When I attended the press conference in June last year, we were still living in a normal world – people could go to the theatre without worrying about social distancing or crowds. This year the corona pandemic has made this almost impossible. Bavaria was the worst affected state in Germany, so lockdown regulations were stricter here than in the rest of the country. However, although social distancing rules are still in place, theatres will be allowed to open their doors to the public again this month. Matthias Lilienthal will start the remainder of his final season in Munich with two premieres that were originally planned for April and are now scheduled to take place on June 15^th– the immersive installation Oracle where Susanne Kennedy and Markus Selg explore the transformative power of paradoxes with the help of artificial intelligence, and the world premiere of WUNDE R by Enis Maci, directed by Felix Rothenhäusler. There will be a farewell ceremony with the entire ensemble and the staff at the Olympic Stadium on July 17^th.

Little did I know when attending the press conference in June, that the Münchner Kammerspiele would be voted “Theatre of the Year 2019” by the critics of the highly esteemed theatre magazine “Theater heute” only two months later. “Theater heute” also chose the impressive 10-hour production Dionysos Stadt by Christopher Rüping as “Production of the Year”and Nils Kahnwald as “Actor of the Year” for the same production. Best newcomer awards went to Kammerspiele ensemble members Gro Swantje Kohlhof and Benjamin Radjaipour. Lena Newton‘s stage design for Susanne Kennedy’s adaptation of Three Sisters was also considered the year’s best work. A triumph for Artistic Director Matthias Lilienthal who presented his final season at the Kammerspiele.

Born in Jerusalem in 1976, Yael Ronen is one of the most intriguing directors of her generation. Hakaoh Berlin, developed at Schauspielhaus Graz, was awarded the Austrian Nestroy Theatre Prize in 2013. Common Ground, a meditation on the aftermath of the war in former Yugoslavia, was invited to the renowned Theatertreffen Festival at Berlin and won the audience award at Mülheimer Theatertage in 2015. Her production The Situation at Gorki Theatre was invited to the Theatertreffen in 2016.

Courtesy of David Baltzer.

Munich Kammerspiele – Season 2018/19

Justice is “out” and immortality is “in”.

Artistic Director Matthias Lilienthal presented the new season together with directors Christopher Rüping, Susanne Kennedy, and Trajal Harrell in June. Whilst the press were enjoying Lebanese pizza and wine, Lilienthal announced  thirteen new productions for 2018/19 of which seven would be world premieres.

Argentinean documentary director Lola Arias, who is best known for her theatre work, recently presented her debut film Teatro de guerra at the Berlin Film Festival. Related to her play Minefield  that opened at the Royal Court Theatre in 2016, followed by a world tour, the film features six war veterans from the UK and Argentina who re-enact their experiences and relive their trauma of war together. A master of documentary fiction, Arias is interested in personal stories in a larger historical context, and for her new production she has chosen a highly relevant subject indeed.

Courtesy of Thomas Aurin.

This new production by Swiss director and playwright Christoph Marthaler, known for his poetic musical theatre shows, has been eagerly awaited by Munich audiences. Marthaler, sorely missed in the Bavarian capital since his successful 2002 production of Nobel Prize Winner Elfriede Jelinek’s play In den Alpen, was invited by Artistic Director Matthias Lilienthal, with whom Marthaler had collaborated on various occasions, to present his new production at the Kammerspiele.

Courtesy of Münchner Kammerspiele.

Ever since the 1920s the Kammerspiele has been one of the most important German language theatres, presenting world premieres of works by Friedrich Dürrenmatt, Frank Wedekind, Bertolt Brecht, Bruno Hübner, Axel von Ambesser, Fritz Kortner, Peter Stein, Franz Xaver Kroetz, Robert Wilson, George Tabori, Erwin Faber, Max Schreck and many other important artists and writers.