Theatertreffen in China, 2016
- 20 Jun 2016 - 09 Jun 2020
- Special Projects
Theatertreffen is the most important and the biggest theatre festival within German-speaking countries, and it is also one of the three most influential theatre festivals in the world. In the year of 2015, under the help of Mr. Chen Ping (Counselor for culture affairs of China Embassy in Germany), Wu Promotion reached a five-year partnership agreement with Theatertreffen, according to which Theatertreffen will be held in China from 2016 to 2020 annually. The jury members of Theatertreffen in China include iconic figures in the theatre field of both China and Germany, who selected three out of the ten “most noteworthy” works from the previous year’s Theatertreffen to be staged in China.
Theatertreffen in China 2016
Theatertreffen was firstly held in China from June 21 to July 9, 2016. Three “most-noteworthy” works from Theatertreffen 2015 were staged at National Centre for Performing Arts in Beijing as well as Shanghai Daning Theater, i.e., Common Ground by the Maxim Gorki Theater, John Gabriel Borkman by Deutsches Schauspielhaus Hamburg, and Waiting for Godot by Deutsches Theater Berlin.
The Maxim Gorki Theatre Common Ground
Tour Dates: 21 - 25 June, 2016
The Maxim Gorki Theatre, located in the Choral Academy on the boulevard Unter den Linden, is the smallest and most beautiful of Berlin’s ensemble theatres and also a historically significant building...
Deutsches Schauspielhaus Hamburg John Gabriel Borkman
Tour Dates: 25 - 30 June, 2016
The Deutsches Schauspielhaus is a theatre located in the St. Georg quarter of the city of Hamburg, Germany. With a capacity for 1,200 seats, it places as Germany's largest theatre...
Deutsches Theater Berlin Waiting for Godot
Tour Dates: 3 - 9 July, 2016
The Deutsches Theater in Berlin is a theatrical institution with a permanent and highly-acclaimed ensemble. Behind its classical façade, the Deutsches Theater building on Schumannstraße is home to three stages...
Activities such as pre- and post-performance talks, lectures as well as workshops were also held during Theatertreffen in China, which attracted nearly 3,000 people to come. It is great pleasure for Wu Promotion to see Theatertreffen in China be widely discussed among theater professionals as well as theatre lovers in China, as we anticipate enhancing the Chinese theatre through Sino-German communication in this field.
On June 20, 2016, the press conference for “Theatertreffen in China” was held. Director of Berlin Festival Dr. Thomas Oberender, artist director of the Maxim Gorki Theatre Ms. Şermin Langhoff, director of “Common Ground” Yael Ronen, leading actor of “Common Ground” Dejan Bućin, head of Goethe-Institut China Dr. Clemens Treter and Deputy Manager of performance department of NCPA Mr. Tao Jiang were invited to take part in the press conference, during which they answered the questions from the media.
On June 22, 2016，a workshop for Common Ground was held
at Goethe-Institut in Beijing.
The post-performance talk at Shanghai Daning Theater.
Artistic director of the Maxim Gorki Theatre Ms. Şermin Langhoff
and director of Common Ground Yael Ronen also
joined the talk with the audience.
The post-performance talk of Common Ground at NCPA
after the first performance on June 21, 2016.
Ms. Li Yinan, professor of China’s Central Academy of Drama,
is giving a lecture about Theatertreffen in China on June 22, 2016.
Lectures and workshops to be held in Shanghai Theater Academy.
Press Quotes
The surreal stage set of John Gabriel Borkman creates a dismal and desperate space, making Ibsen’s play, mostly family morality theme, a crude presence.
People’s Daily
John Gabriel Borkman by Schauspielhaus Hamburg really astonished me. The director masterfully uses the set as well as the actors and actress.
Everyone needs Erhart by Guo Shixing, playwright
The three works for Theatertreffen in China, whether a new production based on history or an adaptation of masterpiece, impressed the audience the same way, i.e., all of them showcase the indefinite imagination of the directors. This shall thank to Germany’s open environment for theatre professionals, and more importantly, the vision and talent of the directors. If there is something that can exemplify for the Chinese in this field, then the key factor lies in oneself instead of the environment of the society.
Beijing Times, Mei Sheng, theater critics,
Common Ground focuses on the history of the Bosnia war, which has been almost forgotten after 20 years of its end. It derives thinking on what is national identity and patriotism as well as one’s personal responsibility for war and the impact of war on one’s life. A play worth highly acclaim!
Xinmin Evening News
Common Ground follows the narrative tradition of the German plays. It is smooth in rhythm, and together with the montage sequence by music and multimedia, the performance turns out to be a free and energetic game. Those who act on stage are also narrators, and sometimes a reflection of their real profile in lives. They shift between the roles, guiding the audience through the mist of the history to search for their memory of different individuals and reveal the hidden world of their personal emotions in the end.
Theatre Arts Journal
Jury of Theatertreffen in China 2017
Theatertreffen will be held again in China in 2017 with three new theater productions from Theatertreffen 2016 to be released soon by the jury.
Below are the six jury members of Theatertreffen in China 2017 :
