebrate the Wagner bicentenary
Festival Concert ‘Berührungen’ (Contacts) · Choral works by Richard Wagner and Robert Schumann · Palace in the Grosser Garten Park · 16th June 2013, www.saechsisches-vocalensemble.de
Opening concert of the Elbhangfest (Dresden Riverside Festival) · performed by Vocal Concert Dresden · Loschwitz parish church · 28th June 2013, www.elbhangfest.de
Opening concert ‘Wagner auf Sächsisch’ (Wagner in Saxon dialect) featuring patron René Pape and Tom Pauls · Staatskapelle Dresden · Pillnitz Palace · 29th June 2013, www.elbhangfest.de

Richard Wagner in Dresden: Myth and History · Local History Museum · until 25th August 2013, www.stadtmuseum-dresden.de
Richard Wagner in Saxony · Richard Wagner commemorative sites in Pirna-Graupa, in-cluding the Graupa hunting lodge · commenced 13th January 2013, www.richardwagnermuseum.de
Preview of events from July to August (selection)
5th Night of the Dresden Palaces · Schloss Albrechtsberg, Lingnerschloss, Schloss Eck-berg, Saloppe · 13th July 2013, www.dresdner-schloessernacht.de
7th OSTRALE · International Exhibition of Contemporary Arts · Ostragehege on the site of the former Hans Erlwein slaughterhouse · 15th July – 15th September 2013, www.ostrale.de
20th Moritzburg Festival · various venues · 10th – 25th August 2013, www.moritzburgfestival.de
Dresden City Festival · Canaletto meets Wagner · various venues · 16th – 18th August 2013, www.dresdner-stadtfest.com
4th THE SOUND OF BRONKOW · Music festival for folk, indie and singer-songwriters Societätstheater · 30th August – 1st September 2013, www.societaetstheater.de
www.kfrecords.de/sob-festival

Contact/Information:
Dresden Information
Service Centre
Mon – Sat, 9am – 6pm
Tel: +49 (0) 351 501 501
Fax: +49 (0) 351 501 50-555
info@dresdeninformation.de
www.dresden.de/tourismus

Dresden Information at the Frauenkirche
Neumarkt 2, 01067 Dresden
Opening times:
Mon – Fri, 10am – 7pm
Saturdays, 10am – 6pm
Sundays and public holidays, 10am – 3pm
Dresden Information im Hauptbahnhof (Main Railway Station)
Wiener Platz 4, 01069 Dresden
Opening times:
Mon – Sun, 9am – 7pm
Information about events: www.dresden.de/highlights

Contact:
Dresden Marketing GmbH
Press office
Messering 7, 01067 Dresden
Germany
Phone +49 (0)351 50173-130
Fax +49 (0)351 50173-137
Mail presse@marketing.dresden.de
www.marketing.dresden.de