Stage stars reach for Nestroy Awards
Burgtheater star Joachim Meyerhoff and the Volkstheater’s Marcello de Nardo are among nominees for this year’s Nestroy Award.
Meyerhoff is nominated for his role as Dr Bernhardi in “Professor Bernhardi” by Arthur Schnitzler. The play is currently drawing the crowds at the Burgtheater. The Nestroy Award jury acknowledged de Nardo’s performance as Puntila in “Herr Puntila und sein Knecht Matti” by Bertold Brecht. The long-time Volkstheater ensemble member is also nominated for his performance as colonel Redl in “Spion Oberst Redl”. The play was staged during a summer theatre festival in Reichenau.
Sarah Viktoria Frick, one of the most promising young Burgtheater actresses, and “Professor Bernhardi” star Caroline Peters are among those vying for the title as Best Actress at the Nestroy 2011. The prize is named after celebrated dramatist Johann Nepomuk Nestroy. This year’s Nestroy Award ceremony will take place at Vienna’s Raimund Theater on 14 November. Theatregoers are asked to vote for their favourite stage stars at www.nestroypreis.at
Meanwhile, the Volkstheater announced that de Nardo won the first Dorothea Neff Audience Award. Arne Gottschling was awarded as the theatre’s Best Young Actor. The 26-year-old’s performance in one-person play “Monsieur Ibrahim und die Blumen des Koran” (Mister Ibrahim and the Flowers of the Qur’an) has won wide critical acclaim.
The achievements of actors Thomas Kamper and director Thomas Birkmeir were also acknowledged with awards. The prize was formerly known as Karl Skraup Award. It was renamed to honour late Volkstheater star Dorothea Neff who hid her Jewish girlfriend from the Nazis during World War Two (WWII) for many years. The story of her life is told in Felix Mitterer’s new stage drama “Du bleibst bei mir”. Andrea Eckert has taken the leading role in the Volkstheater production.
“Mondlicht und Magnolien” (Moonlight and Magnolias), “Die Reise” and “Der einsame Weg” are also on at the Volkstheater – which is headed by actor and director Michael Schottenberg – this season. Visit www.volkstheater.at or call +43 1 521 114 00 for ticket information.
“Der Parasit” by Friedrich Schiller, Arthur Schnitzler’s “Das weite Land”, “Romeo und Julia” (Romeo and Juliet) and a string of other plays are currently performed at the Burgtheater. The cinema is situated on Vienna’s Ringstraße boulevard road opposite City Hall. For ticket information, call +43 1 514 444 145 or go to www.burgtheater.at