The new leadership of the Max Reinhardt Seminar has been determined: Alexandra Althoff, deputy artistic director of the Burgtheater until 2022 and currently chairman of the Nestroy jury, will take over the renowned institute for acting and drama direction as of March 1.
Althoff indirectly succeeds Maria Happel, who resigned from her position in June after students made accusations in an open letter. Since then, Tamara Metelka has led the institution on an interim basis.
Expert committee largely dismisses Happel
The Reinhardt Seminar is an institute affiliated with the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna (mdw). A committee of experts commissioned by the responsible MDW rector Ulrike Sych to clarify the case, which revolved around abuse of power, the lack of processing of MeToo accusations and education outside protected spaces, largely acquitted Happel last November from the perspective of the university.
“Ensure high quality of training”
“I am happy that I can contribute my experience as a dramaturge, theater director and theater maker to the leadership of the Max Reinhardt Seminar and would like to thank you for the broad support within the institute,” Alexandra Althoff now quotes in a press release: “In close collaboration with the students “I would like to guarantee the high quality of education at the Max Reinhardt Seminar and utilize the artistic potential of this renowned institution.”
After studies in Gießen, Leipzig and Amsterdam, the German-born Alexandra Althoff worked as a dramaturge at the Schauspiel Köln, the Schauspielhaus Bochum and the Schauspiel Frankfurt, but was also engaged by the Salzburg Festival, the Residenztheater Munich and the Berliner Ensemble. From 2019 to 2022 she was deputy artistic director of the Burgtheater under the direction of Martin Kušej. Since the 2022/2023 season, she has chaired the jury for the Nestroy Prize. She worked as a lecturer at the Reinhardt Seminar from 2013 to 2018 and was appointed Senior Artist last year.
Steffen Jäger does deputy
In her new role as director, Althoff has a deputy, director Steffen Jäger, at her side. From 2012 to 2021, Jäger worked as a lecturer at the Reinhardt Seminar in the field of the fundamentals of role design and took over the position of professor of ensemble work/role design here in 2023.
Source: Krone
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