Ludwig Chronegk
Encyclopedia
Ludwig Chronegk was a German actor and director. He headed the Meiningen Ensemble
and reformed the Regietheater
.
s in Berlin
and Potsdam
before going to study the French theatre in Paris
for a year. On his return to Germany, he was inspired to begin a career on the stage by Karl August Görner
. He acted his first role in 1856 at the Krollschen Theater in Berlin. A member of the Meininger Hoftheater until 1866, Chronegk also appeared in or at Liegnitz
and Görlitz
, various theatres in Berlin, the Hamburg Thalia
, the theatres in Pest
, Breslau, Königsberg and the Leipzig
Stadttheater.
In 1874 Chronegk officially began work as a director. He gave up his acting work in 1877 – he had been seen in all the comic roles - to devote himself to being a director. That same year he became Chief Director and Head (and, from 1884, Intendant) of the Meininger Hoftheater. With artistically-ambitious duke Georg II
and his wife Ellen Franz
, Chronegk created the 'Meiningen principles', leading to a profound reform of the art of direction. Under his leadership, he took the Hoftheater company on many tours across Europe as the Meiningen Ensemble
, making his reforms known throughout the continent and making them the foundations of reforms in the rest of Europe. In 1886 Chronegk fell seriously ill and had to limit his direction of the tours, which finally ended in 1890. A street was named after him in the centre of Meiningen
in 1990.
Meiningen Ensemble
The Meiningen Ensemble, also known as the Meiningen Company, was the court theatre of the German state of Saxe-Meiningen, led by Georg II, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen. Its principal director was Ludwig Chronegk...
and reformed the 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...
.
Life
Chronegk came from a mercantile family and was educated in the gymnasiumGymnasium (school)
A gymnasium is a type of school providing secondary education in some parts of Europe, comparable to English grammar schools or sixth form colleges and U.S. college preparatory high schools. The word γυμνάσιον was used in Ancient Greece, meaning a locality for both physical and intellectual...
s in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
and Potsdam
Potsdam
Potsdam is the capital city of the German federal state of Brandenburg and part of the Berlin/Brandenburg Metropolitan Region. It is situated on the River Havel, southwest of Berlin city centre....
before going to study the French theatre in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
for a year. On his return to Germany, he was inspired to begin a career on the stage by Karl August Görner
Karl August Görner
Karl or Carl August Görner was a German actor, director and playwright....
. He acted his first role in 1856 at the Krollschen Theater in Berlin. A member of the Meininger Hoftheater until 1866, Chronegk also appeared in or at Liegnitz
Legnica
Legnica is a town in south-western Poland, in Silesia, in the central part of Lower Silesia, on the plain of Legnica, riverside: Kaczawa and Czarna Woda. Between 1 June 1975 and 31 December 1998 Legnica was the capital of the Legnica Voivodeship. It is currently the seat of the county...
and Görlitz
Görlitz
Görlitz is a town in Germany. It is the easternmost town in the country, located on the Lusatian Neisse River in the Bundesland of Saxony. It is opposite the Polish town of Zgorzelec, which was a part of Görlitz until 1945. Historically, Görlitz was in the region of Upper Lusatia...
, various theatres in Berlin, the Hamburg Thalia
Thalia Theater (Hamburg)
The Thalia Theater is one of the three state-owned theatres in Hamburg, Germany. It was founded in 1843 by Charles Maurice Schwartzenberger and named after the muse Thalia...
, the theatres in Pest
Pest (city)
Pest is the eastern, mostly flat part of Budapest, Hungary, comprising about two thirds of the city's territory. It is divided from Buda, the other part of Budapest, by the Danube River. Among its most notable parts are the Inner City, including the Hungarian Parliament, Heroes' Square and...
, Breslau, Königsberg and the Leipzig
Leipzig
Leipzig Leipzig has always been a trade city, situated during the time of the Holy Roman Empire at the intersection of the Via Regia and Via Imperii, two important trade routes. At one time, Leipzig was one of the major European centres of learning and culture in fields such as music and publishing...
Stadttheater.
In 1874 Chronegk officially began work as a director. He gave up his acting work in 1877 – he had been seen in all the comic roles - to devote himself to being a director. That same year he became Chief Director and Head (and, from 1884, Intendant) of the Meininger Hoftheater. With artistically-ambitious duke Georg II
Georg II, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen
Georg II, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen , was the penultimate Duke of Saxe-Meiningen, reigning from 1866 to 1914.-Family and early life:...
and his wife Ellen Franz
Ellen Franz
Ellen Franz was a German pianist and actress.-Early life:She was born in Berlin. According to Friedrich Martin von Bodenstedt, Ellen Franz made her first appearance in the Hoftheater of Meiningen in 1867.-Marriage:...
, Chronegk created the 'Meiningen principles', leading to a profound reform of the art of direction. Under his leadership, he took the Hoftheater company on many tours across Europe as the Meiningen Ensemble
Meiningen Ensemble
The Meiningen Ensemble, also known as the Meiningen Company, was the court theatre of the German state of Saxe-Meiningen, led by Georg II, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen. Its principal director was Ludwig Chronegk...
, making his reforms known throughout the continent and making them the foundations of reforms in the rest of Europe. In 1886 Chronegk fell seriously ill and had to limit his direction of the tours, which finally ended in 1890. A street was named after him in the centre of Meiningen
Meiningen
Meiningen is a town in Germany - located in the southern part of the state of Thuringia and is the district seat of Schmalkalden-Meiningen. It is situated on the river Werra....
in 1990.