performance of Bizet's opera Carmen that drew 2,300 people: standing-room-only tickets were sold for 50 pfennings. From then until 1965, it was used for a total of 56 performances of operas, operettas and dramas. It was then fell into disuse until summer 1971, when the only Karl May Festival in Mülheim took place as an addition to the festival in Bad Segeberg and Old Shatterhand und Winnetou - Geheimnis der Bonanza (Old Shatterhand and Winnetou - Secret of the Bonanza) was staged there. In 2000, the newly founded "Freunde der Europa-Freilichtbühne Mülheim" (Friends of the Mülheim Europe Open-Air Theatre), the city and other cultural organisations decided to use the theatre to present a broad spectrum of entertainment including concerts and theatre of all kinds. In 2003 they were joined by Regler Produktion, which has since produced numerous events there. Improvements made in 2006 and 2008 include provision for permanent refreshment service. In 2006, events associated with the World Cup attracted a new audience, and since 2007 Regler have provided acoustic performances on summer Wednesday evenings under the title "Sunset Folks". At those and other Regler events at the theatre, the proceeds from sponsorships and refreshment sales are put back into the theatre and its equipment and the performers are paid by "passing the hat". The city leases the theatre to the Friends of the Theatre organisation, which changed its name in 2009 from "Verein der Freunde der Europa-Freilichtbühne in Mülheim an der Ruhr e. V." to "Freunde der Freilichtbühne Mülheim an der Ruhr e. V." (Friends of the Mülheim an der Ruhr Open-Air Theatre"). , however, the possibility is being discussed of Regler leasing it autonomously rather than working with them. Since 2012 Regler, the city culture office, the Theater an der Ruhr, the Ringlokschuppen (a former roundhouse also used for performances) and the Department for Children, Youth and Schools have together organised the Mülheimer Ruhrsommer (Mülheim Ruhr Summer). References External links Freunde der Freilichtbühne Mülheim an der Ruhr Freilichtbühne, Sehenswürdigkeiten, Stadt Mülheim an der Ruhr Open-Air-Theatre, Stadt Mülheim an der Ruhr Regler Produktion e.V. Theatres in North Rhine-Westphalia Muhlheim an der Ruhr