Johann Kresnik

© Ursula Kaufmann

After training in acting and dancing, which he completed alongside an apprenticeship in a skilled craft, Johann Kresnik, born in Carinthia, Austria in 1939, first of all went to Bremen as a dancer in 1959. From 1960-68 he was hired as a dancer in Cologne, including in pieces choreographed by Balanchine and Cranko.

The first pieces he choreographed: "O sela pei" 1967 and "Paradies" 1968. From 1968-78 he was hired as ballet director in Bremen ("Die Nibelungen" 1974, "Peter und Der Wolf" 1976), 1979-88 Kresnik was Director of the Dance Theatre in Heidelberg, "Familiendialog" 1980, "Sacre" 1982, "Mars" 1983, "Sylvia Plath" 1985, "Pasolini" 1986, "Macbeth" 1988 (guest directorships at other theatres, such as Stuttgart, Mannheim, Basel), from 1989 Director in Bremen again: "Ulrike Meinhof" 1990, "Frida Kahlo" 1992. From the 1994/95 season Kresnik worked at the Volksbühne am Rosa-Luxemburg-Platz in Berlin (guest directorships in Hamburg, Stuttgart, Cologne): "Ernst Jünger" 1994, "Riefenstahl" 1996. "Gastmahl" 1997, "Don Quichotte" 2000, "Goya" 1999, "BSE" 2001, "Picasso" 2002.

From the 2003/2004 season onwards Kresnik and his ensemble have been hired at the Bonn Schauspielhaus by the future Director Klaus Weise.

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