October 2005 2005 Next Wave Festival

Mary Heilmann, Last Chance for Gas Study (delail), 2005

BAM 2005 Next Wave Festival is sponsored by:

The PerformingNeonEArts Magazine Altria 2005 ~ext Wa~e EeslliLaL

Brooklyn Academy of Music

Alan H. Fishman William I. Campbell Chairman of the Board Vice Chairman of the Board

Karen Brooks Hopkins Joseph V. Melillo President Executive Prod ucer

presents Emilia Gaiotti

Approxi mate BAM Harvey Theater running time: Oct 12-15, 2005 at 7:30pm 1 hour, 15 minutes, no By interm ission Deutsches Theater

Director Michael Thalheimer Set &costumes Olaf Altmann Music* Bert Wrede Viol in Steffen Tast Dramaturge Hans Nadolny

Engl ish titles by Chris Bergen

*based on "Yumei's Theme" by S. Umebayashi from Wong Kar Wai's movie, In the Mood for Love

Cast Emilia Gaiotti Regine Zimmermann Odoardo Gaiotti, Emilia's Father Peter Pagel Claudia Gaiotti, Emilia's Mother Katrin Klein Hettore Gonzaga, Prince of Guastalla Sven Lehmann Marinelli, Gonzaga's Chamberlain Ingo Hulsmann Count Appiani, Emilia's Fiance Henning Vogt Countess Orsina, Gonzaga's Mistress Nina Hoss

BAM 2005 Next Wave Festival is sponsored by Altria Group, Inc.

Leadership support for BAM Theater is provided by The Shubert Foundation, with additional support from The SHS Foundation, The Harold and Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust, and The Francena T. Harrison Foundation Trust. Emilia Galottj'--- _

Assistant directors Jarn Weisbrodt, Malte Lamprecht Stage manager Frank Ulbig Prompter Marion Rommel Technical director Olaf Grambow Technical equipment Jarg Luxath Lighting Thomas Langguth Sou nd Wolfgang Ritter

Production of the sets and costumes through the stage service of the Berlin Opera Foundation. Director: Klaus Wichmann, Costume direction: Hannelore Wedemeyer

"Speechlessness can also manifest itself in an overabundance of words. That's what I've tried to show in my work Emilia GaIotti. There can actually be a large quality of resistance and obstinacy in speechlessness. After all, every other worldview only exists through language. There's so much talking going on that you might say: 'Stop! What's this really about?' All you hear about is self­ actualization; a dreadful egoism, which knows no humility, prevails. People talk incessantly about individuality, but meanwhile the pressure on the individual is so great that he falls apart. For me, theater is the last public place which dares to conduct a live, unadulterated discourse on such questions. On the suffering in the world. On the true state of man. His vulnerability, His helpless­ ness. If we're able to give a Schiller, a Lessing or a Goethe back the emotional impact they had in their day, then there's room for painful, sharp debates. These writers wrote their plays on the verge of a scream, out of rage, out of the will to have an effect on their era. And so today it must also be about rage, about breaking boundaries, about the scream. Art can bring about another conscious­

ness for depressing conditions. That is theater's greatest endeavor. II

-Michael Thalheimer, Director

Deutsches Theater Berlin Artistic Director Bernd Wilms Artistic Board Bernd Wilms, Michael Thalheimer, Oliver Reese, Michael de Vivie Managing Director Klaus Steppat Schumannstr. 13a, 10117 Berlin, www.deutschestheater.de

About the production written in 1772, into a timeless modern story about the failure of communication. Everything The Deutsches Theater's Emilia GaIotti, first that's said in this production is ambiguous: pledg­ staged in 2001, is one of the most successful es of love, vows of revenge and proclamations of productions in recent German theater; it's sold out faithfulness and virtue. Only the actions speak over a hundred times at the Deutsches Theater an unequivocal language: the mute dialogue of (DT) in Berlin and has been hailed by audiences hopelessness. in various German cities and on tours abroad, in cities such as Belgrade (Serbia), Rome, Mexico Prince Hettore Gonzaga doesn't care about any­ City, Bolzano (Italy), and Bogota (Colombia) and thing-except Emilia Gaiotti, the daughter of a pi­ will, after New York City, be shown in Moscow, ous middle-class army officer. His desire changes Tokyo, and Winterthur (Switzerland) this season. everything in the life of the sensible, God-fearing Set with stunning light and sound effects on a girl. As the play commences it's ten o'clock in bare stage, director Michael Thalheimer trans­ the morning-three days after the two have met forms Gotthold Ephraim Lessing's classic drama, fatefully in the church. The Prince learns that Emilia GaJnttjL.....---- _

Emilia is to become another man's wife in two modernized Virginia, who is freed from all interest hour's time, in a bond not founded on political of the state." or economic strategies, but purely on love. Panic rushes in. From now on, miscalculations and Whereas some understand the drama as directly ill-judged actions determine the course of events. discussing the struggles and contrasts between The Prince wants to postpone Emilia's wedding, different classes-aristocracy and bourgeoisie, but he misjudges the brutal way his friend Mari­ or the people and the leadership-others feel nelli will go about that business. He underesti­ that what makes Emilia Gaiotti without a doubt mates the reactions of Emilia and her parents; her a political drama is something different. Lessing father, in particular, is a man with strong codes of focuses on exploring the tendencies of people honor watching sharply over his daughter. Finally, to withdraw to privacy, where sh ielded from the Gonzaga's long-time mistress, the Countess Or­ political public, they tend to moral-religious max­ sina, won't be pushed aside so easily... Marinelli ims-which, lacking enlightenment, leads to a has Emilia's groom, the Count Appiani, murdered dependency that allows aristocracy and leadership and abducts the bride to a nearby castle. Still, to surpress them. the Prince is unable to enjoy his conquest. By the ti me the wedd ing day-whose "morning was so Michael Thalheimer's production explores this beautiful"-draws to a close, it's all over. gulf between words and deeds: the contradiction between the rapid-fire language, which comes fast For Emilia Gaiotti, Lessing has taken up a motif and furious in an attempt to avert the incompre­ by Roman historian Titus Livius. Ab urbe condita hensible new situation, and the actions which are ("of the origin of the city") /II tells the tale of born of helplessness. Everything that's said aloud Roman girl Virginia, killed by her father because is merely provisional. Now and then, when the he feels it is the only way to protect her from the characters themselves become aware of this, their Decemvir Appius Claudius. This causes a national rapid flow of words comes to an astonishing halt uprising-Appius Claudius has to step down and for minutes at a time, until the whirl of actions is th rown into prison, where he ki lis himself. It is and reactions pulls them ever closer to catastro­ hardly a coincidence that in Emilia Gaiotti, Lessing phe. With the tried and tested radicalism already takes a divergent approach in deciding to choose witnessed in his productions of Molnar's Li/iom a less direct political placement of the story, and and Arthur Schnitzler's Light 0' Love, the director refrains from making the actions of Odoardo cause works his way to the very heart of Lessing's play, some form of national outrage. In a letter to his which is among the darkest in all of German brother Karl on March 1st, 1772, Lessing writes, literature. "You understa nd, it shou ld be nothing but a Who's Wh~o _

The Author find the truth that interested him. Lessing viewed the inconsistencies and errors which inevitably Gotthold Ephraim Lessing (1729-1781) arise from human fallibility as excusable. Yet he The worth of a man does not consist in the truth condemned stubborn adherence to dogmatic he possesses, or thinks he possesses, but in the positions-whether on religious, political, literary, pains he has taken to attain that truth. For his or scientific issues; Lessing advocated flexibility powers are extended not through possession of thought. Along with combating prejudice and but through the search for truth. In this alone standing up for human reason, Lessing fought for his ever-growing perfection consists. Possession tolerance: understanding for dissenters and accep­ makes him lazy, indolent, and proud. tance that others also genuinely seek the truth. -Lessing, 1777 The German writer and philosopher Gotthold This is the way Lessing expressed his views about Ephraim Lessing was born in Kamenz, a small truth-yet he never considered himself to be an town in Saxony, on January 22, 1729; he died arbiter of what is true. Rather it was the striving to in Brunswick (Braunschweig) on February 15, Who's Wb o _

1781. Both a playwright and a critic, Lessing was Lessing felt that spectators should identify with one of the leading figures of the Enlightenment in the characters and experience that similar things German literature. could happen to them; the fate of the protagonists should arouse their empathy and-through this The son of a minister, Lessing first studied theo­ dramatic experience-the passions played out on logy and philosophy, and later medicine in Leipzig stage should be transformed into "virtue" in the and Wittenberg. Between 1748 and 1755 he soul of each individual. lived in Berlin, where he was co-editor of several newspapers. After completing his medical degree As a result of Lessing's theological criticism, the in 1752, Lessing made a name for himself as a Duke of Brunswick-Wolfenbuettel officially forbid theater and literature critic. In 1759 he, the critic his librarian from writing and publishing religious C. F. Nicolai, and philosopher Moses Mendel­ tracts in 1778. However Lessing shrewdly cir­ ssohn founded a periodical called Briefe, die cumvented this ban by writing a dramatic poem, neueste Literatur betreffend (Letters Concerning Nathan the Wise, which contains an unequivocal the Latest Literature), to which Lessing contribut­ call for religious tolerance. In his later work, The ed many essays. For financial reasons he worked Education of the Human Race (Die Erziehung des in Breslau as secretary to General Tauentzien, the Menschengeschlechts), Lessing grappled with military governor of Silesia, from 1760 to 1765. the conflict between church dogma and religious In 1767 Lessi ng agreed to become the dra ma­ sentiment. turge for the newly founded National Theater in . However, the privately funded project With his dramatic works and critical essays, Less­ collapsed after just two years, and in 1770 ing placed his imprint on German literature and Lessing, accepted the post of librarian at the greatly influenced later writers like Goethe and Duke August Library in Wolfenbuettel, a position Schiller. Lessing introduced Germans to English he held until his death. literature-especially that of Shakespeare-and his demand for religious tolerance heralded the Already during his studies in Leipzig, Lessing had start of the German Enlightenment movement. penned the satirical comedy The Young Scholar (Der junge Gelehrte). During his time in Berlin, he wrote The Jews (Die Juden) and The Freethinker The Deutsches Theater Berlin (Der FreigeistJ. With the play Miss Sara Sampson, Its outstanding ensemble and magnificent completed in 1755, Lessing produced the first directors have long been the trademarks of the "bUrgerliches Trauerspiel" or domestic tragedy Deutsches Theater (DT) in Berlin, Germany. Many in German literature. The comedy Minna von consider the theater, with its intimate auditorium Barnhelm or The Soldier's Fortune appeared in and elegant, historical decor to be Berlin's most 1767, followed five years later by Emilia GaIotti, a beautiful venue. tragedy based on the writings of Roman historian Titus Livius. In 1779 Lessing presented Nathan Founded in 1883 by a group of well-known ac­ the Wise, which would become his most famous tors, by the time the DT came under the direction work and cement his reputation as a playwright. of the legendary , it had the reputa­ tion of being Germany's top stage. Reinhardt took In addition to his plays, Lessing wrote numerous over from Otto Brahm-the practical founder of critical essays on theater, literature, art, and theo­ naturalistic theater-in 1905 and remained the logy. In his Hamburg Dramaturgy, a collection of DT's artistic director until he fled Nazi Germany short essays on drama, he developed a new theo­ in 1933. ry of theater. Through his criticism of the German theater of the time and the creation of alternative Located in mid-Berlin, the DT actually consists literary forms, he sought to make theater a means of two adjoining stages which share a common, of raising people's morals. The morals to be trans­ classical facade. The main stage was built in mitted were enlightened and based on reason. 1850, originally for operettas. Today it has a Who's Wb_____....o _

seating capacity of 606, while the smaller "Kam­ founded their merspiele" can hold 234 spectators. Reinhardt at the Deutsches Theater (before relocating to the established the Kammerspiele in 1906 in a former Theater am Schiffbauerdamm). ballroom. He coined the name Kammerspiele and-in the final days of the GDR-his successor (literally, "chamber plays"), because he hoped Dieter Mann managed to produce art in spite of his theater would have the intimacy of "Kammer­ 's doctrinaire cultural politics. The musik" (chamber music). Since then, the word DT reflected its times, but nevertheless contin­ Kammerspiel and its concept have become part of ued to excel. Berlin and international audiences the German vocabulary. still rave about the innovative productions of Benno Besson, , Frank Castorf, Since 2001, the DT has been under the artistic and Heiner MUlier, who established the DT as a direction of Bernd Wilms. During his tenure, inter­ hotspot for artistry and experimentation. nationally renowned directors like Robert Wilson, , Dimiter Gotscheff, Hans Neuenfels, On November 4, 1989, actors from the DT helped and Staffan Valdemar Holm have worked for the organize the largest protest demonstration in East theater. At the same time, the DT hired young di­ German history at Berlin's Alexanderplatz-a rectors like Michael Thalheimer, Nicolas Stemann, pivotal event in the fall of the five days Armin Petras, Tina Lanik, and Stephan Kimmig, later. During the 1990s, the DT won the critics' who since have become the rising stars of German Theater of the Year prize twice: Once at the start theater. For example, Thalheimer's Emilia Gaiotti of Thomas Langhoff's ten-year term as artistic di­ has been presented over 100 ti mes in Berl inand rector, and again for Thomas Ostermeier's success enjoyed guest performances in twelve different with the DT "Baracke", a stage which showcased countries. In the last four years, many new plays the works of young actors and playwrights. have had their world or German premieres at the DT, including works by Aki Kaurismaki, Neil LaB­ In September 2005, the DT was again awarded ute, Elfriede Jelinek, Andreas Dresen, Lars Noren, the prestigious Theater of the Year award. Ad­ and Jon Fosse. Under Bernd Wilms, the DT has ditionally, JUrgen Gosch's production of Who's welcomed some 160,000 spectators annually. afraid of Virginia Woolf? has been invited to the 2005 annual Berlin Theatertreffen festival as one From the very beginning, the Deutsches Theater of the best German-language productions of the devoted itself to the classics, while the Kammer­ year. At the moment, various productions of the spiele focused on contemporary drama. It remains DT can be seen worldwide. Since summer 2005, so to this day. A combined repertory company of Michael Thalheimer has taken up positions as 40 actors performs on both stages. The Deutsches member of the DT's artistic council and as head Theater and the Kammerspiele each have a director. Directors Dimiter Gotscheff, Barbara Frey, repertoire of about 20 plays that change daily. and JUrgen Gosch are also continuously working The DT produces as many as 20 new productions at the DT, joined by various guest directors. each year.

With its diversity and dedication to great artists Cast (in alphabetical order) and dramatists, the free-spirited (and occasion­ ally rebellious) DT has maintained its historically Nina Hoss (Countess Orsina) was born in Stutt­ high standards, even in difficult times. After gart and studied at the School of Reinhardt's departure, his former assistant Heinz Acting in Berlin. After graduating, she joined the Hilpert brought the DT through the Nazi dictator­ Deutsches Theater's ensemble for the 1998/99 ship with a classical-humanistic repertoire. In the season and since then has performed regularly postwa r period, ma ny artists who had gone into with the DT. There, Hoss initially began work- exile, found a new home at the DT, in what had ing with directors Thomas Ostermeier and Einar become . became Schleef. In Amelie Niermeyer's production of artistic director and, in 1949, and Minna von Barnhelm she played the title role, and Who's Wb~o _ also appears in Barbara Frey's new version of the the painter and bon vivant Braun. HUlsmann also play, this time as the servant girl Franziska. plays the title role in Thalheimer's productions of Hoss has worked together with the internation­ Faust. A Tragedy and Faust. The Tragedy's Second ally renowned directors Luc Bondy and Robert Part. For his performance in the monologue Lolita, Wilson. She plays the lead in Wilson's production HUlsmann 2005 received the award as best actor of BUchner's Leonce and Lena, which features at the International Theaterfestival "Kontakt," songs by German pop star Herbert Gronemeyer. Poland. His television and film work includes Since 2001, she has also performed regularly in Heinz Breloer's family saga The Manns and Hans Michael Thalheimer's stagings and currently ap­ Neuenfels's Europe and the Second Apple (Eu­ pears in three of his productions at the Deutsches ropa und der zweite Apfel), in which he appears Theater: as the naive wife Kathe in Gerhart Haupt­ as the author . mann's Lonely Lives, in Emilia GaIotti, and as Hel­ ena in Faust. The Tragedy's Second Part. Through Katrin Klein (Claudia Gaiotti) was born in Berlin, her film work, Hoss is known to a wide audience. and trained at the Ernst Busch School of Acting Her breakthrough came in 1996 when she played in Berlin. She's been a member of the Deutsches the lead in the made-for-TV movie A Girl Called Theater ensemble since 1979. Important early Rosemarie (Das Madchen Rosemarie) produced roles include Thekla in Friedo Solter's production by Bernd Eichinger. Her performance earned her of Schiller's Wallenstein and Crown Prince Fred­ a Golden Camera award, one of the most highly eric in Alexander Lang's production of The Sad prized German television awards. She won twice Story of Frederic the Great, based on the writings the renowned Gri mme Prize as best actress for of . She portrayed Fanny Wilton in her roles in Christian Petzold's films Something Ibsen's John Gabriel Barkman for director Frank to Remind Me and Waitsburg. Since then she has Castorf and other strong female characters, such been working with, among others, the acclaimed as Prothoe in Kleist's Penthesilea, Goneril in German-language directors Ottokar Runze in The King Lear and the Princess of Eboli in Schiller's Volcano, which earned her the best actress award Don Karlos. Since Bernd Wilms became the DT's at the 1999 Montreal Film Festival, and with new creative director in the 2001/2002 season, Doris Dorrie (Naked). Most recently, Hoss appears Klein has also worked with directors Lars Noren, in Hermine Huntgeburth's The White Massai. Michael Thalheimer, Armin Petras, and Barbara She can also be seen as Buhlschaft in Hugo von Frey. In addition to Emilia Gaiotti, she is currently Hofmannsthal's The Salzburg Everyman. The Play performing the role of Sittah in Friedo Solter's of the Rich Man's Death at the Salzburg Festival, production of Lessing's Nathan the Wise. She can Austria. aIso be seen playi ng the grievi ng woma n in the third Lessing classic in the DT repertoire, Minna Ingo Hulsmann (Marinelli) was born in Stuttgart, von Barnhelm, and as Sophie Guilbert in Goethe's Germany, and studied acting at the University Clavigo. Klein regularly appears on TV. Her film of Music and Performing Arts in Frankfurt. He work includes roles in Liberated Zone, 23, and performed at the Freie VolksbUhne Berlin and at The Tango Player. Vienna's Burgtheater, and, from 1996 until the end of the 2000/2001 season, he was under Sven Lehmann (Hettore Gonzaga) was born in contract with the Bavarian State Theater in Mu­ Borna, Germany, and studied at Berlin's Ernst nich, playing under such renowned directors as Busch School of Acting. After his studies, he Hans Neuenfels, Ruth Berghaus, Peter Palitzsch worked at Theater Bremen from 1994 to 1997, and Niels Peter Rudolph. He's been part of the before moving to the Bavarian State Theater in DT ensemble since 2001, and has worked with . There, his roles included Leonce in Neuenfels, Konstanze Lauterbach, Stephan Kim­ Andreas Kriegenburg's staging of Georg BUchner's mig, and Thomas Bischoff, among others. Since Leonce and Lena, and Alwa Schoning in Klaus 2001 HUlsmann has also performed regularly in Emmerich's production of Lulu. His television and dramas directed by Michael Thalheimer at the film work includes appearances in Hans-Christian DT. In Gerhart Hauptmann's Lonely Lives, he is Schmid's 23 and Margarethe von Trotta's The Who's Wb o _

Promise. Lehmann has worked in the the theater and the feature films The Monster (2001) and with directors such as Konstanze Lauterbach, Bibi Blocksberg and the Secret of the Blue Owls Matthias Hartmann, and Alexander Lang. He (2003). played Oedipus under the direction of Hans Neuenfels at the Deutsches Theater, where he has Regine Zimmermann (Emilia Gaiotti), born in been an ensemble member since the 2001/2002 GrOnstadt, Germany, studied acting at the Otto season, and regularly works with director Michael Falckenberg School in Munich. In 1997, she Thalheimer. Lehmann portrays Mephisto in Faust. joined the in Berlin, where The Tragedy's First Part and Faust. The Tragedy's she played the title role in Effi Briest and Mieze in Second Part. Berlin Alexanderplatz. In Patrick Marber's Closer she portrayed the lascivious Alice. Until 2004, Peter Pagel (Odoardo Gaiotti) was born in Zimmermann was a member of the Deutsches Halberstadt, Germany. Before he began studying Theater ensemble and still performs regularly at acting at the University of Music and Theater in the DT. Here she has worked with directors such Leipzig, he spent ten years as a skilled worker in as Robert Wilson and collaborates regularly with the chemical industry. Pagel joined the Volks­ Michael Thalheimer. In his Emilia GaIotti, she is theater Rostock in 1982, and from 1994 until the silent and harassed title character; Margaret 2001 he performed at Theater Bremen. There in Thalheimer's production of Goethe's Faust. he played the lead in Faust under the direction The Tragedy's First Part; and Care in Faust. The of Manfred Karge. He also appeared in director Tragedy's Second Part. Zimmermann has also Konstanze Lauterbach's version of Arthur Miller's appeared as a guest performer at the Maxim Gorki The Crucible, and played the title role in Thomas Theater and the VolksbOhne in Berlin, and at the Bischoff's production of Goethe's Torquato Tasso. Theater Basel, Switzerland. Zimmermann's film At the DT, Pagel worked again with Bischoff in and television work includes a role in Caroline Die Macht der Gewohnheit (The Power of Habit). Link's feature film Nowhere in Africa, which won Among others, his recent works include Wagner an Academy Award in 2003 for the Best Foreign in Michael Thalheimer's Faust. The Tragedy's First Language Film. Part and Faust. The Tragedy's Second Part, and Ernesti in Andras Fricsay's production of Friedrich DOrrenmatt's The Physicists. Artistic Team

Henning Vogt (Graf Appiani) was born in Bo­ Michael Thalheimer (director) was born in Frank­ chum, Germany, and first studied history, German furt and began drama studies in Bern, Switzer­ literature, and art history. In 1994, he began his land in 1985. As an actor he worked at various acting studies at the University of Music and The­ theaters in Bern, Mainz, Bremerhaven, and ater Leipzig. While he was studying, he appeared Chemnitz. He made his directing debut in 1997, in productions in Chemnitz, Rudolstadt, and at staging Fernando Arrabal's The Architect and the the State Theater. In 1998 he joined Emperor of Assyria at the Theater Chemnitz. Word the Oldenburg State Theater, where he starred spread quickly about the talented newcomer, and in productions such as Martin McDonagh's The soon he was directi ng prod uctions at renowned Cripple of Inishmaan and the stage adaptation of theaters in Basel (Switzerland), and Leipzig and Irvine Welsh's Trainspotting. Since 2001, Hen­ Freiburg (Germany). His big breakthrough came ning Vogt has made frequent appearances on the in the year 2000 with Molnars Liliom at the stage of the Deutsches Theater, regu la rly worki ng in Hamburg, and the family drama together with Michael Thalheimer. He became a The Celebration at the Dresden Playhouse. His permanent member of DT this past summer. In ruthlessly minimalist version of Liliom and his addition to Emilia GaIotti, Vogt can currently be sensitive stage adaptation of Thomas Vinterberg's seen in two Thalheimer productions: as Valentine Dogme film The Celebration (Das Fest) clearly il­ in Faust. The Tragedy's First Part and Lynkeus lustrated Thalheimer's particular interest in people in Faust. The Tragedy's Second Part. Vogt's film and their relationships. In 2001, both productions and television work includes German TV series were invited to Berlin's Theatertreffen, a festival Who's Wb~o _

highlighting the year's best German-language he's created almost all the sets for Thalheimer's productions. Liliom was also invited to Vienna's productions and often designed the costumes as Festwochen in 2002. Thalheimer's staging of well. For the staging of Faust. The Tragedy's First Arthur Schnitzler's Light 0' Love (LiebeleO for Part, Altmann created an art installation which the Thalia Theater (2003) also played at the spells out Faust's famous quotation "Verweile Theatertreffen, as well as his version of Frank doch" ("Linger awhile") in big blue neon lights Wedekind's Lulu in 2005. Thalheimer's produc­ that illuminate the courtyard of the Deutsches tions are performed regularly at the Thalia Theater Theater. in Hamburg and the Deutsches Theater in Berlin. He made his DT debut in 2001 with Gotthold Bert Wrede (music) was born in Potsdam, Ephraim Lessing's Emilia GaIotti, followed by Germany. He studied music at the Chekhov's and Hauptmann's Lonely Academy of Music in Berlin from 1982 to 1986. Lives. His stagings have won numerous awards, After graduation he was offered a position to teach such as the Innovation Prize from the public guitar there. Before and after the fall of the Berlin television station 3Sat for Liliom. His production Wall, Wrede worked as a freelance musician of Emilia GaIotti earned Thalheimer the Friedrich and released numerous CDs. He has performed Luft Prize (awarded to Berlin's most outstanding at many international festivals and worked with production of the year) and a Nestroy (Vienna's such musicians as Phil Minton, Elliott Sharp, and most prestigious theater prize). Thalheimer, Friedrich Schenker. In 1997, he was awarded a who made his successful opera debut with Leos composition scholarship from the Academy of Arts Janacek's Katja Kabanova at Berlin's Staatsoper in Berlin, and the year after, won another to go in January 2005, is also a frequent guest director to New York. Wrede enjoys a long-time collabo­ at the Salzburg Festival, Vienna's Festwochen and ration with the young writers Albert Ostermaier other international festivals. Guest performances and Ulrich Zieger. As a theater musician, Wrede of his productions have been staged in Rome, has worked with renowned directors like Wilfried Kiev, Budapest, Belgrade, Prague, Madrid, Mexico Minks, Martin Kusej, and Andrea Breth. His City, and Bogota/Colombia. His Emilia GaIotti compositions for Kusej include the music for will also tour to Moscow and Tokyo this season. at the Stuttgart State Theater, Weh dem, After more than 100 performances in Berlin, it is der IOgt! (Woe to Him Who Lies!) at Vienna's still playing to sell-out crowds. Thalheimer lives Burgtheater, Strindberg's The Ghost Sonata at the and works in Berlin. Since the beginning of the Thalia Theater in Hamburg, and most recently, 2005-06 season, he has taken the position of Grillparzer's King Ottokar at the Salzburg Festival. head director and member of the artistic board at In 2002, Wrede was awarded Vienna's Nestroy the Deutsches Theater. His latest production at the Prize for his theater music. Many productions he DT is Goethe's Faust. The Tragedy's Second Part, contributed the music to have been invited to the following his highly successful 2004 staging of prestigious Berlin theater festival, Theatertreffen, Faust. The Tragedy's First Part. such as Dimiter Gotscheff's production of Koltes' Battle of Black and Dog at the VolksbUhne Berlin Olaf Altmann (stage and costume design) comes (2004) and Schiller's Don Karlos directed by from Chemnitz, Germany, and trained as a Andrea Breth at the Burgtheater Vienna (2004). plasterer before becoming a theater technician at Since 2000, Wrede has worked closely with Stadtisches Theater in his hometown. In 1989, Michael Thalheimer. Wrede's compositions and he designed his first set for director Hasko Weber, arrangements were as important to the success and began creating sets and designing costumes of Thalheimer's Thalia Theater productions Liliom for the VolksbUhne Berlin, the Deutsches Theater (invited to Theatertreffen in 2001) and Woyzeck in Berlin, and the National Theater Mannheim, as they have been to the director's stagings at the to name just a few. Altmann has worked closely Deutsches Theater-Emilia GaIotti, Three Sisters, with directors like Martin Kusej. His successful Lonely Lives, Faust. The Tragedy's First Part, and collaboration with Michael Thalheimer began at Faust. The Tragedy's Second Part. Wrede lives in the Chemnitz, where Altmann worked as a set Berlin. designer from 1993 until 1997. Since that time