One firing that turned out to be a great thing.
As most of MUNICH FOUND’s readers are English-speaking expats, many of whom do not understand German well enough to enjoy Goethe and Schiller in their original language, German theater performances are usually not included in the magazine’s calendar of events. Nonetheless, I would like to take this opportunity to sum up the interesting changes that have taken place this season at two of Munich’s most important theaters.Following top-rate, albeit rather static, years, the Münchner Kammerspiele (Munich’s municipal theater) is experiencing a new breeze from northern Germany, while the Residenztheater (subsidized by the Bavarian State) is radiating with established splendor. It all began as a cultural drama in 1998, when today’s Kulturstaatsminister (National Minister of Culture) Julian Nida-Rümelin, in one of his last official acts in the post of Munich’s Kulturreferent , decided not to renew Kammerspiele theater director Dieter Dorn’s contract. Theater fans as well as Dorn himself were up in arms. How could Nida-Rümelin dare to let one of Germany’s most successful and respected directors go, replacing him with Frank Baumbauer, the middle-aged enfant terrible from Hamburg? Over decades, Dorn had assembled a theater ensemble made up of some of the finest actors Germany’s theater world had to offer. The plays he directed always celebrated theatrical perfection and often created stellar hours of German-language theater. Meanwhile, the Residenztheater head’s unexpected resignation turned that cultural drama into a comedy script. At the Bavarian State government’s invitation, Dieter Dorn simply accepted the city’s withdrawal notice from the Kammerspiele on the west side of the river and hopped into the welcoming arms of the State Theater on the east side. Most of his top-class ensemble members followed him and Dorn did not hesitate to present some of his popular Kammerspiele productions in his new residence—a happy, nondramatic end for the theater master and his fans, who can continue to enjoy Dorn’s high-caliber productions.
Back at the Kammerspiele, substantial changes were taking place. Since the Art Nouveau theater is under renovation until 2003, Frank Baumbauer must deal with provisional locations: the Neues Haus on Hildegardstrasse with three small stages originally built as rehearsal facilities and a former factory hall, called the Jutierhalle, on Dachauerstrasse. In spite of these spatial restrictions Baumbauer has managed to create an exciting program. He imported some productions to get his first season started—not without controversy. He took over Salzburg’s mammoth production Schlachten by Luc Perceval, which brings together all plays by Shakespeare about the War of Roses into a 12-hour theater marathon. Always scheduled on a Sunday—the next dates are May 12, June 6 and June 23—the performances at the Jutierhalle start at 11 am and end at 10:45 pm. This unique event always elicits unusual excitement in the audience. The extraordinary atmosphere is also created by the picnic baskets most people bring in order to survive the long day at the theater.
Another import from Salzburg is Macbeth , staged by Calixto Bieito, which is condensed into a two-hour show spiced with sex, drugs and rock’n’roll. You can be sure to hear a mixed chorus of boos and bravos following every performance. Many members of the audience leave before the end, some making rather vociferous exits. Baumbauer also presents a charming selection of works in which Munich or Bavarian themes play a central role. He started his first season, for example, with Daphne von Andechs , written and directed by Bavarian playwright Herbert Achternbusch. It is the story of two men—one hopelessly addicted to beer—who leave Munich in a dream-like odyssey to search for a Greek goddess in Andechs. Though some purists may criticize Baumbauer’s actors and directors for sacrificing quality in favor of provocative effects, performances like Euripides’ Alkestis have proven that the new Kammerspiele ensemble is capable of playing in the same league as Dieter Dorn’s classical theater.
