Culture in Dresden Waurich"). Kurt Vonnegut's novel "Slaughterhouse-Five" describes the bombing of Dresden in February 1945 seen from a slaughterhouse near the old city of Dresden. Vonnegut was prisoner of war in Dresden during that event. Contemporary novelists who are active in Dresden include Uwe Tellkamp and Ingo Schulze. Both broach up the theme of "Mythos Dresden". Tellkamp is known for his novel "Der Turm" ("The Tower") plotting the life of an academic family in its educated social environment (ivory tower society) of Dresden in the last seven years of former East Germany. Dresden's heterogeneous cityspace strongly influences the lifestyle of the city.
Dresden orchestra of the city of Dresden. Throughout the summer, the outdoor concert series "Zwingerkonzerte und Mehr" is held in the "Zwingerhof". Performances include dance and music. A big event each year in June is the Bunte Republik Neustadt, a culture festival lasting 3 days in the city district of Dresden-Neustadt. Bands play live concerts for free in the streets and people can find all kinds of refreshments and food. Dresden hosts the "Staatlichen Kunstsammlungen Dresden" (Dresden State Art Collections) which, according to the institution's own statements, place it among the most important museums presently in existence. The art collections consist