Silent Film Concert "The Monster of Fate"
2025-11-29 20:00 - 21:30 UTC | Black Box, Schulstraße 4, Düsseldorf, NRW, 40213, Deutschland
Sa. 29.11.2025
8 pm
Black Box
About the Movie
General:
Germany 1920Directors: Paul Wegener, Carl BoeseScreenplay: Paul Wegener, Henrik GaleenProduction: Projektions-AG Union (Paul Davidson)Cinematography: Karl Freund
Short and Sweet:
The film is based on the cycle of legends surrounding the Prague Rabbi Judah Loew and tells the Jewish legend of the Golem:
The Prague Ghetto in the 16th century. When Rabbi Loew reads in the stars that misfortune threatens the Jewish community, he creates a powerful clay figure—the Golem—according to an old legend and brings it to life using magical powers.
Musical Score:
New musical score for cinema organ, percussion, and simultaneous piano by Wilfried Kaets.Norbert Krämer on large percussion and live electronics
More Informations about: “The Monster of Fate“

Silent Film Concert "GREED"
2026-03-28 20:00 - 22:30 | Rochuskirche, Rochusstraße 100, Köln, NRW, 50827, Deutschland
Sa. 28.03.26 8 pm
Rochuskirche
Cologne, Rochusstr. 100
General Info
General:
USA 1924
Directed by: Erich von Stroheim
Length: approx. 140 min.
Screenplay: June Mathis and E.v. Stroheim based on the novel McTeague by Frank Norris
Cast: Zasu Pitts – Trina; Gibson Gowland – McTeague; Jean Hersholt – Marcus; and others.
Contributors: Wilfried Kaets – Piano; Jona Kaets – Page Turner
About the Film:
Greed is a silent film classic from 1924 directed by Erich von Stroheim, exploring the theme of human greed. It tells the story of a woman whose obsession with money after winning the lottery destroys her marriage and causes her to lose her social circle.
Plot:
McTeague, a simple man, works in a mine. He meets Trina, the fiancée of his friend Marcus, falls in love, and marries her. When Trina wins a large sum of money in the lottery, Marcus is overtaken by intense jealousy and believes he is entitled to part of the money…
Music Version:
The music version for Greed is quite special: this time it is not newly composed but performed using the original historical piano scores by film composer Leo A. Kempinski from 1924. These scores were discovered years ago, almost by accident, at a flea market in New York and made their way to Wilfried Kaets… Kaets spent months of detailed work practicing 158 pages of handwritten sheet music and will perform them live on the piano.
The adaptation process was complex due to the differences in the available sheet music compared to the film’s current condition. In many places, cuts or jumps had to be made, some of which had been altered by the original pianist who performed live during film screenings in 1924 due to film breaks.
More Informations about: “Greed“

Silent Film Concert "Warning Shadows"
2026-11-04 20:00 - 22:00 | Filmforum Kölner Philharmonie, Bischofsgartenstraße 1, Köln
Sa. 24.10.26
Filmforum der Kölner Phiharmonie
Bischofsgartenstr.
Info
Overview:
D 1923
Drama by Arthur Robinson
Musical version for piano by Wilfried Kaets
Length: approx. 83 min
Famous silent film by German-American Arthur Robison (1888-1935).
A count follows with growing jealousy the behavior of his wife and her suitors.
About:
During an evening dinner, he believes he has finally found proof of her infidelity. He watches the shadow play behind a curtain.
His wife is groped by men’s hands. But the shadows deceive him. In reality, these are meaningless gestures; his wife is not even touched by the men. A showman present notices the husband’s delusion and knows how the deception came about.
Through hypnosis, he wants to reveal the truth to those present…
About the Music:
The musical version by Wilfried Kaets for piano captures the spirit of silent film music from the 1920s.
More Information about:
Warning Shadows

Silent Film Concert "King of Kings"
2026-11-20 19:30 - 22:00 | Rochuskirche, Rochusstraße 100, Köln, NRW, 50827, Deutschland
Fr. 20.11.20267:30 PMRochus Church
General Information
General:USA 1927Director: Cecil B. DeMilleScreenplay: Jeanie MacphersonCinematography: John Peverell MarleyDuration: 135 min., black and white
About:The courtesan Mary Magdalene is angry when her lover Judas Iscariot does not come to her festival because he has become a follower of Jesus. She goes to Jesus herself, becomes a believer, and experiences the biblical story up to the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and his resurrection.
Music Version:New music for orchestra, soloists, and choir by Wilfried Kaets
Performers:
Orchestra
10 Percussionists
6 Soloists
Choir
Big Version with two projections (original American version and German translated Subtitles)
More Information about: “King of Kings“

Silent Film Concert "King of Kings"
2026-11-21 19:30 - 22:00 | Rochuskirche, Rochusstraße 100, Köln, NRW, 50827, Deutschland
Sat. 21.11.20267:30 PMRochus Church
General Information
General:USA 1927Director: Cecil B. DeMilleScreenplay: Jeanie MacphersonCinematography: John Peverell MarleyDuration: 135 min., black and white
About:The courtesan Mary Magdalene is angry when her lover Judas Iscariot does not come to her festival because he has become a follower of Jesus. She goes to Jesus herself, becomes a believer, and experiences the biblical story up to the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and his resurrection.
Music Version:New music for orchestra, soloists, and choir by Wilfried Kaets
Performers:
Orchestra
10 Percussionists
6 Soloists
Choir
Long version with two projections (original American version and German translated Subtitles)
More Information about: “King of Kings“

Silent Film Concert "Wings"
2026-12-12 20:00 - 21:30 | Filmforum Kölner Philharmonie, Bischofsgartenstraße 1, Köln
Sa. 12.12.20268 pmFilmforum Kölner Philharmonie
Info:
Overview
Released: USA 1928
Duration: approx. 140 minutes
Direction: William Wellman
Cast: Clara Bow, Charles Rogers
About:
The year is 1917. Jack Powell is a young man who loves fast cars and dreams of becoming a pilot. His neighbor is Mary Preston, who is hopelessly in love with him, though he doesn’t seem to notice. He, in turn, loves Sylvia Lewis, who is involved with the wealthy David Armstrong.
Music
New musical version for Piano with cue feeds.
More Information about: WINGS

Silent Film Concert "Destiny" ( Organ and piano simultaneously)
2026-12-19 20:00 - 22:00 | Black Box, Schulstraße 4, Düsseldorf, NRW, 40213, Deutschland
Sa. 19.12.26
Black Box
Schulstr. 4
Info
General:Germany 1921Director: Fritz LangScreenplay: Fritz Lang, Thea von HarbouDuration: 93 min.
About:This film, resembling a novella in style, is filled with romantic mood and resignation. Death, weary of its duty, longs to be “defeated” by a young girl. Equally impressive is the main storyline: scenes set in a romantically winding German town with its sometimes quirky characters, and scenes in the majestically dark Hall of the Life Lights.
Music Version:New music score by Wilfried Kaets for organ and percussion
Performers:Wilfried Kaets – OrganNorbert Krämer – PercussionJoachim Steinigeweg – Silent film technology
Information:A valuable historic silent film copy with hand-calligraphed intertitles will be presented at reduced original speed on a large screen.
More Information about: Destiny

Silent Film Concert "Metropolis"
2027-01-16 21:00 - 23:30 | Rochuskirche, Rochusstraße 100, Köln, NRW, 50827, Deutschland
Sat. Jan. 16, 2027RochuskircheRochusstr. 10050827 Cologne-Bickendorf

100 Years of Metropolis!!!Anniversary of the world premiere on January 10, 1927
Brief Overview
Germany, 1927Director: Fritz LangScreenplay: Thea von Harbou, Fritz LangCinematography: Karl Freund, Walter RuttmannEditing: Fritz LangDuration: approx. 140 min.Version: 35mm theatrical version
Content
Metropolis – the city of the future. Fritz Lang’s monumental science-fiction film combines visual power with a love story about the reconciliation of labor and capital: High above the city rules Joh Fredersen, while underground the workers toil. Fredersen’s son Freder falls in love with the worker leader Maria.
(Music) Version:
Newly restored version by the Murnau Foundation from 2010
New musical version by Wilfried Kaets for double percussion, grand piano, and live electronics
Performers
Norbert Krämer – percussion, live electronicsRalf Kurley – percussionWilfried Kaets – grand piano, live electronicsJoachim Steinigeweg – film technology and introductory lecture
More Informations about:” Metropolis“
