The heinz erhardt project

An evening full of wit, swing, and surprises: 2026 sees the HEINZ ERHARDT project “Augen auf und durch” embark on a grand tour – featuring a new cast, the legendary Glenn Miller Orchestra, and even the world premiere of an unpublished title by Heinz Erhardt.

At the heart of the program are three audience favorites: Cordula Stratmann, Dietmar Bär, and Stefan Gwildis. Together, they bring to life the texts, songs, and unique wordplay of Heinz Erhardt – sometimes charming, sometimes swinging, sometimes full of soul.

The stars are accompanied by the Glenn Miller Orchestra, conducted by Jörg Achim Keller. He arranged all the pieces in this program, including classics like “Fräulein Mabel,” “Then Don’t Get Upset,” and “Agamemnon,” which will be performed with thrilling arrangements. The 17-member orchestra provides an unmistakable big band sound. Additionally, a poem by Erhardt set to music by Stefan Gwildis adds a special touch to the program.

Heinz Erhardt’s humor remains unparalleled to this day: playful, layered, and always with a wink. Hardly any performer after him mastered the nuances of comedic and often musical communication with the audience so perfectly, to amuse and entertain them. Even today, at least two generations after his passing, both young and old enjoy the sketches, films, songs, and witty poems of the “Uncle of the Nation,” as referred to by the “FAZ”. In “Augen auf und durch”, his timeless sketches, poems, and chansons meet the energy of a big band and the stage presence of three exceptional artists.

Initially, Nicola Tyszkiewicz, the granddaughter, asked former pianist of the NDR Big Band, Vladyslav Sendecki, to “just play” the previously unknown pieces of Erhardt found in the attic of the Erhardt’s red brick house in Wellingsbüttel during the estate settlement.

From this, an entire evening’s program was “filtered” over many days, capturing the essence of this commemorative chapter: a concert experience that unites humor, swing, and soul – lively, surprising, and guaranteed unforgettable.