Literary Breakfast

The taste of words, the aroma of coffee, the warmth of conversation: an event at the Valais – Sion Media Library that pairs literature with jam—delicious discussions about the latest literary trends in French-speaking Switzerland and beyond.Just a few days before the commemoration of the centennial of Rainer Maria Rilke’s death on December 29, 1926, the Valais Media Library - Sion is marking the occasion by highlighting the poet’s ties to Valais through the reissue by Florides helvètes of an essay by Maurice Zermatten titled *The Last Years of Rainer Maria Rilke*.Guests: Marcel Lepper is director of the Robert Walser Center in Bern and a member of the Executive Board of the Rilke Foundation. After earning his doctorate in Berlin, he has directed major archives, notably the Goethe and Schiller Archives in Weimar. In 2021, he was named honorary professor of German literature at the University of Leipzig. In 2026, he will present the Rilke Foundation’s new permanent exhibition in Sierre. He also wrote the preface to the new edition of Maurice Zermatten’s book, *The Last Years of Rainer Maria Rilke* (Lausanne: Florides helvètes, 2026). Anne Salamin is an actress and director. She has directed more than twenty productions for Cie Opale, of which she is a co-founder. She has worked under the direction of G. Béguin, A. Knapp, J. Maitre, W. Manfrè, M. Peter, E. von Rosen, and D. Wolf, among others. From 2000 to 2016 in particular, she was involved in organizing the Rilke Festival in Sierre. During the P’tit déj event, she will recite Rilke’s poetry translated into French.Dani Mangisch, an actor and voice actor, graduated from the Zurich University of the Arts in 1999. His career took him to the stage of the National Theater in Mannheim before he became a storyteller, both in Switzerland and Germany. Whether acting in front of the camera or on stage, or serving as a narrator, he brings his talent to public readings, radio plays, and documentaries. For “Le P’tit déj,” he will read Rilke’s poetry in its original language. The discussion will take place at the Trait d’union restaurant. Participants can enjoy breakfast on site starting at 9:30 a.m., combining literature with jam!

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