„Elisabeth Hauptmann – in the Shadow of Brecht“

Description

Premiere with: Gerhard Kämpfe (Reading & Conversation) and Johannes Roloff (Piano)
Musical-literary evening Who knows Elisabeth Hauptmann?
She is one of the most important, yet often overlooked figures in German theater history. She brought Bertolt Brecht's attention to John Gays's "The Beggar’s Opera," translated and adapted the material. This led to one of the most successful works in musical theater history: "The Threepenny Opera." She was also significantly involved in works like "Happy End," "Mann ist Mann," "Der Jasager," or "Die Mutter." An intense artistic and personal relationship developed between Hauptmann and Brecht. Her contribution to Brecht's major successes is viewed differently by historians, but her enormous influence on his work is undisputed. Their romantic relationship was complicated and partly tragic: when Elisabeth Hauptmann learned of Brecht's marriage to Helene Weigel in 1929, she attempted suicide. Nevertheless, she remained closely connected to him throughout her life and actively took care of publishing and preserving his work after his death. In her will, she later stated that she had never been adequately compensated for her authorship. Katharina Thalbach's evening gives visibility to a woman who deserves it—a visibility that women were denied well into the mid-20th century. It is an exemplary story about female socialization, not only in bourgeois society but far beyond, even in supposedly progressive art and cultural circles. Thanks to Katharina Thalbach, Elisabeth Hauptmann receives the visibility she would have deserved much earlier! Katharina Thalbach is one of the most outstanding German actresses and one of the last in whom the spirit of Brecht's Berliner Ensemble still lives. Helene Weigel, Brecht's widow, was her main supporter.

Highlights

• Premiere with Gerhard Kämpfe and Johannes Roloff
• Musical-literary evening about Elisabeth Hauptmann
• Addresses the relationship between Hauptmann and Brecht

General Information

The event takes place at the Thalia Theater in Hamburg and explores the life and work of Elisabeth Hauptmann, a significant but often overlooked figure in German theater history. The evening includes readings and musical performances that highlight the artistic connection between Hauptmann and Bertolt Brecht.

Location

Alstertor 1, 20095 Hamburg, Germany

Hide Map

Loading map...

How to get there

Get Directions