Opera director Klaus Zehelein honored for his life's work
Opera director Klaus Zehelein (83) has been honored for his life's work at the German Theater Award "Der Faust 2023". "You have been incredibly courageous in advocating a fundamentally new understanding of musical theater, even revolutionizing it," said Russian director Kirill Serebrennikov in his laudatory speech at the Thalia Theater in Hamburg on Saturday evening. The German Theatre Award honors outstanding artistic achievements that reflect the diversity of the theater landscape in Germany.
Zehelein (83) was opera director at the Stuttgart State Opera from 1991 to 2006. He then became President of the Bavarian Theater Academy August Everding at the Prinzregententheater in Munich. He was also a lecturer at the University of Oldenburg and worked as chief dramaturge and opera director at the opera house in his native city of Frankfurt am Main, among other positions. From 2003 to 2015, Zehelein served as President of the German Stage Association.
The theater prize was awarded in a total of twelve other categories: Ligia Lewis (performer:in dance), Fritzi Haberlandt (performer:in drama), Vera-Lotte Boecker (performer:in musical theater), Wicki Bernhardt and Janna Pinsker (performer:in Theater für junges Publikum), Florentina Holzinger (staging dance), Stefan Bachmann (staging drama), David Hermann (staging music theater), Alexander Riemenschneider (staging theater for young audiences), Manuel Braun, Jonas Dahl and Rainer Sellmaier (space), Michael v. zur Mühlen (sound and media), Johanna Trudzinski (costume), Thomas Krupa and Tobias Bieseke (genre jumpers).
Klaus Zehelein's influential work in musical theater was recognized with an award at the German Theater Award "Der Faust 2023," which honors excellence in various theater categories. Despite retiring from his position as opera director at the Stuttgart State Opera, Zehelein continues to leave his mark on the theater scene, having served as President of the German Stage Association and worked as chief dramaturge and opera director in Frankfurt am Main.
Source: www.dpa.com
