The Vienna State Opera mourns the death of Otto Schenk
Feature |
The entire staff of the State Opera mourns the loss of one of the greats of the theater world: KSch Otto Schenk, director, actor, artistic director, author, passionate opera lover and theater person through and through, passed away on 9 January 2025 at the age of 94.
He was more closely associated with the Haus am Ring than almost anyone else for many decades: he created a total of 31 productions for the Vienna State Opera, was the legendary head stage manager at the opera house, created the unforgettable, pointedly odd character of the frog in "his" Fledermaus (debut: 1963) and was a welcome guest at artist talks. A highly esteemed director and colleague to staff and artists alike, Otto Schenk was also often to be found in private at performances.
Following his universal love of art, he eschewed boundaries and pigeonholes, not separating opera from drama, literature from music. He drew on his passion for acting and performing, always developing his work from the individual: his trademark was the consistent scenic design of all the characters on stage; every chorus member and every extra was given a role tailored to them personally in addition to the soloists. He saw the "human touch" on stage, i.e. the touching portrayal of personal destinies, as a quality feature and basic requirement of the theater. When he took on a work, he lived through an intense love story with it: His works arose from an incomparable desire to play and explore, his sympathy and compassion for the great figures of opera brought them to life.
Otto Schenk at the rehearsals for "Der Rosenkavalier"
Otto Schenk with Mirella Freni and Peter Dvorský during rehearsals for "Manon Lescaut" in 1986.
His first production, Janáček's Jenůfa in 1964, was followed by Carmen, Boris Godunov, Baal, Così fan tutte, Der Besuch der alten Dame (world premiere), Kabale und Liebe (world premiere), Die Zauberflöte, La traviata, Lulu, Don Carlo, Don Giovanni, Il trittico, Die verkaufte Braut and many others from a broad repertoire ranging from classics to contemporary works. He has created numerous legendary productions, many of which are still part of the State Opera repertoire - Der Rosenkavalier, Die Fledermaus, Andrea Chénier, Fidelio and L'elisir d'amoresteadregularly on the repertoire.
His last new production at the Vienna State Opera was Janáček's The Cunning Little Vixen in 2014.
"Otto Schenk is an essential, unforgettable chapter in the history of our theater. But he was also an artist who shaped the world of theater for half a century like few others. As sacred as the theater was to him, he approached the works naturally and fearlessly, drawing on an immense knowledge. An infinite love for the singers went hand in hand with hard, uncompromising rehearsal work and honesty. He demanded and loved in equal measure. The Vienna State Opera mourns the loss of an artist who was able to draw on the intellectual and artistic wealth of the entire history of theater and communicate it brilliantly to a wide audience."