Claudia Michelsen
In December 2026, audiences can look forward to the most magical moments of the Christmas season when two-time Grimme Prize winner Claudia Michelsen invites them to festive Christmas readings. Joining her will be the celebrated jazz trumpeter and exceptional young artist Jakob Bänsch, who won the German Jazz Prize at just 20 years old and creates magical musical moments with his unique sound.
Christmas—it’s about love and the glow of lights, family and joy. But there are also misunderstandings, intense emotions, and the legendary “wrong gifts.” This entire spectrum is what makes this evening so magical. With her warm, unmistakable voice, Claudia Michelsen brings contemplative, cheerful, and reflective stories to life. Stories of longing, memories, new beginnings, family, and winter wonders intertwine with Jakob Bänsch’s unique music to create an evening that touches both the heart and the mind. Words and sound enter into a lively dialogue—at times delicate, at times powerful. With his music, Bänsch creates soundscapes that carry, deepen, and sometimes unexpectedly shatter the words, thoughts, and moods.
Claudia Michelsen and Jakob Bänsch combine literature and music into an atmospheric stage experience that blends humor, melancholy, and winter magic.
“A Christmas Eve Full of Stories” is not a traditional reading evening, nor is it a concert, but rather a finely crafted stage experience.
Claudia Michelsen: “Time flies—as always, faster than you think—which is why we’re delighted to invite you to our Christmas program already! A musical reading featuring very special stories awaits you. The various texts promise little journeys into the wonderful winter worlds of literature, and perhaps we’ll see each other again soon after a beautiful summer and fall! We’d be delighted.”
About Claudia Michelsen Claudia Michelsen, born in Dresden, studied acting in Berlin and performed there at the Volksbühne, the Deutsches Theater, and the Schaubühne. She has appeared in many major film and television productions, such as “Der Tunnel,” “12 heißt: ich liebe dich,” and the TV miniseries “Ku’damm.” Since 2013, she has played a detective in the Magdeburg-based series “Polizeiruf 110.” She has received numerous awards as an actress, including the Golden Camera, the Bambi, the Golden Hen, and the Grimme Prize twice. She tours with various reading programs and regularly lends her distinctive voice to audiobooks. She is actively involved with the Christian children’s and youth welfare organization “Die Arche.”
About Jakob Bänsch Award-winning trumpeter and composer Jakob Bänsch is one of the most promising rising stars on the European jazz scene. His debut album, *Opening*, was honored with the 2024 German Jazz Prize for “Debut Album of the Year,” among other accolades. His second album, *All The Others*, followed in February 2025, weaving together impressionist classical music, modern jazz, and folk elements. With his bands, he has already performed at Germany’s most renowned jazz clubs and leading festivals and has collaborated closely with international greats such as Nathan East, Nils Landgren, Wolfgang Haffner, Emil Mangelsdorff, Wolfgang Niedecken, Max Mutzke, and Michael Abene, as well as appearing as a soloist with the WDR Big Band.