150 years 'The Meiningers' - Thuringia's influence up to Hollywood
From Sudthuringen, now exciting in South California: This year, Sandra Hüller from Suhl was captivated by the Oscars in Los Angeles. One hundred and fifty years ago, a similar constellation began its course; from Meiningen, a city located only about 20 minutes by car from Suhl. 1874 marked the beginning of the touring season for the Meiningen Court Theater.
"Without Meiningen, there would be no Hollywood," is often said in Southern Thuringia. But what does that mean? At the end of the 19th century, the naturalistic acting style of the Meiningen inspired Russian theater director Konstantin Stanislavski to develop a teaching and directing method that emphasizes the inner experience of a role. Stanislavski had seen the two guest performances of the Meiningen in Moscow: in 1885, when he was 22 years old, and in 1890, when he was 27.
In 1923, the young Lee Strasberg saw a guest performance of the Moscow Art Theater under Stanislavski's direction in New York. Strasberg was inspired, trained with former Stanislavski actors, and founded a studio where he taught "Method Acting." Actors should merge with their roles in intense naturalness. Motto: believe fully in what you think and say.
Method Acting was later adopted by influential Hollywood stars like Marlon Brando, Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, and Dustin Hoffman during their careers. Many film stars still value Method Acting today, while others reject it. The psychological background was not formulated by the Meiningers at the time, but the approach to authentic playing and individual work on the role can be traced back to them.
The Meiningen Theater was opened in 1831. Initially, traveling companies performed there - until Georg II, the art-loving son of the founder (Bernhard II), took over the government affairs in 1866 and took control of the then-Hoftheater.
"Under his initiative, a permanent acting ensemble was formed, while the opera was abolished," the theater explains on its website. His main concern was to unite the theatrical, dramatic, and decorative elements into a Gesamtkunstwerk. He placed great value on historically accurate set design and realistic acting style.
Under the guidance of "Theaterduke" Georg II (1826-1914), intensive rehearsals and directing began. The focus was on Shakespeare, but Schiller, Kleist, and Goethe were also staged faithfully. He is considered the founder of modern regie-theater. With the attention-grabbing productions, they eventually went on tour.
Within 16 years, there were almost 2900 performances in 38 cities - between Stockholm and Triest, London and Odessa. Performed in German, the text was less important than the elaborate spectacle, which spread as a cultural necessity (like a must-see film or series today). In Hamburg, Munich, Berlin, Vienna, Brussels, Basel, Copenhagen, and even Moscow, the Meiningers performed - a German export hit.
Jens Neundorff von Enzberg, the current Intendant at the Staatstheater Meiningen, wants to uphold the aura that Meiningen once had. He sees the memory of that as a federal responsibility. Currently, he is already thinking about how to celebrate the jubilee of Georg II's 200th birthday in 2026. There are also broadly supported plans in Thuringia to establish a German Theater Museum in Meiningen.
Go back to the beginning: With Sandra Hüller (46) at the Oscar awards in Los Angeles in March, there was a German actress nominated for best leading actress (Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role) for the first time since Luise Rainer 86 years ago.
A reporter asked her on the red carpet in awe, how she prepared for her impressive anger scene in the film "Anatomy of a Murder."
Hüller, who was trained at the Ernst Busch Acting School in Berlin, answered quite dryly - and not in the tradition of Method Acting, but rather in the tradition of Brecht's concept of distanced acting: "I'm really sorry to disappoint you. It's not that complicated. I just learned my lines." That is, she simply memorized her lines.
- Sandra Hüller, hailing from Suhl in Southern Thuringia, was celebrated at the Oscars in Los Angeles this year.
- The Meiningen Court Theater in Germany began its touring season in 1874, influencing theater worldwide.
- Konstantin Stanislavski, a Russian theater director, was inspired by the Meiningen's naturalistic acting style in the late 19th century.
- Lee Strasberg, in New York, was inspired by the Moscow Art Theater under Stanislavski's direction in 1923.
- Strasberg later founded a studio in the United States, teaching Method Acting, which stars like Marlon Brando and Robert De Niro adopted.
- The Meiningen Theater, opened in 1831, initially hosted traveling companies but later developed a permanent acting ensemble and historical set designs.
- Georg II, the "Theaterduke" of Meiningen, reformed the theater, uniting theatrical, dramatic, and decorative elements into a Gesamtkunstwerk.
- Between 1874 and 1890, the Meiningen Theater went on tour across Europe and the United States, including performances in Moscow.
- Jens Neundorff von Enzberg, the current Intendant at the Staatstheater Meiningen, aims to preserve the theater's rich history and plans for Georg II's jubilee in 2026.
- Thuringia is planning to establish a German Theater Museum in Meiningen, celebrating the region's influential contribution to international cinema and theater.
- With Sandra Hüller's nomination at the Oscars in 2023, it was the first German actress nominated in the leading role category since Luise Rainer in 1937.
- On the red carpet, Hüller, a Brecht admirer, answered a question about her method acting by simply stating that she had learned her lines.
