Dieter Dorn
Encyclopedia
Dieter Dorn is a German
theatre director, also for the opera, the manager of the Münchner Kammerspiele
from 1983 to 2001 and now manager of the Bavarian Staatsschauspiel.
with Hilde Körber
, the founder of the school, and Lucie Höflich
.
He was engaged at the State Theatre in Hanover
from 1958 until 1961 as an actor and a dramaturge
, then worked as a journalist and radio speaker for the NDR
. In 1964, he returned to the theatre at the Landesbühne Hanover, then in Essen
. In the early 1970s, he staged at the Schauspielhaus Hamburg
and at the Schaubühne
in Berlin, and as a guest in Oberhausen
, Basel
, Wien
and the Burgtheater
.
as a senior director, opening with Lessing
’s Minna von Barnhelm
with Cornelia Froboess
in the title role. He concentrated first on other German classical authors such as Goethe
and Kleist
and then focused on Shakespeare
. He staged six plays in collaboration with the literary manager Michael Wachsmann, the theatre’s artistic director since 1986, who translated the complete texts: A Midsummer Night's Dream
(1978), Twelfth Night (1980), Troilus and Cressida
(1986), King Lear
(1992), The Tempest
(1994), and Cymbeline
(1998). The stage sets were by Jürgen Rose who built large empty spaces. One of his protagonists was Rolf Boysen who played Lear, for example. Dorn promoted contemporary theatre, such as world premieres of the plays of Botho Strauß
, in 1988 Besucher (Visitors), in 1991 Schlusschor (Final Chorus), and in 1996 Ithaka, with Bruno Ganz
. Dorn had become the theatre's director in 1983.
and the Cuvilliés Theatre
. He continued, together with many members of the Kammerspiele ensemble and the translator, performances of Shakespeare and several more premieres of Botho Strauß.
The theater supplies a list of his play productions, staged at the Residenztheater unless otherwise noted.
at the Wiener Staatsoper
, conducted by Karl Böhm
in 1979. He also staged at the Salzburg Festival
Ariadne auf Naxos
of Richard Strauss and in 2003 the world premiere of L'Upupa und der Triumph der Sohnesliebe
of Hans Werner Henze
, conducted by Markus Stenz
. The reviewer stated: "The hot ticket at this year’s Salzburg Festival is not one of the three Mozart opera productions, but the world premiere production of Hans Werner Henze’s newest stage-work L’Upupa und der Triumph der Sohnesliebe (The Hoopoe and the Triumph of Filial Love)." and continued: "This action-packed scenario might seem complex, but it emerges in a production of magical simplicity and ravishing visual beauty by the stage director, Dieter Dorn and set and costume designer, Jürgen Rose with a spell-binding clarity. A clarity which Henze also achieves in what must be his richest and most entrancing opera score to date."
At the Ludwigsburger Schlossfestspiele, Dorn staged Così fan tutte
in 1984 and Le nozze di Figaro
in 1987, both conducted by Wolfgang Gönnenwein
. At the Bayreuth Festival
, he staged Der Fliegende Holländer
in 1990, and at the Metropolitan Opera
Tristan und Isolde
in 1999, conducted by James Levine
.
The Cuvilliés Theatre was reopened in 2008 with Mozart's Idomeneo
, staged by Dieter Dorn, conducted by Kent Nagano
, sets and costumes by Jürgen Rose, with singers John Mark Ainsley
, Juliane Banse
and Annette Dasch
.
Germans
The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
theatre director, also for the opera, the manager of the Münchner Kammerspiele
Munich Kammerspiele
The Munich Kammerspiele is a successful German language theatre in Munich. The Schauspielhaus in the Maximilianstrasse is the major stage.-History:...
from 1983 to 2001 and now manager of the Bavarian Staatsschauspiel.
Biography
Dieter Dorn studied at the Theaterhochschule of Leipzig. In 1956, he left East Germany and studied at the Max-Reinhardt-Schule für Schauspiel in BerlinBerlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
with Hilde Körber
Hilde Körber
Hilde Körber was a German film actress. She appeared in 53 films between 1930 and 1964.She was born in Vienna, Austria and died in Berlin, Germany.-Selected filmography:* The Great King * Morituri...
, the founder of the school, and Lucie Höflich
Lucie Höflich
Lucie Höflich was a German actor, teacher and head of the Staatliche Schauspielschule in Berlin. She was born Helene Lucie von Holwede on 20 February 1883 in Hannover and died in 9 October 1956 in Berlin...
.
He was engaged at the State Theatre in Hanover
Hanover
Hanover or Hannover, on the river Leine, is the capital of the federal state of Lower Saxony , Germany and was once by personal union the family seat of the Hanoverian Kings of Great Britain, under their title as the dukes of Brunswick-Lüneburg...
from 1958 until 1961 as an actor and a dramaturge
Dramaturge
A dramaturge or dramaturg is a professional position within a theatre or opera company that deals mainly with research and development of plays or operas...
, then worked as a journalist and radio speaker for the NDR
Norddeutscher Rundfunk
Norddeutscher Rundfunk is a public radio and television broadcaster, based in Hamburg. In addition to the city-state of Hamburg, NDR transmits for the German states of Lower Saxony, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and Schleswig-Holstein...
. In 1964, he returned to the theatre at the Landesbühne Hanover, then in Essen
Essen
- Origin of the name :In German-speaking countries, the name of the city Essen often causes confusion as to its origins, because it is commonly known as the German infinitive of the verb for the act of eating, and/or the German noun for food. Although scholars still dispute the interpretation of...
. In the early 1970s, he staged at the Schauspielhaus Hamburg
Deutsches Schauspielhaus
The Deutsches Schauspielhaus is a theatre in the St. Georg quarter of the city of Hamburg, Germany. With a capacity for 1192 spectators, it places it as Germany's largest theatre...
and at the Schaubühne
Schaubühne
The Schaubühne am Lehniner Platz is a famous theatre in the Wilmersdorf district of Berlin, located at almost the middle of the famous Kurfürstendamm. It is a conversion of the Kino Universum, designed by Erich Mendelsohn in 1926. This was perhaps the first Modernist cinema built in the world, as...
in Berlin, and as a guest in Oberhausen
Oberhausen
Oberhausen is a city on the river Emscher in the Ruhr Area, Germany, located between Duisburg and Essen . The city hosts the International Short Film Festival Oberhausen and its Gasometer Oberhausen is an anchor point of the European Route of Industrial Heritage. It is also well known for the...
, Basel
Basel
Basel or Basle In the national languages of Switzerland the city is also known as Bâle , Basilea and Basilea is Switzerland's third most populous city with about 166,000 inhabitants. Located where the Swiss, French and German borders meet, Basel also has suburbs in France and Germany...
, Wien
Wien
Wien is the German language name for Vienna, the city and federal state in Austria.* Wien , in Vienna, Austria* Theater an der Wien, a theater in Vienna located at the former river WienWien may also refer to:...
and the Burgtheater
Burgtheater
The Burgtheater , originally known as K.K. Theater an der Burg, then until 1918 as the K.K. Hofburgtheater, is the Austrian National Theatre in Vienna and one of the most important German language theatres in the world.The Burgtheater was created in 1741 and has become known as "die Burg" by the...
.
Münchner Kammerspiele
In 1976, Dorn moved to the Münchner KammerspieleMunich Kammerspiele
The Munich Kammerspiele is a successful German language theatre in Munich. The Schauspielhaus in the Maximilianstrasse is the major stage.-History:...
as a senior director, opening with Lessing
Gotthold Ephraim Lessing
Gotthold Ephraim Lessing was a German writer, philosopher, dramatist, publicist, and art critic, and one of the most outstanding representatives of the Enlightenment era. His plays and theoretical writings substantially influenced the development of German literature...
’s Minna von Barnhelm
Minna von Barnhelm
Minna von Barnhelm or the Soldiers' Happiness is a lustspiel or comedy by the German author Gotthold Ephraim Lessing...
with Cornelia Froboess
Cornelia Froboess
Cornelia Froboess is a German actress and a teen idol of the 1950s and early 1960s. During that time, Froboess appeared in many musical films, especially after the rock and roll wave had hit Germany...
in the title role. He concentrated first on other German classical authors such as Goethe
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe was a German writer, pictorial artist, biologist, theoretical physicist, and polymath. He is considered the supreme genius of modern German literature. His works span the fields of poetry, drama, prose, philosophy, and science. His Faust has been called the greatest long...
and Kleist
Heinrich von Kleist
Bernd Heinrich Wilhelm von Kleist was a poet, dramatist, novelist and short story writer. The Kleist Prize, a prestigious prize for German literature, is named after him.- Life :...
and then focused on Shakespeare
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon"...
. He staged six plays in collaboration with the literary manager Michael Wachsmann, the theatre’s artistic director since 1986, who translated the complete texts: A Midsummer Night's Dream
A Midsummer Night's Dream
A Midsummer Night's Dream is a play that was written by William Shakespeare. It is believed to have been written between 1590 and 1596. It portrays the events surrounding the marriage of the Duke of Athens, Theseus, and the Queen of the Amazons, Hippolyta...
(1978), Twelfth Night (1980), Troilus and Cressida
Troilus and Cressida
Troilus and Cressida is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written in 1602. It was also described by Frederick S. Boas as one of Shakespeare's problem plays. The play ends on a very bleak note with the death of the noble Trojan Hector and destruction of the love between Troilus...
(1986), King Lear
King Lear
King Lear is a tragedy by William Shakespeare. The title character descends into madness after foolishly disposing of his estate between two of his three daughters based on their flattery, bringing tragic consequences for all. The play is based on the legend of Leir of Britain, a mythological...
(1992), The Tempest
The Tempest
The Tempest is a play by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written in 1610–11, and thought by many critics to be the last play that Shakespeare wrote alone. It is set on a remote island, where Prospero, the exiled Duke of Milan, plots to restore his daughter Miranda to her rightful place,...
(1994), and Cymbeline
Cymbeline
Cymbeline , also known as Cymbeline, King of Britain or The Tragedy of Cymbeline, is a play by William Shakespeare, based on legends concerning the early Celtic British King Cunobelinus. Although listed as a tragedy in the First Folio, modern critics often classify Cymbeline as a romance...
(1998). The stage sets were by Jürgen Rose who built large empty spaces. One of his protagonists was Rolf Boysen who played Lear, for example. Dorn promoted contemporary theatre, such as world premieres of the plays of Botho Strauß
Botho Strauß
Botho Strauss is a German playwright, novelist and essayist.-Biography:Botho Strauss's father was a chemist. After finishing his secondary education, Strauss studied German, History of the Theatre and Sociology in Cologne and Munich, but never finished his dissertation on Thomas Mann und das Theater...
, in 1988 Besucher (Visitors), in 1991 Schlusschor (Final Chorus), and in 1996 Ithaka, with Bruno Ganz
Bruno Ganz
Bruno Ganz is a Swiss actor, known for his roles as Damiel in Wings of Desire and Adolf Hitler in Downfall.- Early life :Bruno Ganz was born in Zürich to a Swiss mechanic father and a northern Italian mother. He had decided to pursue an acting career by the time he entered university...
. Dorn had become the theatre's director in 1983.
Bavarian Staatsschauspiel
Since 2001, he has been the director of the Bavarian Staatsschauspiel in the Residenz TheatreResidenz Theatre
The Residence Theatre or New Residence Theatre of the Residence in Munich was built from 1950 to 1951 by Karl Hocheder...
and the Cuvilliés Theatre
Cuvilliés Theatre
The Cuvilliés Theatre or Old Residence Theatre is the former court theatre of the Residenz in Munich, southern Germany.- Description :...
. He continued, together with many members of the Kammerspiele ensemble and the translator, performances of Shakespeare and several more premieres of Botho Strauß.
The theater supplies a list of his play productions, staged at the Residenztheater unless otherwise noted.
- Der Kaufmann von VenedigThe Merchant of VeniceThe Merchant of Venice is a tragic comedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1596 and 1598. Though classified as a comedy in the First Folio and sharing certain aspects with Shakespeare's other romantic comedies, the play is perhaps most remembered for its dramatic...
of Shakespeare, protagonists Rolf Boysen and Thomas Holtzmann, 2001 - Der Tag Raum (The Day Room) of Don DeLilloDon DeLilloDon DeLillo is an American author, playwright, and occasional essayist whose work paints a detailed portrait of American life in the late 20th and early 21st centuries...
, 2001, Theater im Haus der Kunst - Der Narr und seine Frau heute abend in Pancomedia of Botho Strauß, 2002
- Die WändeThe ScreensThe Screens is a play by the French dramatist Jean Genet. Its first few productions all used abridged versions, beginning with its world premiere under Hans Lietzau's direction in Berlin in May 1961...
of Jean Genet, 2003 - Maß für MaßMeasure for MeasureMeasure for Measure is a play by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written in 1603 or 1604. It was classified as comedy, but its mood defies those expectations. As a result and for a variety of reasons, some critics have labelled it as one of Shakespeare's problem plays...
of Shakespeare, 2004 - Die eine und die andere of Botho Strauß, world premiere 27 January 2005
- Die BakchenThe BacchaeThe Bacchae is an ancient Greek tragedy by the Athenian playwright Euripides, during his final years in Macedon, at the court of Archelaus I of Macedon. It premiered posthumously at the Theatre of Dionysus in 405 BC as part of a tetralogy that also included Iphigeneia at Aulis, and which...
of Euripides, 2005 - Floh im OhrA Flea in Her EarA Flea in Her Ear is a play by Georges Feydeau written in 1907, at the height of the Belle Époque.-Plot:...
of Feydeau, 2006 - Androklus und der LöweAndrocles and the Lion (play)Androcles and the Lion is a 1912 play written by George Bernard Shaw.Androcles and the Lion is Shaw's retelling of the tale of Androcles, a slave who is saved by the requited mercy of a lion. In the play, Shaw portrays Androcles to be one of the many Christians being led to the Colosseum for torture...
of Shaw, 2006 - Der Gott des GemetzelsGod of CarnageGod of Carnage is a play by Yasmina Reza. It is about two pairs of parents, one of whose child has hurt the other at a public park, who meet to discuss the matter in a civilized manner. However, as the evening goes on, the parents become increasingly childish, resulting in the evening devolving...
of Yasmina Reza, 2008 - Idomeneus of Roland Schimmelpfennig, world premiere 15 June 2008, Cuvilliés Theater
- Das Ende vom AnfangThe End of the Beginning (play)The End of the Beginning is a one-act play by Sean O'Casey.It is a comedy set in rural Ireland. A couple argue about whether men's or women's work is more difficult, and swap places....
of Sean O’Casey, 2008, Cuvilliés Theater - LEICHTES SPIEL Neun Personen einer Frau of Botho Strauß, world premiere 2. April 2009
- Alkestis after Euripides of Raoul SchrottRaoul SchrottProf. Dr. Raoul Schrott, is an Austrian poet, writer, literary critic, translator and broadcast personality.Schrott was deeply influenced by the rich cultural atmosphere of his hometown, Landeck in Tyrol...
, 2009
Opera productions
The first opera staged by Dieter Dorn was Mozart's Die Entführung aus dem SerailDie Entführung aus dem Serail
Die Entführung aus dem Serail is an opera Singspiel in three acts by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. The German libretto is by Christoph Friedrich Bretzner with adaptations by Gottlieb Stephanie...
at the Wiener Staatsoper
Vienna State Opera
The Vienna State Opera is an opera house – and opera company – with a history dating back to the mid-19th century. It is located in the centre of Vienna, Austria. It was originally called the Vienna Court Opera . In 1920, with the replacement of the Habsburg Monarchy by the First Austrian...
, conducted by Karl Böhm
Karl Böhm
Karl August Leopold Böhm was an Austrian conductor. He is widely considered to be one of the greatest symphonic and operatic conductors of the 20th century.- Education :...
in 1979. He also staged at the Salzburg Festival
Salzburg Festival
The Salzburg Festival is a prominent festival of music and drama established in 1920. It is held each summer within the Austrian town of Salzburg, the birthplace of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart...
Ariadne auf Naxos
Ariadne auf Naxos
Ariadne auf Naxos is an opera by Richard Strauss with a German libretto by Hugo von Hofmannsthal. Bringing together slapstick comedy and consuming beautiful music, the opera's theme is the competition between high and low art for the public's attention.- First version :The opera was originally...
of Richard Strauss and in 2003 the world premiere of L'Upupa und der Triumph der Sohnesliebe
L'Upupa und der Triumph der Sohnesliebe
L'Upupa und der Triumph der Sohnesliebe is an opera by Hans Werner Henze with a German libretto by the composer, inspired by Arab and Persian legends...
of Hans Werner Henze
Hans Werner Henze
Hans Werner Henze is a German composer of prodigious output best known for "his consistent cultivation of music for the theatre throughout his life"...
, conducted by Markus Stenz
Markus Stenz
Markus Stenz is a German conductor. He studied at the Hochschule für Musik Köln with Volker Wangenhein and at Tanglewood with Leonard Bernstein and Seiji Ozawa....
. The reviewer stated: "The hot ticket at this year’s Salzburg Festival is not one of the three Mozart opera productions, but the world premiere production of Hans Werner Henze’s newest stage-work L’Upupa und der Triumph der Sohnesliebe (The Hoopoe and the Triumph of Filial Love)." and continued: "This action-packed scenario might seem complex, but it emerges in a production of magical simplicity and ravishing visual beauty by the stage director, Dieter Dorn and set and costume designer, Jürgen Rose with a spell-binding clarity. A clarity which Henze also achieves in what must be his richest and most entrancing opera score to date."
At the Ludwigsburger Schlossfestspiele, Dorn staged Così fan tutte
Così fan tutte
Così fan tutte, ossia La scuola degli amanti K. 588, is an opera buffa by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart first performed in 1790. The libretto was written by Lorenzo Da Ponte....
in 1984 and Le nozze di Figaro
The Marriage of Figaro
Le nozze di Figaro, ossia la folle giornata , K. 492, is an opera buffa composed in 1786 in four acts by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, with Italian libretto by Lorenzo Da Ponte, based on a stage comedy by Pierre Beaumarchais, La folle journée, ou le Mariage de Figaro .Although the play by...
in 1987, both conducted by Wolfgang Gönnenwein
Wolfgang Gönnenwein
Wolfgang Gönnenwein is a German conductor and an academic.- Biography :Wolfgang Gönnenwein studied music and German studies at the University of Heidelberg and the University of Tübingen...
. At the Bayreuth Festival
Bayreuth Festival
The Bayreuth Festival is a music festival held annually in Bayreuth, Germany, at which performances of operas by the 19th century German composer Richard Wagner are presented...
, he staged Der Fliegende Holländer
The Flying Dutchman (opera)
Der fliegende Holländer is an opera, with music and libretto by Richard Wagner.Wagner claimed in his 1870 autobiography Mein Leben that he had been inspired to write "The Flying Dutchman" following a stormy sea crossing he made from Riga to London in July and August 1839, but in his 1843...
in 1990, and at the Metropolitan Opera
Metropolitan Opera
The Metropolitan Opera is an opera company, located in New York City. Originally founded in 1880, the company gave its first performance on October 22, 1883. The company is operated by the non-profit Metropolitan Opera Association, with Peter Gelb as general manager...
Tristan und Isolde
Tristan und Isolde
Tristan und Isolde is an opera, or music drama, in three acts by Richard Wagner to a German libretto by the composer, based largely on the romance by Gottfried von Straßburg. It was composed between 1857 and 1859 and premiered in Munich on 10 June 1865 with Hans von Bülow conducting...
in 1999, conducted by James Levine
James Levine
James Lawrence Levine is an American conductor and pianist. He is currently the music director of the Metropolitan Opera and former music director of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Levine's first performance conducting the Metropolitan Opera was on June 5, 1971, and as of May 2011 he has...
.
The Cuvilliés Theatre was reopened in 2008 with Mozart's Idomeneo
Idomeneo
Idomeneo, re di Creta ossia Ilia e Idamante is an Italian language opera by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. The libretto was adapted by Giambattista Varesco from a French text by Antoine Danchet, which had been set to music by André Campra as Idoménée in 1712...
, staged by Dieter Dorn, conducted by Kent Nagano
Kent Nagano
__FORCETOC__Kent George Nagano is an American conductor and opera administrator. He is currently the music director of the Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal and the Bavarian State Opera.-Biography:...
, sets and costumes by Jürgen Rose, with singers John Mark Ainsley
John Mark Ainsley
John Mark Ainsley is an English lyric tenor. Known for his supple voice, Ainsley is particularly admired for his interpretations of baroque music and the works of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart...
, Juliane Banse
Juliane Banse
Juliane Banse is a German soprano and noted lieder singer. She received her vocal training at the Zürich Opera, and with Brigitte Fassbaender in Munich. She won First Prize in the singing competition of the Kulturforum in Munich in 1989. In 1989, she made her operatic debut as Pamina in Mozart's...
and Annette Dasch
Annette Dasch
Annette Dasch is a German soprano. She performs in operas and concerts.- Biography :Annette Dasch studied voice at the Hochschule für Musik und Theater München with Josef Loibl....
.
Literature
- Sabine Dultz with Dieter Dorn and Michael Wachsmann: "Die Münchner Kammerspiele". Carl Hanser Verlag München Wien 2001
- Yvonne Poppek: "Was ist ein Dorn?. Die Shakespeare-Inszenierungen des Theaterregisseurs Dieter Dorn". Herbert Utz Verlag, München 2006, ISBN 978-3-8316-0679-5
- Christina Haberlik: Das Münchner Ensemble um Dieter Dorn. Henschel Verlag, Berlin 2008. ISBN 3-89487-608-5
External links
- Dieter Dorn on the website of Bayerisches Staatsschauspiel (in German)
- Dieter Dorn on the website of the Bayerische StaatsoperBavarian State OperaThe Bavarian State Opera is an opera company based in Munich, Germany.Its orchestra is the Bavarian State Orchestra.- History:The opera company which was founded under Princess Henriette Adelaide of Savoy has been in existence since 1653...
(in German) - Portrait: Dieter Dorn on the website of the Goethe-InstitutGoethe-InstitutThe Goethe-Institut is a non-profit German cultural institution operational worldwide, promoting the study of the German language abroad and encouraging international cultural exchange and relations. The Goethe-Institut also fosters knowledge about Germany by providing information on German...
- History of Münchner Kammerspiele (in German)
- Persons on the website of Bayerisches Staatsschauspiel (in German)
- Entries for Dieter Dorn on WorldCatWorldCatWorldCat is a union catalog which itemizes the collections of 72,000 libraries in 170 countries and territories which participate in the Online Computer Library Center global cooperative...