Stages Graz

A splendid volume to celebrate a milestone birthday

Book presentation in Graz: Michael Schilhan (Next Liberty), Ulrich Lenz (Opera), Andrea Vilter (Schauspielhaus), stage director Bernahrd Rinner and Wolfgang Hülbig (art+event)(Bild: Luef Light)

Bühnen Graz is celebrating several anniversaries this year - a total of 529 years of theatrical magic, which is presented in a new historical volume. There will also be a gala at the opera and a series of concerts at the Orpheum.

The number 529 doesn't seem very festive - but if you add up all the anniversaries that Bühnen Graz is celebrating this year, you come up with a number that is as bizarre as it is impressive: 125 years ago, both the Opera House and the Orpheum were opened, 75 years ago the Vereinigte Bühnen Graz was formed and joined the Austrian Stage Association, 60 years ago the Schauspielhaus was reopened and the youth theater Next Liberty has been running for 29 years - to name just a few of the anniversaries.

These 529 years are being celebrated not only with a gala at Graz Opera House (24 October) and a concert evening at the Orpheum (26 October), but also with a magnificent historical volume: "Theater, Stück für Stück" (Theatre, piece by piece) is the title of the work edited by historian Helmut Konrad: "We worked on it for two years and are proud to be able to provide a unique journey through Graz's theater history with this book," he says.

Editor Helmut Konrad(Bild: Luef Light)

Guest authors have written articles on the theaters and institutions of Bühnen Graz and their history. The 256-page work also provides insights into the work behind the scenes and looks over the shoulders of some of the master craftsmen at art+event Theaterservices as they go about their work. "With this book, we have given ourselves a gift," says Bühnen Graz boss Bernhard Rinner. "But this gift only makes sense if we share it with the audience."

The book (published by Molden, costs 20 euros) has been available in stores for a few days now. At the same time, a book on the 75-year history of the Bühnenverein österreichischer Bundesländer und Städte has also been published.