Tragic boxer’s life story staged in Vienna
A new theatre production focuses on the many ups and downs of the life of legendary boxing champ Hans Orsolics.Orsolics became European light welterweight Champion aged just 20 in 1967. The Vienna-born won 42 of his overall 53 fights before falling into financial debt and becoming addicted to alcohol.Orsolics got his life back on track with the help of a small group of loyal friends, but the heavy smoker had to quit his job in the printing office of national broadcaster ORF after doctors diagnosed him with lung cancer two years ago.Johannes Krisch stars as Orsolics in “Der Boxer oder Die zweite Luft des Hans Orsolics”. The play written by Austrian author Franzobel is now on at the Burgtheaters Kasino venue in Vienna.Krisch is one of the most popular actors of the theatres cast. He is also playing leading roles in numerous other current Burgtheater productions including the acclaimed play “Stallerhof” by Franz Xaver Kroetz.Krisch had his breakthrough as a film actor in drama movie “Revanche”. The film, directed by Götz Spielmann, was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film in 2009.Barbara Petritsch, Dietmar König and Peter Wolfsberger co-star alongside Krisch in the play on the life of Hans Orsolics.The Burgtheater is widely regarded as the top theatre in German-speaking Europe, and some of Austrias most renowned actors are currently in leading roles in productions at the theatres main stage, its Vestibül stage, the Kasino and the Akademietheater, its sister theatre.For ticket information and a detailed schedule on what is on at the different venues, visit www.burgtheater.at or call +43 1 514 444 145.