Burgtheater

Coordinates: 48°12′37″N 16°21′40″E / 48.210182°N 16.361185°E / 48.210182; 16.361185

Burgtheater (front)

The old Burgtheater (prior to 1888)

Burgtheater (right after its construction)

Burgtheater (side)

Burgtheater (Main entrance)

The Burgtheater (en: (Imperial) Court Theatre), originally known as K.K. Theater an der Burg, then until 1920 as the K.K. Hofburgtheater, is the Austrian National Theatre in Vienna and one of the most important German language theatres in the world. ^[1] The Burgtheater was created in 1741 and has become known as "die Burg" by the Viennese population;^[1] its theater company of more or less regular members has created a traditional style and speech typical of Burgtheater performances.

History

It was created on 14 March 1741 by Habsburg Empress Maria Theresa of Austria to be a theatre next to her palace, and her son, Emperor Joseph II called it the "German National Theatre" in 1776. Three Mozart operas premiered there: Die Entführung aus dem Serail (1782), Le nozze di Figaro (1786) and Così fan tutte (1790). Beginning in 1794, the theatre was called the "K.K. Hoftheater nächst der Burg".

The theatre was moved to a new building at the Ringstraße on 14 October 1888 designed by Gottfried Semper and Karl Freiherr von Hasenauer.

In 1943, under Nazi rule, a notoriously extreme production of The Merchant of Venice was staged at the Burgtheater - with Werner Krauss as Shylock, one of several theater and film roles by this actor pandering to antisemitic stereotypes.

On March 12, 1945 the Burgtheater was largely destroyed in a bombing raid, and, one month later, on April 12, 1945, the Burgtheater was further damaged by a fire of unknown origin.^[1] After the war, the theatre was restored between 1953-1955.^[1] The classic Burgtheater style and the Burgtheater-German language were trend-setting for German language theaters.

Directors of the Burgtheater

With many debut performances of plays written by Thomas Bernhard, Elfriede Jelinek, Peter Handke, Peter Turrini and George Tabori, Claus Peymann managed to affirm the Burgtheater's reputation as one of Europe's foremost stages. Among the best known actors in the ensemble of about 120 members are: Sven-Eric Bechtolf, Klaus Maria Brandauer, Kirsten Dene, Andrea Clausen, Bruno Ganz, Karlheinz Hackl, Robert Meyer, Gertraud Jesserer, Ignaz Kirchner, Jutta Lampe, Susanne Lothar, Michael Maertens, Tamara Metelka, Birgit Minichmayr, Nicholas Ofczarek, Hedwig Pistorius, Elisabeth Orth, Martin Schwab, Peter Simonischek, Ulrich Tukur, Franz Tscherne,Gert Voss, Gusti Wolf, and Heinz Zuber.

Some famous former members of the ensemble are Max Devrient, Josef Kainz, Josef Lewinsky, Joseph Schreyvogel, Adolf von Sonnenthal, Charlotte Wolter, Ludwig Gabillon, Zerline Gabillon, Attila Hörbiger, Paula Wessely, Paul Hörbiger, and Fritz Muliar. Particularly deserving artists may be designated honorable members. Their names are engraved in marble at the bottom end of the ceremonial stairs at the side of the theater facing the Volksgarten. Members of honor are: Annemarie Düringer, Wolfgang Gasser, Heinrich Schweiger, Gusti Wolf, and Michael Heltau.

See also

• Raimund Theater
• Volkstheater Wien

Notes

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Burgtheater

• Burgtheater homepage
• Burgtheater information and photography