Hans Neuenfels
Encyclopedia
Hans Neuenfels is a German writer
, poet
, film producer
, librettist, theatre director and opera director.
in Vienna
in the 1960s, and in the 1970s he soon established himself as a leading exponent of German Regietheater
. Being invited to prominent venues, such as the Burgtheater
, he provided for often controversially received, yet thoroughly professional productions, while at the same time working with well-known actors, among them Klaus Maria Brandauer
, Bernhard Minetti
and Anne Bennent. But his rise to notoriety came with his operatic productions, which often were accompanied by heated discussions and scandals. Especially his 1980 Aida
for Frankfurt, conducted by Michael Gielen
, where he portrayed Verdi's Ethiopian slave as a cleaning woman in a modern environment, or his 2001 Die Fledermaus
for the Salzburg Festival
, provoked angry reactions and resentment. 2010 saw Neuenfels debuting at the Bayreuth Festival
with yet another controversial production, Wagner's Lohengrin
, conducted by Andris Nelsons
. The new production presented the opera in a laboratory setting including chorus members costumed as lab rats. The production's premiere on 25 July 2010 provoked a mixed reaction from the audience in attendance, ranging from enthusiastic applause to irate booing. According to Der Spiegel
, Neuenfels merely smiled and shrugged after taking his curtain calls.
. They live in Berlin and own a summer residence in Altaussee
.
Soprano
Karita Mattila
criticised Neuenfels in 2000 for the Salzburg Festival production of Mozart's
Così fan tutte
, where huge insects and background videos (some of which were erotic) distracted attention from the singers. Furthermore, during Fiordiligi's fiery aria, "Come scoglio," she arrived onstage walking two men, in leather and chains, as if they were dogs. She called it the worst experience, and believed he crossed the line in such productions.
In Neuenfels' production of Mozart's Idomeneo
which premiered in December 2003 at the Deutsche Oper Berlin
, there is a scene in the epilog in which Idomeneo staggers on stage carrying the decapitated heads of Neptune, Jesus, Buddha and Muhammad. Following a warning by the police that the production might present a security risk, the opera house cancelled performances planned for September 2006. Following protests that the opera house was engaging in self-censorship, the director of the opera house Kirsten Harms subsequently announced that the production would be presented in December 2006. On this subject, see also Idomeneo (controversy)
.
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
, poet
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
, film producer
Film producer
A film producer oversees and delivers a film project to all relevant parties while preserving the integrity, voice and vision of the film. They will also often take on some financial risk by using their own money, especially during the pre-production period, before a film is fully financed.The...
, librettist, theatre director and opera director.
Biography
Neuenfels studied at the Max Reinhardt SeminarMax Reinhardt Seminar
The Max Reinhardt Seminar is the School of Drama at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Vienna, Austria. It is located in the Palais Cumberland, Penzingerstraße 9, in Vienna's 14th district - History :...
in Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
in the 1960s, and in the 1970s he soon established himself as a leading exponent of German Regietheater
Regietheater
Regietheater is a term that refers to the modern practice of allowing a director freedom in devising the way a given opera is staged so that the composer's original, specific stage directions can be changed, together with major elements of geographical...
. Being invited to prominent venues, such as the Burgtheater
Burgtheater
The Burgtheater , originally known as K.K. Theater an der Burg, then until 1918 as the K.K. Hofburgtheater, is the Austrian National Theatre in Vienna and one of the most important German language theatres in the world.The Burgtheater was created in 1741 and has become known as "die Burg" by the...
, he provided for often controversially received, yet thoroughly professional productions, while at the same time working with well-known actors, among them Klaus Maria Brandauer
Klaus Maria Brandauer
Klaus Maria Brandauer is an Austrian actor, film director, and professor at the Max Reinhardt Seminar in Vienna.-Personal life:...
, Bernhard Minetti
Bernhard Minetti
Bernhard Minetti was a German actor. He appeared in 50 films between 1931 and 1996 but is mostly known for his distinguished stage career.-Selected filmography:* Tiefland * It...
and Anne Bennent. But his rise to notoriety came with his operatic productions, which often were accompanied by heated discussions and scandals. Especially his 1980 Aida
Aida
Aida sometimes spelled Aïda, is an opera in four acts by Giuseppe Verdi to an Italian libretto by Antonio Ghislanzoni, based on a scenario written by French Egyptologist Auguste Mariette...
for Frankfurt, conducted by Michael Gielen
Michael Gielen
-Professional career:Gielen was born in Dresden, Germany, to opera director Josef Gielen. Through his mother, Rose, he is the nephew of Eduard Steuermann and Salka Steuermann Viertel. He began his career as a pianist in Buenos Aires, where he studied with Erwin Leuchter and gave an early...
, where he portrayed Verdi's Ethiopian slave as a cleaning woman in a modern environment, or his 2001 Die Fledermaus
Die Fledermaus
Die Fledermaus is an operetta composed by Johann Strauss II to a German libretto by Karl Haffner and Richard Genée.- Literary sources :...
for the Salzburg Festival
Salzburg Festival
The Salzburg Festival is a prominent festival of music and drama established in 1920. It is held each summer within the Austrian town of Salzburg, the birthplace of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart...
, provoked angry reactions and resentment. 2010 saw Neuenfels debuting at the Bayreuth Festival
Bayreuth Festival
The Bayreuth Festival is a music festival held annually in Bayreuth, Germany, at which performances of operas by the 19th century German composer Richard Wagner are presented...
with yet another controversial production, Wagner's Lohengrin
Lohengrin (opera)
Lohengrin is a romantic opera in three acts composed and written by Richard Wagner, first performed in 1850. The story of the eponymous character is taken from medieval German romance, notably the Parzival of Wolfram von Eschenbach and its sequel, Lohengrin, written by a different author, itself...
, conducted by Andris Nelsons
Andris Nelsons
Andris Nelsons is a Latvian conductor.Nelsons was born in Riga. His mother founded the first early music ensemble in Latvia, and his father was a choral conductor, cellist, and teacher...
. The new production presented the opera in a laboratory setting including chorus members costumed as lab rats. The production's premiere on 25 July 2010 provoked a mixed reaction from the audience in attendance, ranging from enthusiastic applause to irate booing. According to Der Spiegel
Der Spiegel
Der Spiegel is a German weekly news magazine published in Hamburg. It is one of Europe's largest publications of its kind, with a weekly circulation of more than one million.-Overview:...
, Neuenfels merely smiled and shrugged after taking his curtain calls.
Personal life
While studying in Vienna, Neuenfels became acquainted with Austrian actress Elisabeth Trissenaar, with whom he has since been married. Their son, Benedict Neuenfels, is a cinematographerCinematographer
A cinematographer is one photographing with a motion picture camera . The title is generally equivalent to director of photography , used to designate a chief over the camera and lighting crews working on a film, responsible for achieving artistic and technical decisions related to the image...
. They live in Berlin and own a summer residence in Altaussee
Altaussee
Altaussee is a small alpine Austrian village, nestled on the shores of the Altaussee lake, beneath the Loser Plateau. Occupying an area of 92 km², the village is home to 1,888 people. Altaussee is within the Salzkammergut region, in the state of Styria....
.
Writings
- Poems (1960)
- Mundmündig (1963)
- Isaakaros (1991)
- Neapel oder die Reise nach Stuttgart (2001)
Filmography
- 1983: Heinrich Penthesilea von KleistPenthesilea (Kleist)Penthesilea is a tragedy by the German playwright Heinrich von Kleist. The play, about the mythological Amazonian queen, Penthesilea, is an exploration of sexual frenzy. Goethe rejected the play as "unplayable".-Plot summary:...
- 1983: Die Familie oder Schroffenstein
- 1984: Die Schwärmer
- 1988: Europa und der zweite Apfel (TV)
- 1990: Das Blinde Ohr der Oper
- 1999: Die Entführung aus dem SerailDie Entführung aus dem SerailDie Entführung aus dem Serail is an opera Singspiel in three acts by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. The German libretto is by Christoph Friedrich Bretzner with adaptations by Gottlieb Stephanie...
(TV) - 2001: Die FledermausDie FledermausDie Fledermaus is an operetta composed by Johann Strauss II to a German libretto by Karl Haffner and Richard Genée.- Literary sources :...
(TV)
Controversy
Neuenfels has been criticised for creating extremely sexually explicit opera scenes.Soprano
Soprano
A soprano is a voice type with a vocal range from approximately middle C to "high A" in choral music, or to "soprano C" or higher in operatic music. In four-part chorale style harmony, the soprano takes the highest part, which usually encompasses the melody...
Karita Mattila
Karita Mattila
Karita Marjatta Mattila is a leading opera soprano. She was born in Somero, Finland.Mattila appears regularly in the major opera houses worldwide, including the Metropolitan Opera, the Royal Opera House in London, Théâtre du Châtelet, Opéra Bastille, the Lyric Opera of Chicago, San Francisco...
criticised Neuenfels in 2000 for the Salzburg Festival production of Mozart's
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart , baptismal name Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart , was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical era. He composed over 600 works, many acknowledged as pinnacles of symphonic, concertante, chamber, piano, operatic, and choral music...
Così fan tutte
Così fan tutte
Così fan tutte, ossia La scuola degli amanti K. 588, is an opera buffa by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart first performed in 1790. The libretto was written by Lorenzo Da Ponte....
, where huge insects and background videos (some of which were erotic) distracted attention from the singers. Furthermore, during Fiordiligi's fiery aria, "Come scoglio," she arrived onstage walking two men, in leather and chains, as if they were dogs. She called it the worst experience, and believed he crossed the line in such productions.
In Neuenfels' production of Mozart's Idomeneo
Idomeneo
Idomeneo, re di Creta ossia Ilia e Idamante is an Italian language opera by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. The libretto was adapted by Giambattista Varesco from a French text by Antoine Danchet, which had been set to music by André Campra as Idoménée in 1712...
which premiered in December 2003 at the Deutsche Oper Berlin
Deutsche Oper Berlin
The Deutsche Oper Berlin is an opera company located in the Charlottenburg district of Berlin, Germany. The resident building is also home to the Berlin State Ballet.-History:...
, there is a scene in the epilog in which Idomeneo staggers on stage carrying the decapitated heads of Neptune, Jesus, Buddha and Muhammad. Following a warning by the police that the production might present a security risk, the opera house cancelled performances planned for September 2006. Following protests that the opera house was engaging in self-censorship, the director of the opera house Kirsten Harms subsequently announced that the production would be presented in December 2006. On this subject, see also Idomeneo (controversy)
Idomeneo (controversy)
On September 26, 2006, the Deutsche Oper Berlin announced the cancellation of four performances of Mozart's opera Idomeneo, re di Creta, planned for November 2006, citing concerns that the production's depictions of the severed head of the Islamic prophet Muhammad raised an "incalculable security...
.