Actress Katharina Thalbach (68) leaves her future as a director at the theater and in the opera open.
The artist, who is currently staging Verdi’s “Aida” at the Semperoper Dresden, confessed that she actually no longer wanted to direct at all: “I’m tired of telling other people what to do.” However, she still has a lot planned: ” The world is full of surprises. I would like to study again, preferably art history.”
Thalbach worked with the conductor Christian Thielemann for the first time on “Aida”. The premiere is scheduled for March 5th. Thalbach also takes a classic approach to her second directorial work at the Semperoper – in 2006 she brought out “Hänsel und Gretel” here – and lets the events take place in ancient Egypt, just like Verdi did. “That also has something to do with the fact that I actually always wanted to study Egyptology. So the work came in very handy for me.”
In none of her directing work does the Berliner aim for current references, for example to political events. “In the theatre, but even less so in the opera, you can deal with politics on a daily basis. Even comedians can’t catch up before the show in the evening. World events are simply stronger than we are.”