On January 15, 2009, former family minister Renate Schmidt celebrated her 65th birthday at Erlangen's "Redoutensaal" along with a number of prominent guests, including the retired German chancellor Gerard Schröder and the retired Bavarian chief minister Günther Beckstein.  With love songs from the productions "Between Longing and Midnight," "Love Me Tender," and "POC KISS," the Pocket Opera Company presented Renate Schmidt with a scenic and musical birthday bouquet and led her to the podium for a dance.