1967 » German Democratic Republic » Stage design and costumes

Německá demokratická republika

The exhibition of the German Democratic Republic is the common work of stage and costume designers and technical workers. They present it under the title „Socialist Theatre Art in the German Democratic Republic reflected in Stage Design and Theatre Architecture". We want to give the organizers of the Prague Quadrennial and its visitors a picture of the contemporary stage design trends in the GDR: our main aim is to present the work of leading stage and costume designers and the activity of important theatre centres. In this way we want to show the theoretical and practical results of our work. We therefore included in our exposition not only the usual exhibition material — designs, sketches and photographs, but also models, masks, props, decoration details of all kinds and even assembly processes; we are convinced that only in this entity our artistic viewpoint will be correctly understood, that the quality of a stage design can only be proven by its realization — if carried out, most adequately from the artistic, and professional point of view. By this method - the confrontation of design and realization and by the choice of exhibits we want to give the visitors of the Prague Quadrennial at least a brief survey of the repertoire of the theatres in the GDR, in which the same attention is paid both to classical and contemporary plays. We hope that our exposition will give the visitors of the Prague Quadrennial sufficient information and interesting findings. We should also like to point out that we are publishing a special catalogue at the occasion of our participation at the Prague Quadrennial 1967 in which you will find further systematic details of the theatres in the GDR.

Exhibiting artists / ateliers

• Alisa Sickora Kleckner

Specialization: costume designer

• Justin Locklear
• Eberhard KEIENBURG

Specialization: set designer
Additional information: Born in 1936 in Leipzig. Since 1974 first stage designer at the German Theatre in Berlin. He participated in the PQ in 1967, 1975 and in 1979.

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Exhibiting works

• : (Mirandolina), 1966
  
  
  
• Günther Altmann

Additional information: Born in 1933 in Gorlitz. He studied at the School for Applied Arts in Leipzig. He worked for the Municipal Theatre in Greiz and Bautzen and for the Kleist Theatre in Frankfurt am Oder. Later he was the chief designer at the State Theatre in Schwerin. He has for a number of years been and is also at present the chief stage designer of the Municipal Theatres in Magdeburg. He participated in the Prague Quadrennial in 1967.

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Exhibiting works

• : (The Crucible ), Grosses Haus 1967
  
  
  
• Karl von Appen

Additional information: Born in 1900 in Düsseldorf. In the years 1920 - 1924 he studied painting and graphics under F.K. Delaville at the Academy of Arts in Frankfurt am M. Since 1926 he worked in Berlin and since 1929 in Dresden. In 1933 he was barred from professional activities by the Nazis and in 1941 - 1945 he was a prisoner in a concentrations camp for his illegal political activities. In 1945 - 1954 he was the chief stage designer at the State Theatre at Dresden and in 1947-49 he was the theatre' s superintendent. He is the founder and chief of the department of stage design at the Academy of Fine Arts in Dresden. Since 1954 he is the chief stage designer of the Berliner Ensemble, where he has collaborated with stage directors Bertolt Brecht, Benno Besson, Erich Engel, Fritz Kortner, Peter Palitsch, Joachim Tenschert, Manfred Werkwerth and others. In 1960 he became a full professor and in 1961 a member of the German Academy of Art. In 1956 and 1969 he received a State Prize of the German Democratic Republic and in 1975 he received the Order of Karl Marx. He participated in the Prague Quadrennial in 1967, in 1971 and in 1975; he received the PQ Gold Medal in 1967.

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Exhibiting works

• : (Coriolanus), Berliner Ensemble 1959
  

  

  

  
  
  
• : (The Watchmaker and the Hen), Maxim-Gorki-Theater 1966
  
  
  
• : (The Resistible Ascension of Arthur Ui ), Berliner Ensemble 1959
  

  
  
  
• : (The Days of the Commune), Berliner Esemble 1962
  

  
  
  
• Dieter Berge

Additional information: Born 1927 at Dresden. Studied at Dresden and in Berlin. He worked at the Berliner Ensemble under prof. Karl von Appen. He is chief designer of the Maxim—Gorki—Theater in Berlin.

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• Hans Brosch

Additional information: Born in 1943 in Berlin. He first worked in a printing shop, later he became a student of and later assistant to Karl von Appen at the Berliner Ensemble. At present he is the stage designer of the German Theatre in Berlin. He participated in the Prague Quadrennial in 1967 and in 1975.

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• Rolf Döge

Additional information: Born 1925 at Leipzig where he completed his studies at the Arts and Crafts School. Later on he became the assistant etage designer at the Leipzig Opera House, and thereafter the stage designer at the Theatres at Altenburg, Erfurt, Halle and Dresden. For a number of seasons he acted as art director of the Händel Festival at Halle. At present he is at work as stage designer of the Landesbůhnen Sachsen at Radebeul near Dresden.

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Exhibiting works

• : (Oberon), Grosses Haus 1967
  

  

  

  

  

  
  
  
• Axel von Flocken

Additional information: Born in 1923 in Siegen (Westphalia). Studied at the School of Industrial Art and in 1946-1949 at the Academy of Art in Weimar. He worked for theatres in Heiligenstadt, Döbeln, Zwickau, Greifswald and Dresden. At Zwickau he designed the décor for Jenufa, the Meistersinger, The Flying Dutchman and Hamlet, in Greifswald for the Winter Battle and in Dresden for My Fair Lady, Enrico 61, and To Whom God Gives an Office. At present he is art director of the Dresden Operetta. His stage for My Fair Lady is designed in two planes: the world of Doolittle and the world of Higgins with a photographic background.

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• Peter Friede

Additional information: Born in 1938 at Chemnitz (Karl-Marx-Stadt). Between 1952 and 1955 ne was at work as theatre painter, subsequently as assistant stage designer and stage designer at the Municipal Theatre in Karl-Marx-Stadt, thereafter chief designer of this theatre. Since 1967 he acts as chief designer at the State Theatre in Dresden.

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• Manfred Grund

Additional information: Born in 1929 in Dresden. In the years 1948 - 1954 he studied under Karl von Appen at the Academy of Fine Arts in Dresden. After graduation he worked in Zittau, in the Berliner Ensemble and as chief stage designer of the Berlin Volksbühne. In the years 1971 - 1974 he was a free lance designer and during 1974 - 1977 he was at the State Theatre in Dresden. Since 1977 he is the deputy chief designer at the Berliner Ensemble. He parti - cipated in the Prague Quadrennial in 1967, in 1971 and in 1975.

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Exhibiting works

• : (My Friend Bunbury ), Theater Berlin 1964
  

  
  
  
• Franz Havemann

Additional information: Born in 1933 in Neukloster (Mecklenburg). Since 1963 he is the chief stage designer at the German National Theatre in Weimar. He partici- pated in the PQ in 1967, 1971, 1975 and in 1979.

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Exhibiting works

• : (Faust ), Deutsches Nationaltheater 1967
  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  
  
  
• Pieter Hein

Additional information: Born in 1939 in Berlin. In the years 1956 - 1960 he studied at the Academy of Graphic Art at Berlin- Charlottenburg with prof. Willi Schmidt. After graduation he worked at Quedlinburg and at the Berlin Volksbuhne. He became a student of Karl von Appen at the Academy of Art in Berlin and in the years 1964 - 1969 he was at the Berliner Ensemble. He participated in the Prague Quadrennial in 1967, in 1971 and in 1975.

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Exhibiting works

• : (Shouhou and the Flying Princess ), Schauspielschule 1966
  

  

  

  

  
  
  
• Theo Hug

Additional information: Born in 1929 at Gera. Between 1945 and 1949 he passed through apprenticeship and practical training at the theatres at Meiningen and Gera. Later on he became stage designer, at the time being he acts as chief designer at the Bühnen der Stadt Gera. He has brought into effect numerous décors also for the theatres at Weimar and Stralsund.

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• Otto Kähler

Additional information: Born in 1910 in Lübeck. He was originally a cabinet maker in a theatrical workshop. Later he became a stage designer in Brieg and Güstrow. In the years 1945 - 1948 he was superintendent at the Municipal Theatre at Güstrow, in 1948 - 1950 the chief of all workshops at the Mecklenburg State Theatre in Schwerin. In 1950-1953 he worked in adult education in the local administration in Berlin, in the years 1953 - 1959 he was the chief stage designer at the Hans-Otto Theatre in Potsdam and in 1959-1977 the chief stage designer at the Friendship Theatre in Berlin . In 1966 he received a State Prize of the G. D. R. /as a member of a collective/ and in 1975 he received the Critics Award of the journal Berliner Zeitung. Since 1967 he is a member of the stage design commission of OISTT and since 1975 president of the OISTT section in the German Democratic Republic and chairman of an ad hoc committee on stage design. He participated in the Prague Quadrennial in 1967, in 1971 and in 1975.

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Exhibiting works

• : (Little House on The Hill ), Theater der Freundschaft 1964
  
  
  
• Heinrich Kilger

Additional information: Born in 1907 in Heidelberg. Slnce 1948 chief designer of the Deutsches Theater in Berlin and head of the stage design chair at the College of Plastic and Applied Arts in Berlin- Weissensee. Professor, member of the German Academy of Arts in Berlin. He died in 1970 in Berlin.

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Exhibiting works

• : (Nathan the Wise ), 0
  

  
  
  
• : (Mother Courage and Her Children), Berliner Esemble 0
  

  

  
  
  
• Rolf Klemm

Additional information: Born in 1929. Studied at the Academy of Art in Dresden, worked for the Municipal Theatre in Greiz, the G. Hauptmann Theatre in Görlitz and the Landestheater in Halle. Designed stage sets for operas, dramas and ballets.

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Exhibiting works

• : (Scipio), Landestheater 1965
  

  

  
  
  
• Bernd Leistner

Additional information: Born in 1943 in Schönheide in the Ore Mountains, studied at the Academy of Art in Dresden under prof. Reichard. Works as stage designer for the Mecklenburg State Theatre in Schwerin. Among his most important works are the stage sets for the plays Hänsel and Gretel, Servant of Two Masters, Peter Musicus. He designed the stage set for Manon Lescaut and the costumes for Peer Gynt (at Stralsund).

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• Hans Helmut Müller

Additional information: Born in 1930 in Schwerin. He worked as a teacher and studied at the School of Arts and Crafts in Wismar in Mecklenburg, where he graduated in 1954. Between 1954 and 1958 he studied painting at the Academy of Fine and Applied Arts in Berlin-Weissensee. From 1958 to 1961 he was assistant to Rudolf Heinrich at the Komische Oper in Berlin, and later became a stage designer at this theatre. He participated in the Prague Quadrennial in 1967.

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Exhibiting works

• : (The Fable of the Blissful Butcher), Studententheater in der Belforter Strasse 1967
  
  
  
• Paul Pilowski

Additional information: Born in 1903 in Bromberg, studied at the School of Arts in Berlin. Worked as Kirchner's assistant in the Staatstheater in Berlin, the Municipal Theatre in Aachen, the Landestheater in Halle, Leipzig and Berlin. Among his most significant stage sets are Richard III, Hamlet, Don Carlos, The Robbers, The Shrewd, The Firebird.

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Exhibiting works

• : (The Firebird ), Deutsche Staatsoper 1965
  

  

  
  
  
• Andreas Reinhardt

Additional information: Born in 1937 at Meissen (Saxony). Apprenticeship as a theatre painter. He worked as assistant stage designer at the Landesbűhnen Sachsen at Radebeul. From 1961— 1962 he acted as stage designer at the theatre at Zittau. Between 1962 and 1964 he was disciple of prof. Karl von Appen at the German Academy of Arts in Berlin. Between 1964 and 1966 he has been at work as assistant stage designer and since .1966 as stage designer at the Berliner Ensemble. His important stage sets: Purple Dust (0'Casey), Berliner Ensemble 1966; Herr Puntila and his Servant Matti (Dessau- Brecht), Deutsche Staatsoper 1966; Le Misanthrope (Moliēre), German Television 1966, Elektra (Richard Strauss), Deutsche Staatsoper 1967; Vietnem-Diskurs (Weiss), Berliner Ensemble 1968.

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Exhibiting works

• : (Master Puntila and his Servant Matti ), Deutsche Staatsoper 1966
  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  
  
  
• : (Purple Dust), Berliner Esemble 1966
  

  
  
  
• Siegfried Renert

Additional information: Born in 1932, self-educated. Worked as stage designer in the theatres in Zittau, Eisenach, Weimar, Zwickau, Halberstadt. Among his most significant works are the stage sets for Hamlet, Richard III, Romeo and Juliet, Much Ado About Nothing, Prince of Homburg, Tartuffe, The Beaver Coat and for the opéras The Master-Singers, The Golden Rhine, Lohengrin, The Citizens of Calais, Turandot.

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Exhibiting works

• : (Turandot ), Volkstheater 1966
  
  
  
• Horst Sager

Additional information: Born in 1934 in Drawsko. During the years 1953-1958 he studied under prof. H. Kilger at the School of Art and Applied Art in Berlin. Since 1963 he worked as stage designer in the Deutsches Theater and since 1964 he permanently cooperates with Benno Besson. Among his significant works are the stage sets for Tartuffe, The Dragon and King Oedipus.

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Exhibiting works

• : (King Oedipus ), Deutsches Theater 1966
  

  

  

  

  

  
  
  
• : (The Dragon ), Deutsches Theater 1965
  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  
  
  
• Gerhard Schade

Additional information: Born in 1922 in Frankfurt on the Oder. During the years 1939-1941 he worked as theatre painter in the Frankfurt Theatre and during the years 1946-1951 he studied at the School of Applied Art in Berlin under prof. Kilger. During 1951 -1953 he worked for the Landestheater in Eisenach, during 1953-1962 for the Staatstheater in Dresden and since 1962 he is chief designer of the Berlin Volksbühne. As visiting artist he works for a number of German theatres.

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Exhibiting works

• : (Catherine Ismailova ), Städtische Theater 1965
  

  

  
  
  
• Willi Schröder

Additional information: Born in 1922 in Rostock. During 1937-1940 he studied painting and in 1945-1948 stage design. He worked for the Junge Bühne in Rostock, the Municipal Theatres in Bernburg and since 1949 he is the chief designer of the Rostock Volkstheater. Among his 180 stage sets for drama and opera we should mention at least The Good Woman of Sechuan, War and Peace and Terra Incognita.

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• Bernhard Schröter

Additional information: Born in 1928 in Breslau, where he studied at the School of Applied Art under architect and stage designer Hans Haueisen-Courath. He worked as stage designer in the Municipal Theatres of Karl-Marx-Stadt and for the Municipal Theatres of Leipzig. Among his most interesting work are the stage sets for Maria Stuart, Macbeth, Cabal and Love, Carmen, The Magie Flute, Swan Lake, The Prodigal Son and Orpheus and Euridice. He participated in the Prague Quadrennial 1967.

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Exhibiting works

• : (Mary Stuart ), 0
  

  

  

  
  
  
• Werner Schulz

Additional information: Born in 1939 in Spremberg. Studied at the Arts and Crafts School in Berlin. He worked at the Hans-Otto Theatre in Potsdam and the Metropolitan Theatre in Berlin. Among his most significant works are the designs for Orpheus in the Underworld (Metropolitan Theatre 1962), Chaste Zuzan (Metropolitan Theatre 1967) and The Bat (Comic Opera 1967). The stage set for Orpheus shows an aristocratic hall of the Second Empire, the costumes are a mixture of the fashion around 1858 and antique elements.

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Exhibiting works

• : (Orpheus in the Underworld), Metropol -Theater 1962
  

  

  

  
  
  
• Eberhard Schwenk

Additional information: Born in 1923 in Kiel. Trained as lithographer. Studied at the Arts and Crafts School in Magdeburg - applied graphic art under prof. Deffke and stage design under prof. Leretz. In 1948 he worked in the Theatre of the Town Zeitz as stage designer, in 1950 he was engaged by the Municipal Theatre of Magdeburg, where he became chief designer in 1953. His stage sets for Frank V stress the model character of Dürrenmatťs world: the portal has been pulled down so that part of the lighting system and stage machinery is visible. The stage set itself consist of symbolic fragments: bars, cages, partly destroyed portal ...

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Exhibiting works

• : (Frank V), Städtische Bühnen 1966
  

  

  

  
  
  
• Eberhard Söhnel

Additional information: Born in 1933 at Niederlichtenau. Apprenticeship as glass painter. Between 1952 and 1960 he studied stage design art under prof. Reichard at tne College of Plastic and Graphic Arts at Dresden. He was at work as stage designer from 1960—1961 at the theatre at Görlitz, between 1961 and 1963 at the Landesbűhnen at Radebeul (near Dresden), between 1963 and 1966 at the German National Theatre at Weimar. Since 1966 he is chief designer of the Landesbűhnen Sachsen. He has created more than 150 sets for opera, drama, ballet and for television performances.

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• Thekla Tesch

Additional information: Born in 1939 at Schneideműhl (Saxony). Between 1958 and 1963 she studied stage design art under prof. Heinrich Kilger at the College of Plastic and Applied Arts in Berlin—Weißensee. Between 1963 and 1966 she was at work as stage designer at the Hans—Otto—Theater at Potsdam, and between 1967 and 1970 at the Municipal Theatres in Karl—Marx—Stadt. At present she acts as assistant stage designer at the Volksbűhne in Berlin.

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• Walter Wallbaum

Additional information: Born in 1934 at Walbeck (near Haldensleben). Between 1953 and 1958 studied stage design art under prof. Heinrich Kilger at the College of Plastic and Applied Arts in Berlin-Weissensee. Between 1958 and 1962 he was at work as film architect at the studio for trick films at Dresden. From 1962—1963 he acted as assistant stage designer at the Volksbühne in Berlin, and since 1963 he has been at the Deutsches Theater in Berlin.

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Exhibiting works

• : (Look Homeward, Angel ), Deutsches Theater 1964
  

  

  

  

  

  
  
  
• Falk von Wangelin

Additional information: Born in 1939 in Guhlau. In the years 1959 - 1964 he studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Dresden under prof. Reicherd. He has worked for theatres in Rostock, Halberstadt and Dresden. At present he works as a stage designer in the Volkstheatre in Rostock. He participated in Prague Quadrennial in 1967, in 1971 and in 1975.

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Exhibiting works

• : (Marat-Sade), Wolkstheater Rostock 1965
  

  
  
  
• Wilfried Werz

Additional information: Born in 1930 in Dresden. Since 1965 he is the chief stage designer at the State Opera in Berlin. He participated in the PQ in 1967, 1971, 1975 and in 1979.

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Exhibiting works

• : (Ariadne in Naxos ), Deutsche Staatsoper 1967
  

  

  

  
  
  
• : (Ballade about happiness), Deutsches Staatsoper 0
  

  

  

  

  
  
  
• Ralf Winkler

Additional information: Born in 1936 in Chemnitz /Karl-Marx-Stadt/, during 1954-57 he was an apprentice, learning the craft of set painter in the Municipal Theatres in Karl-Marx-Stadt. Between 1957-1962 he studied under prof. Heinrich Kilger at the Academy of Fine and Applied Arts in Berlin-Weissensee. From 1962 to 1964 he was a stage designer in the Municipal Theatre in Leipzig, from 1964 to 1967 chief designer at the Hans-Otto-Theater in Potsdam. Since 1967 he has been the chief designer at the Municipal Theatres in Karl-Marx-Stadt. He participated in the Prague Quadrennials in 1967 and in 1971.

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Exhibiting works

• : (The Caucasian Chalk ), Hans-Otto-Theater 0
  

  

  

  

  

  
  
  
• Reínhart Zimmermann

Additional information: Born in 1936 in Erfurt. Since 1962 he is the chief stage designer at the Komische Oper in Berlin. He participated in the PQ in 1967, 1971, 1975 and in 1979.

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Exhibiting works

• : (The Bat ), Komische Oper 1967
  

  
  
  
• Eleonore Kleiber

Additional information: Born in 1925 in Geise (Rhön). Since 1969 she is chief of the costume department at the Komische Oper in Berlin. She participated in the PQ in 1971, 1975 and in 1979.

Exhibiting works

• : (Boris Godunov), 0