News

02. February 2021

Letter from Benjamin von Blomberg

Dear Audience,

Once again, a new era has begun. Here in Switzerland the measures to contain the coronavirus have been tightened, too, and working from home has once again been strongly encouraged. So, unless it is absolutely necessary to go to your workplace, everyone should stay at home if possible. And even though it would be possible for us to continue rehearsing and producing, and to continue playing shows behind closed doors and streaming them live, we have decided not to do it. As painful as it is: for you but also for us.

In particular, the live streaming of selected performances every Thursday has created the closeness that we all crave right now: to be physically separated but at least connected in a shared time of experiencing. The expectations we had for these live-streamings were high: four cameras and live editing by the directors themselves; it was essential to emphasise the liveness, and, thus, also the flawed and the raw, the aura of: all this is happening right now, in this moment, with you. And for you. We are really happy that experimenting with this form has been worthwhile and so fulfilling for everyone involved.

But now, according to most of our fellow workers, it needs to be about reducing contacts and limiting mobility. And this is what we're doing: in February, we're pausing the live streaming, we're halting most of the production ---

--- But this does not mean that we will not remain “resolvedly open”. It means that we will continue to meet you live at least every Thursday. The way in which we will contact you will be decided and organised whilst we are working from home. Connected to all the other homes that are trying to network and stay together, we will continue to remain close to you, create and explore intimacy, emphasise and practise community.

This Thursday, our 8 in-house directors will kick things off. The author Tobi Müller will be in conversation with them and help them define their positions, their thoughts about time and their art. On Thursday, 11 February, the new series of talks “Tender Talks” continues; connecting people who wouldn't necessarily have sat down together at a (virtual) table, who, nonetheless, are happy to engage with each other, allowing themselves be unsettled. Gently framed by our dramaturgy that curates this series of talks.

We look forward to seeing you. Take care of yourself.

Cordially,

Your Benjamin von Blomberg, co-artistic director

More News

03. March 2021
Partial and Gentle opening in March

Gently – just as the theme of the Tender Talks, and cautiously we venture back. In February, after a joint decision-making process in the house, we deliberately refrained from rehearsals, live performances, contacts and mobility in order to support the containment of the pandemic. Now we are looking forward to the partial and gentle phase of opening from mid-March. We are resuming the Streamy Thursday format and are temporarily transforming the Pfauen into an exhibition space.

In March, we will once again be reporting live every Thursday evening. On 4 March, in-house director Wu Tsang and twelve members of the ensemble will give an insight into the production Moby Dick, which will premiere at the Pfauen next season, with a first table read live on Zoom. "You can tell that something very special is in the works," writes Stefan Busz in Züritipp about Moby Dick by Wu Tsang.

On 18 March we will be streaming again live for the first time and with Medea* by Leonie Böhm one of our two productions that have been invited to this year's Theatertreffen. On 27 March we will be broadcasting TriOlogie by the string trio Elodie Théry, Meredith Kuliew and Anna Mikolasek from the still empty Pfauen as part of the Open Haus series.

In March, however, the Pfauen is already partially open again. From 11-14 March we are showing the video installation The Show's over in a loop. A film by Wu Tsang and Moved by the Motion, inspired by the poem "come on, get it" by Fred Moten and the "Report from Occupied Territory" by James Baldwin, which explores underground currents of resistance and the politics of (in)visibility. From 13 to 28 March, Lena Schwarz, both member of the ensemble and visual artist, invites you to the Pfauen: Together with the Polish painter Krzysztof Gruse (Bochum/Bydgoszcz) and the Swiss artist duo Schumacher/Clavadetscher, she is creating Traumkapelle II, an installation in the Kammer, embedded in sound tracks by Michael Neuenschwander and Christian Szyska.

We will continue the Tender Talks every second Thursday evening in March. On 11 March, drag meets discourse: Vaginal Davis and Carolin Emcke meet for the third edition of Tender Talks. During Tender Talk #4 on 25 March, Mithu Sanyal chats with Annie Sprinkle and Beth Stephens.

The Theatertreffen production Einfach das Ende der Welt (It’s Only the End of the World) by Christopher Rüping will hopefully also play a role again soon, when our stages reopen for theatre performances. If the situation allows, we will resume our performance schedule from 10 April. We look forward to seeing you!

23. February 2021
“School of Resistance” Livestream with Milo Rau

In the last week of February 2021, the Akademie der Künste, Berlin presents the cinematic work of Milo Rau, related artist of the Schauspielhaus Zürich, as part of the livestream debate series School of Resistance. In cooperation with Milo Rau and the IIPM (International Institute of Political Murder) we are streaming the first four days of the event on our website. From 24 to 27 February 2021, we are broadcasting the discussions live from the Akademie der Künste after the film screenings. Amongst others, Orest in Mosul (2020) and The Congo Tribunal (2017), which have also been shown at the Schauspielhaus Zürich, will be screened.

In search of strategies of resistance, Milo Rau founded together with the IIPM and the NTGent the globally networked “School of Resistance” as a livestream debate series. How can art react to states of crisis? How can it make its contribution to strategies of resistance? Activists and artists discuss art as a transformative, reality-creating practice and question aesthetic practices of resistance, prerequisites of global art production, as well as the artistic strategies of the IIPM.

09. February 2021
Einfach das Ende der Welt and Medea* invited to the Theatertreffen 2021

Two productions by the Schauspielhaus Zürich have been invited to the 58th Berliner Theatertreffen: Einfach das Ende der Welt after Jean-Luc Lagarce, directed by Christopher Rüping (premiere: 3 December 2020, Schiffbau-Halle ) and Medea* after Euripides, directed by Leonie Böhm (premiere: 19 September 2020, Schiffbau-Box). This is the fourth time Rüping has been invited to the Theatertreffen, but the first time with a production by the Schauspielhaus Zürich. We are very delighted and offer our sincere congratulations to our two in-house directors!

Between 27 January 2020 and 5 February 2021, the Theatertreffen’s jury discussed a total of 285 productions from 60 cities in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. 531 votes were received and a total of 26 productions were recommended and discussed . Of these, the jury nominated ten "remarkable productions of an extraordinary and challenging theatre year" to invite to the Theatertreffen.

In addition to a digital festival edition in May 2021, various festival scenarios are currently in the planning stage. Details on the organisation of the 58th Theatertreffen will be communicated in March. Every year at the Theatertreffen, the Berlin Theatre Prize of the Stiftung Preussische Seehandlung, the 3sat Prize and, at the end of the festival, the Alfred Kerr Performers' Prize are awarded.

Press Release, Theatertreffen 2021: The Selection of 10

29. January 2021
Dekalog wins Zebra Award in Beijing

As part of the Beijing Fringe Festival, Dekalog by Christopher Rüping received the Zebra Award in the category Best International Play this Friday.

At the end of October 2020, three selected episodes were streamed with Chinese subtitles within the official festival programme: DEKALOG V – DU SOLLST NICHT TÖTEN with Matthias Neukirch, DEKALOG VII – DU SOLLST NICHT STEHLEN with Maja Beckmann DEKALOG VIII – THOU SHALT NOT LIE with Josh Johnson, followed by a live chat with Christopher Rüping.

Dekalog-Recap, Folgen 1–9

28. January 2021
Wu Tsang, Tosh Basco and Trajal Harrell at the E.A.T.

Our in-house directors Wu Tsang and Trajal Harrell, as well as ensemble member and artist-in-residence Tosh Basco, are participating in the E.A.T/Engadin Art Talks, which are held for the eleventh time this year. The renowned forum & festival for art, architecture, design, film, science, literature and performance is hosted in Zuoz at the end of January each year, with a new theme determining the framework of the talks.

Under the aspect of the E.A.T. theme "Longue Durée", Wu Tsang and Tosh Basco talk to Hans Ulrich Obrist, Artistic Director of the Serpentine Galleries, about their current projects. In conversation with Kunsthalle Director Daniel Baumann, Trajal Harrell provides insight into his latest choreography "The Deathbed of Katherine Dunham", which will premiere at Kunsthalle Zürich in late spring, if the Covid-19 situation allows.

The free "Longue Durée" live stream will take place on 30 January from 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. The individual talks and presentations will be held in English and will also be available later.

07. January 2021
Programme Preview January 2021

After four successful live-streams in December 2020 with a total of around 2500 sold admissions and a much higher number of viewers, we are continuing to experiment with the live-stream format. In January, we will be broadcasting four selected Schauspielhaus productions live from our Pfauen and Schiffbau venues as part of "Streamy Thursday - Theater zu Haus", as well as two new "Open Haus" productions on the Pfauenbühne.

Streamy Thursday
7 January 2021 «Der Mensch erscheint im Holozän», Staging: Alexander Giesche
Following the 3sat recording of the multi-award-winning production, there will be a live post-show discussion (free of charge) at 9 p.m. about proliferating knowledge, cosmology and artistic practices. Thomas Strässle, President of the Max Frisch Foundation at ETH Zurich, and Helga Lutz, Professor of Image and Art History of Modernism at Bielefeld University, will discuss. Moderated by Joshua Wicke (dramaturge, Schauspielhaus Zurich). (No English subtitles)
14 January 2021 «Frühlings Erwachen», Staging: Suna Gürler.
21 January 2021 «Corona Passionsspiele» by und with Nicolas Stemann & ensemble, Vol. 3 (Winter-Edition). New songs!
28 January 2021 «Früchte des Zorns» by John Steinbeck, Staging: Christopher Rüping.

Open House at Home
As of January, the "Open Haus" productions will be streamed live from the Pfauen.Stand-up comedian Johannes Dullin will kick things off on Sunday, 17 January on the Pfauenbühne, followed by "Im Bett", a chamber play by the Chilean author Matias Bizet, staged by Lisa Violetta Gass on Friday, 29 January 2021. (No English subtitles)

11. December 2020
CANCELLED:
No shows with audience until 22 January 2021.

Unfortunately, we have to close the doors to our theatres again. Following the Federal Council’s decision of 11 December 2020, all performances with an audience present in the auditorium are cancelled until 22 January 2021.

New opening hours at the box office
From 18 to 27 December, we are taking a break. From 28 December, the employees of the box office can be called or e-mailed from Tuesday to Friday between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. The counters in Pfauen and Schiffbau will remain closed until further notice.

Streamy Thursday: Theatre at Home
On Thursdays, chosen productions will be live-streamed to your living room. The streamings are accessible on our website and require a fee. You decide how much you want to pay We offer three different price categories: 5 CHF, 15 CH and 30 CHF. Tickets for the live-streams are available on the Monday of each performance week starting at 7 p.m.

Stay connected with us
We also recommend that you sign up for our weekly newsletter (in German), so you always receive the latest information on our scheduled shows. We also keep you up to date on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and in our journal articles.

We already miss you!

Cordially,

Your Schauspielhaus Zürich

27. November 2020
Streamy Thursday:
Theatre at Home

Starting next Thursday, we will make our productions available to a larger audience through our series "Streamy Thursday - Theatre at Home" and, thus, start experimenting with the format of broadcasting live: once a week, on Thursdays, chosen productions will be live-streamed. "We want to provide as much of an intense and special theatre experience as possible. Whether that will be better than Netflix - nonsense, of course not! Some of our in-house directors don't really agree with this idea. But, for now, we’ll start gathering experience: we’ll see! I'm really excited," says Benjamin von Blomberg.

The shows are live-streamed from several cameras and the director of each production will take charge of overseeing the various camera shots. Suna Gürler will kick off with Frühlings Erwachen on 3 December 2020 at 8 p.m., and the following Thursday, Leonie Böhm will explore in front of an audience what streaming could mean for her production Leonce and Leonce. On the 17th of December, we’ll broadcast Einfach das Ende der Welt, staged by Christopher Rüping, who recently streamed his production Grapes of Wrath live from the Pfauen to the Baltic House Festival in St. Petersburg, and experimented with the broadcast format in Dekalog, his theatre production for digital space.

20. November 2020
OPEN CALL:
Open Haus, Open Night
Your Pfauen?

The Schauspielhaus continues to perform. Also for 50 people. Being aware of our privilege and our possibilities, and also of the artistic diversity of this city, we are opening the stage in the Pfauen for external productions from theatre, music, literature, dance, performance, comedy. Do you have a production to present but no venue? Have you lost the source of your income? Or are you battling homesickness for the stage?

Enter the Open Call now. What you offer: a ready production that you can show without any further in-house rehearsals or major stage effort. What we offer: a performance slot in the evening, an empty proscenium, sound, light, stagecraft. Does that sound good?

17. November 2020
New: Advance Booking Now Weekly

Due to the current challenges in creating a schedule, we are only selling tickets for the shows of one week, for 50 visitors per show. Now, advance booking starts every Thursday morning at 11 a.m. for shows two weeks later. This allows us to respond to short-term changes in the agenda. 

You can find a preliminary preview of the planned shows in our web calendar. We also recommend that you sign up for our weekly newsletter (in German) or our monthly English newsletter, so you always receive the latest information on our scheduled shows. We also keep you up to date on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and in our journal articles. We look forward to staying in touch with you and to seeing you soon at Pfauen and the Schiffbau.

10. November 2020
König der Frösche is postponed
to season 21/22

On Saturday, 14 November, our first premiere for 50 visitors was supposed to be the world premiere of Nicolas Stemann's King of Frogs. However, due to illness in the artistic direction team during the final rehearsals and in consideration of the uncertain circumstances and further developments concerning Covid-19, we have decided to postpone the production to the new 2021/22 season.

The anarchic fairytale comedy thrives on the resonance of the people in the auditorium, which is another reason for the postponement to next autumn. Everybody who has already purchased a ticket will be contacted by us within the next few days. Instead of King of the Frogs, the Pfauen hosts this November the "Assembly for a Frog", a reading for young and old with campfire music, an improvised evening with characters from King of the Frogs.

28. October 2020
Yes, we’ll continue performing
for 50 visitors

"It is marvellous to sit in the Pfauen again and let yourself be carried away by this energy," wrote journalist Daniel Binswanger the day before yesterday in the Republik. However, just one day later we were faced with a difficult decision due to the Federal Council's severe new measures in order to bring the pandemic under control: can, want, should we perform when, from Thursday 29 October 2020, only 50 people are allowed in the auditorium and the number of Covid-19 cases are rising rapidly?

Yes, we want to continue performing for you. We want to make it possible for you to go to the theatre, especially in these times. Since we expect this measure to be in place for quite some time, we will continue to perform for you - with a protection concept that is tried and tested, as long as the situation will permit us to do so. "We are convinced that our audience is grateful for moments where it can experience other realms of emotions and thoughts. And we have a protection concept that allows us to do so. Thanks to subsidies from the city of Zurich, additional Corona financial support from the federal government and the canton, and also thanks to our loyal partners, foundations and patrons, we can overcome this difficult situation and still offer you a programme. We are very grateful for this," as the artistic directors Benjamin von Blomberg and Nicolas Stemann stated.

22. October 2020
The Congo Tribunal «Kolwezi Hearings»

The Congo Tribunal is in session on Sunday at the Schauspielhaus Zürich - a world economic court of civil society initiated by Milo Rau. The debate, mainly held in English, can be witnessed online – the live broadcast will be streamed on the Facebook pages of both the Schauspielhaus and the International Institute of Political Murder.

12. October 2020
Next Chapter Corona Passion Play Vol. 2

14 weeks of lockdown, 14 Songs = 1 Passion Play: In spring, Nicolas Stemann wrote and composed the Corona Passion Play as a musical pandemic diary; on 26 June, its premiere, in collaboration with the ensemble band, was also the first performance in the Schiffbau-Halle after the reopening. From 15 October it continues... And the title of the autumn edition: Vol. 2.

04. October 2020
Nestroy Prize 2020 for
Der Mensch erscheint im Holozän

At the Nestroy Gala 2020 in Vienna, our in-house director Alexander Giesche and the Schauspielhaus Zürich were awarded the Nestroy 2020 in the category Best Performance in the German-speaking region for the production Der Mensch erscheint im Holozän - a visual by Alexander Giesche after Max Frisch. The gala was broadcast by ORF 3 television.

01. October 2020
Früchte des Zorns (The Grapes of Wrath):
Live Broadcast and final shows

Christopher Rüping's production Früchte des Zorns will be broadcast live from the Pfauen of the Schauspielhaus Zürich to the Baltic House Theatre Festival in Russia on Sunday 11 October, as the production cannot travel to St. Petersburg due to the pandemic - a live broadcast premiere for us.

The second performance of Früchte des Zorns on Theatermontag, 12 October, will be this production’s final performance in Zurich, which premiered almost a year ago at the Pfauen, on 25 October 2019. We are delighted that this production was part of our repertoire; it was an essential part of our opening.

30. September 2020
Schiffbau Bar is open:
Contact details are recorded

Since Wednesday, 30 September, the Schiffbau Bar is again open for our visitors before and after the performances. In a separate area, drinking and eating without masks is allowed, contact details of our guests are recorded. Outside the marked bar area, in the foyer and in all interior rooms of the theatre, visitors and employees of the Schauspielhaus Zürich are required to wear masks.

28. September 2020
Future day 2020

Due to the protective measures because of Covid-19, we have decided to cancel the Future Day this year. If you have any questions, please contact Manuela Runge, Co-Head of Theatre Pedagogy: Theatre & School: manuela.runge@schauspielhaus.ch, 044 258 75 62.

We still have fond memories of last year's Future Day: Impressions 2019.

And we are already looking forward to the Future Day 2021!

15. September 2020
Congratulations:
Man in the Holocene nominated for Nestroy Prize 2020

Alexander Giesche, in-house director at the Schauspielhaus Zürich, has been nominated for the Vienna Theatre Prize Nestroy in the category Best Performance in the German-speaking region with Man in the Holocene. In the same category also in-house director Leonie Böhm with Räuberinnen has been nominated, a production by Münchner Kammerspiele. Our related Artist Chrisoph Marthalter wins the Nestroy for his life work. We celebrate!

10. September 2020
Showcase Trajal Harrell

To open the season, choreographer Trajal Harrell will take to the stage at Pfauen. From 12-18 September, he will be showing his solo performance The Return of La Argentina, the lecture-performance The Conspiracy of Performance with Perle Palombe and the world premiere of The Köln Concert for six dancers: Trajal Harrell responds to the physical distance rules forthe stage with a plan he has been pursuing for years: achoreography to Keith Jarrett’s Köln Concert, the mostsuccessful piano solo recording of all time. It is a matterof learning anew, of making theatre. Dance. In front ofan audience. With distance and caution. But not withany less devotion.

17. August 2020
Season 2020/21: Advance Booking and Protection Concept

We are back from the theatre break and are looking forward to welcoming you to the Pfauen and Schiffbau from 12 September! At the beginning of June, we presented our pre-season-speculation for the season 20/21, which was developed during lockdown. But enough speculation: advance booking for the new extraordinary Schauspielhaus season starts today. And rest assured, even if there is laughter, singing, shouting and cheering in the theatre, you can feel safe when you visit the Schauspielhaus. We are not merely interested in being able to trace who has come into contact with a person who has been infected with Covid-19 during a theatre visit - our primary goal is to prevent infections and make an outing to the theatre possible for everyone.

 

If you have any questions about our protection concept, our subscriptions and the productions of the new season, please contact the box office:

044 258 77 77 / Theaterkasse@schauspielhaus.ch.

 

See you soon!

Cordially
Your Schauspielhaus Zürich

 

26. June 2020
Theatre holidays 2020

Wir wünschen Ihnen und uns eine erholsame Sommerpause.

In der ersten Spielzeit unter der neuen Intendanz von Benjamin von Blomberg und Nicolas Stemann feierten wir ein fünftägiges Eröffnungsfestival, erste gemeinsame Premieren, die ersten Einladungen zum Berliner und Schweizer Theatertreffen, im Schiffbau Atrium ist unser erster Theatergarten entstanden und dann hat der Lockdown unsere Pläne über den Haufen geworfen. Im Juni wurden erste vorsichtige Schritte in ein Danach gewagt.

Nun stehen unsere ersten Theaterferien an: Vom 29. Juni bis am 10. August ist das Schauspielhaus Zürich in den Ferien. Tickets für die Spielzeit 2020/2021 sind ab dem 17. August 2020 auf schauspielhaus.ch oder an unserer Theaterkasse erhältlich.

In dringenden Notfällen sind wir über mitteilung@schauspielhaus.ch erreichbar.

Wir freuen uns auf Ihren Besuch ab dem 12. September - persönlich im Pfauen und im Schiffbau!

08. June 2020
Wir spielen weiter

Wir freuen uns, nach all den Wochen der Corona-bedingten Spielpause endlich wieder live und in unseren Theatern spielen zu können – und wollen Sie deshalb im Juni mit gleich drei Premieren bei uns willkommen heissen: Compostion (vor) IV und The Show's Over von Wu Tsang sowie die Corona-Passionsspiele von Nicolas Stemann!

Weitere Informationen finden Sie hier.

 

27. April 2020
Wir gratulieren:
3sat-Preis für Alexander Giesche und Der Mensch erscheint im Holozän

Das Theatertreffen gab heute bekannt, dass Alexander Giesche, Hausregisseur am Schauspielhaus Zürich, für seine Inszenierung Der Mensch erscheint im Holozän den mit 10.000 Euro dotierten 3sat-Preis erhält.

17. April 2020
Coronavirus: Bis am 8.6. alle Vorstellungen abgesagt

In accordance with the instructions of the Federal Council, the management of the Schauspielhaus Zurich has decided to cancel all theatre performances up to and including 8.6.2020. In addition, for your own and our protection, the house will be completely closed until and including 26th April.

28. January 2020
Der Mensch erscheint im Holozän got invited to the 57. Berliner Theatertreffen

Wir freuen uns riesig: Die Inszenierung Der Mensch erscheint im Holozän von Alexander Giesche wurde zum 57. Berliner Theatertreffen eingeladen.

28. January 2020
Geschäftsbericht 2018/19

Anlässlich der Generalversammlung vom 28. Januar 2020 veröffentlicht die Schauspielhaus Zürich AG die Zahlen der Spielzeit 2018/19: 136’127 Zuschauer*innen besuchten die insgesamt 585 Veranstaltungen des Schauspielhauses.

09. November 2019
We congratulate:
Maja Beckmann wins the FAUST-Award

Maja Beckmann wins for her performance in Dionysos Stadt in the category Actor Play.  

17. September 2019
We congratulate: Sybille Berg is nominated for the Swiss Book Prize

Sibylle Berg has been shortlisted for the Swiss Book Prize together with Simone Lappert, Tabea Steiner, Alain Claude Sulzer and Ivna Žic.

04. September 2019
New: Four Youth Clubs at the Schauspielhaus Zürich

From September 2019 onwards, the Schauspielhaus Zürich offers four weekly youth clubs for all performance-enthusiasts between the ages of 13 and 23.

28. August 2019
We congratulate: Christopher Rüping is Director of the Year, Nils Kahnwald is Actor of the Year

This year’s critics poll of the theatrical journal Theater Heute has elected Christopher Rüping as Director of the Year for his production “Dionysos Stadt with 14 votes. Nils Kahnwald was named Actor or the Year with 6 votes, whilst Maja Beckmann ranks third in the female category.