Biermann – Drachentöter – Meininger Theater, Meiningen

About this event

The world premiere of “Biermann – Dragon Slayer” at Staatstheater Meiningen is a staged documentary-theatre evening that weaves Wolf Biermann’s songs and writings with biographical scenes into a collage-like portrait. Directed by Frank Behnke, the text and structure were compiled by playwright Martin Heckmanns as a postdramatic stage version. Across roughly three hours and fifteen minutes (with an interval after 105 minutes), the piece traces Biermann’s path from wartime Hamburg and his father’s murder at Auschwitz through his DDR years, the 1965 cultural crackdown, his 1976 expatriation, and into the present. Musical direction is by ensemble member Lukas Umlauft; set design by Ralph Zeger, costumes by Cornelia Kraske, dramaturgy by Deborah Ziegler. Produced with support from Deutscher Literaturfonds e.V., with stage rights from Suhrkamp Verlag. Audience notes: a strobe effect is used; the induction loop for hearing-impaired patrons is not available for technical reasons.

Cast & creative

• W

  Composer

  Wolf Biermann
• W

  Librettist

  Wolf Biermann
• M

  Librettist

  Martin Heckmanns
• D

  Dramaturgy

  Deborah Ziegler
• M

  Adapter

  Martin Heckmanns
• G

  Actor

  Gunnar Blume
• L

  Actor

  Louise Debatin
• L

  Actor

  Leo Goldberg
• M

  Actor

  Michael Jeske
• U

  Actor

  Ulrike Knobloch
• 

  Actor

  Paul Maximilian Schulze
• L

  Actor

  Lukas Umlauft
• F

  Stage director

  Frank Behnke
• L

  Musical director

  Lukas Umlauft
• 

  Set designer

  Ralph Zeger
• C

  Costume designer

  Cornelia Kraske