German premier

Karl Böhm was one of the most important 20th century conductors. Born in Graz in 1894, he worked at the Münchner Nationaltheater, was the director of the Semperoper Dresden and was also at the Wiener Staatsoper. However, Böhm was also a willing pawn of National Socialism and owed decisive steps in his career to this regime. At the end of the war, he once again reached honourable positions in a politically compromised Austria and died in Salzburg in 1981.

The piece »Böhm« is an ambivalent, wonderfully indeterminate study about followers who profess ignorance as well as ingratiating opportunism. In an artistic sleight of hand, an old, fragile man under a nurse’s care, who has Karl Böhm’s features, reflects on a revered artist. Nikolaus Habjan, on his own, plays with a total of eleven characters and puppets, ludicrous in his acrobatic speech, humorous, extremely earnest and with virtuosity.

Nikolaus Habjan, born in Graz in 1987, is a puppet builder, puppeteer, director and performer. He studied music theatre directing in Vienna and received the Nestroy-Prize 2012 for his piece »F. Zawrel – erbbiologisch und sozial minderwertig« (»F. Zawrel – genetically and socially inferior«). Without a doubt, he is one of the most interesting and multi-faceted artists of his generation in Austria and works at the Schauspielhaus Graz, Volkstheater Wien, Burgtheater Wien among others. His first opera work as a director was »Oberon« by Carl Maria von Weber at the Bayerische Staatsoper in Munich 2017 (see p. 35). In addition, he also gives concerts as an art whistler (see p. 18/19). euro-scene Leipzig showcased Nikolaus Habjan with four of his pieces in 2016.