Gala des Scheiterns Vol. 2 mit Rocko Schamoni und den Gästen Christiane Rösinger, Thomas von Steinaecker, Fritzi Ernst u.a. x Harbour Front Literaturfestival Hamburg

Can you actually be successful through failure? And does the audience care? Of course! Because, when you really think about it, good art almost always tells the story of the struggle to succeed—and, as a result, not infrequently of failure. But failure, by its very nature, is never just funny. And at best, it’s funny only in hindsight. And what causes failure? Circumstances, one’s own inadequacy, fate?
The following two quotes have been attributed to Samuel Beckett, the global icon of failure: “Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter.” And: “Try again. Fail again. Fail better.”

What if we invited artists to talk about their own failures? That’s exactly what happened last year, when host Rocko Schamoni, Charlotte Brandi, and Joachim Meyerhoff spoke candidly about their failures and were celebrated by a jubilant, sold-out audience at the Schauspielhaus: A successful failure, so to speak. And Rocko Schamoni announced: “I’d love to do that again!”

Now the time has come—his guests this time:

Christiane Rösingeris a sought-after and very special artist: as a musician (“Britta”; various solo albums), journalist (focusing on pop culture), and author. Her book *The Joy of Aging* (2026) has just been published.

Thomas von Steinaeckeris also a multi-talented artist: He makes films for 3SAT and Arte and radio plays for Deutschlandfunk and Bayerischer Rundfunk; he writes novels (his latest, “Schwestern,” will be released in early September) and is the ultimate expert on the subject of failure: “Open Ending: The Book of Failed Works of Art” (2021).

Fritzi Ernstlives in Hamburg as a musician, composer, and songwriter. She releases solo albums and, with “Introvert Memes,” recently released the definitive party anthem.

The host isRocko Schamoni(longtime host of “Pudel Club” and still with “Studio Braun,” as well as an author in his own right).