Classical music is one of the most coveted aspects of German culture and DW has always been in tune with this, taking global audiences behind the music with documentaries like Schumann at Pier 2 and the Beethoven Project.  DW’s latest classical music film production, The Highest Level, recently premiered to much acclaim in Berlin. The film was directed by DW’s prize winning director, Christian Berger. It follows the Chinese pianist Lang Lang and the Berlin Philharmonic conducted by Sir Simon Rattle as they put together a stunning performance of Piano Concerto No. 2 by Hungarian composer Béla Bartók and Piano Concerto No. 3 by the Russian composer Sergei Prokofiev. The two pieces are considered to be some of the most intricate and complicated for pianists.  A sneak preview is available now on Euromaxx on DW.  You can see the film on DW television in English, German, Spanish and Arabic from Saturday, November 30 to Monday, December 2 as part of the In Focus documentary series. On December 1 it will be available on-demand in DW’s media center. For those who can’t wait Sony Classical will release the film on October 25, 2013, on DVD and Blu-ray Disc. You can buy the audio CD now online.

DW’s In Focus has always presented an endless variety of insightful and educational documentaries and one of their new productions, Ecopia, is a must-see for everyone who loves cities and architecture.  The six part TV-series on “intelligent building and sustainable living” recently won awards at three European film festivals.

The entire series won the grand prize in the “People and Society” category at the Ekofilm awards in the Czech Republic. Part six of the series, “Tourism goes green”, won the jury prize at the Tourfilm festival, also in the Czech Republic. Part five of the series, “Modern Culture Temples”, received a special mention at the European Environment Festival, “Green Wave – 21 Century”, in Bulgaria.

The series features in-depth reporting with architects and experts on ecological building projects and urban planning in places like New York, Hamburg, London and many other places in almost every corner of the world. Watch it now online.

Starting September 30, audiences in Asia and Latin America will be able to enjoy an expanded DW television lineup in Spanish and German. DW (Latinoamerica) will be increasing its Spanish language programming from 20 to 24 hours a day and DW (Asien) will also feature a full 24 hours of German language programming. The change is a part of a strategy to provide programming that it suited to the demands of different global markets. The success of DW’s Spanish programming in Latin America has dictated the change to a full 24-hour program. In Asia, DW already offers 24 hours of English language programming on its flagship channel. Increasing DW (Asien) programming to 24 hours in German will make DW the go-to channel for a complete selection of German language television in Asian markets.

But that’s not all, PopXport, DW’s trendy music magazine featuring all the best music and bands from Germany, will now be aired once every week.

DW’s Global Ideas has always been good at going to some of the most exotic places on earth and uncovering stories that have an environmental impact. The latest adventure heads off to a remote region in the Moroccan Sahara that is home to the Hanabou oasis, a small village that is part of the bigger Tafilet oasis which is considered to be one of the largest in the world. Now, Oasis Life – Defying the Desert provides you with a unique look at culture and people that have adapted to life in very harsh conditions. However, climate change is beginning to threaten the water supply and every aspect of their existence hangs in the balance. Magnificent footage and insightful interviews help you to understand the fragile yet beautiful simplicity of life in the desert from the traditional Bedouin nomads who today yearn for the ancient freedom of the desert to the tourism economy dependent on the 200,000 annual visitors to the majestic Erg Chebbi sand dunes. Don’t miss out on this inspiring and educational multimedia journey.

People in Germany will be going to the polls this month and DW has turned its focus to politics in with programming and online specials geared to the upcoming elections. On Journal, reporters assess the progress of the campaign for Angela Merkel and Peer Steinbrück, the two leading candidates for the Chancellor’s office, and explain where they stand on important current issues. People and Politics takes a look behind the scenes, analyzing the choices facing the German electorate and the significance of the election for Europe and the world.
DW will also be featuring special reports on its popular documentary series In Focus as part of election coverage beginning on Thursday, September 5 with “The Outspoken Challenger”, followed by “Power Broker” on Thursday, September 12. The final installment “Promises, Promises…”, will premiere on Thursday, September 19.

You can also turn to DW’s German Elections page for everything from campaign news, interviews, surveys and info-graphics to in-depth analysis that includes German foreign policy and economics. An interesting outside perspective on German politics is provided by a selection of international political caricatures that portray Angela Merkel’s image abroad.