Star director in conversation

“My currency is emotion”

Director Philipp Stölzl is active in many different fields. His repertoire ranges from music videos and feature films to opulent stage productions.(Bild: Mathis Fotografie)

German star director Philipp Stölzl will stage "Der Freischütz" at the Bregenz Festival. Writer Robert Schneider spoke to him about the play by the lake, opera through the ages and his diverse activities.

On this hot afternoon of June 25, a school class on a guided tour of the Bregenz Festival's lake stage shuffles down the steps of the auditorium in a row of two. Their faces look uninterested. Ready for vacation. "Looks like a scrap heap," I hear a boy say. Vocal laughter. The teacher urges us to be more respectful and walk briskly. I sit in the shaded back row and wait for the conversation with Philipp Stölzl, the director of "Der Freischütz", to continue. We had to interrupt it because a camera crew was waiting for him.