05. 03. 12. - 16:15

Cultural highlights in the city centre

Museums, theatres and cinemas in Vienna’s old town are offering a broad range of first-class entertainment in the coming weeks.

"Jedermann" star Nicholas Ofczarek and Katharina Lorenz play leading roles in a German theatre production based on "A Streetcar Named Desire", the famous play by Tennessee Williams. "Endstation Sehnsucht" directed by Dieter Giesing is currently on at the Burgtheater, one of the most prestigious stages in Europe.

Almost 400,000 people visited performances at the theatre in the 2010/2011 season when the Burgtheater managed to sell 82.56 per cent of offered tickets, it was announced last month. This figure does not consider audiences at the Burgtheater’s various sister theatres and partner stages such as the Akademietheater where "Der goldene Drache" starring Christiane von Poelnitz and "Der ideale Mann" directed by Barbara Frey are performed this season.

"Romeo und Julia" (Romeo and Juliet) directed by David Bösch is another highlight of the current Burgtheater season. Yohanna Schwertfeger and Burgtheater debutant Daniel Sträßer manage to meet the high expectations of Vienna’s theatre connoisseurs in Bösch’s modern and fast-moving production. Especially Sträßer’s performance has been acclaimed by critics. A bright future could lie ahead for the talented young actor, according to reviewers.

The Wien Museum currently hosts an exhibition called "Absolut Wien" featuring donations and purchases. Personal objects of the stars such as late entertainer Peter Alexander’s favourite set of cards and a belt worn by singer and actor Marianne Mendt on stage are on display. Photographs documenting how Viennese streets evolved over the decades are part of this fine exhibit as well. "Absolut Wien" also presents a resident of Vienna’s InterRail travel diaries, stickers and T-shirts produced by anti-government protesters in 2000 and furniture from several decades.

"The Iron Lady", a Margaret Thatcher biopic starring Meryl Streep in the leading role, will be on at the Burgkino tomorrow (Tues). The Burgkino screens all films in their original language versions. Streep was awarded with several accolades for her performance as Britain’s longest-serving prime minister, including a Golden Globe and an Academy Award.

"In the Land of Blood and Honey", a Bosnian War romantic drama directed and co-produced by "Mr. & Mrs. Smith" star Angelina Jolie, will also be on at the popular city centre cinema tomorrow. The Burgkino’s playbill will further feature "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy" directed by Tomas Alfredson, Stephen Daldry’s "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close" and black and white espionage film "The Third Man".

>> www.burgtheater.at

>> www.wienmuseum.at

>> www.burgkino.at

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