Ignaz Kirchner facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ignaz Kirchner
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Kirchner acting, in Tolstoy's The Power of Darkness at the Akademietheater, in 2015
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Hanns-Peter Kirchner-Wierichs
13 July 1946 Wuppertal, Germany
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| Died | 26 September 2018 (aged 72) Vienna, Austria
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| Education | Schauspielschule Bochum |
| Occupation | Actor, director |
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Ignaz Kirchner (born Hanns-Peter Kirchner-Wierichs; 13 July 1946 – 26 September 2018) was a famous German actor. He spent most of his career on stages where German is spoken. He was especially well-known at the Burgtheater in Vienna, Austria. He acted there for 30 years!
Ignaz Kirchner was a character actor. This means he was great at playing many different kinds of people. He often worked with top theater directors. He also frequently acted alongside another great actor, Gert Voss. They performed together in classic plays like Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice and Othello. They also starred in funny, dark comedies. For example, they were in Die Goldberg-Variationen and The Sunshine Boys. They were even named Actor Duo of the Year twice! This happened in 1992 and 1998.
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Ignaz Kirchner's Acting Journey
Ignaz Kirchner was born in Wuppertal, Germany. From age ten, he grew up in a special school in Austria. He later chose his stage name, Ignaz, from a saint named Ignatius of Loyola. Before acting, he worked as an apprentice in a book shop. Then, he studied acting at the Schauspielschule Bochum.
He started his acting career in 1970. This was while he was still at university. He performed in a play called Der Coup von Trafalgar. In 1973 and 1974, he acted at the Freie Volksbühne Berlin. He then moved to Stuttgart in 1974. He stayed there until 1978.
After Stuttgart, he worked at the Theater Bremen. There, he had a big success playing the main role in Shakespeare's Hamlet. This famous play was directed by Jürgen Gosch in 1980.
Working with Great Directors
From 1982 to 1986, Kirchner was part of the Münchner Kammerspiele theater. He worked with important directors like Dieter Dorn. It was there that he met George Tabori. They would later work together a lot at the Burgtheater in Vienna.
In 1983 and 1984, he also performed at the Schauspiel Köln. He played the Duke in Der Streit. He was also Lopachin in Chekhov's The Cherry Orchard. And he played Estragon in Beckett's Waiting for Godot.
His Time at the Burgtheater
In 1987, Ignaz Kirchner joined the Burgtheater in Vienna. This is one of the most famous theaters in the world. His first role there was Schlomo Herzl in a new play by George Tabori called Mein Kampf.
He played many other important roles. In 1988, he was the main character in Ödipus, Tyrann. He also played Antonio in Shakespeare's Der Kaufmann von Venedig. In 1990, he was Doctor Lvov in Chekhov's Ivanov. He also played Jago in Othello with George Tabori.
The Famous Acting Duo
Ignaz Kirchner and Gert Voss were a very special acting pair. They won the Actor Duo of the Year award in 1991. This was for their roles as Mr. Jay and Goldberg in Tabori's comedy Die Goldberg-Variationen. They were known for playing characters who were opposites, like master and servant.
They continued to act together in many plays. These included The Sunshine Boys in 2003. They also performed in Beckett's Endspiel and Genet's Die Zofen. In 1992, Kirchner also played Macduff in Shakespeare's Macbeth. He also performed solo shows, reading from books by authors like Robert Walser.
Moving Between Theaters
In the 1992/93 season, Kirchner moved to the Deutsches Theater Berlin. He acted in Ostrovsky's Der Wald. He also played Sosias in Kleist's Amphitryon.
Then he moved to the Thalia Theater in Hamburg. In 1995, he was the Doctor in Schnitzler's Das weite Land. In 1996, he played Zettel in Shakespeare's Ein Sommernachtstraum. He also took on the main role in Molière's Tartuffe.
Back to the Burgtheater
From 1997, Kirchner returned to the Burgtheater. In 1998, he played Clov in Beckett's Endspiel. He acted alongside Gert Voss, who played Hamm. This show was so good it was invited to a big theater festival. For this, Kirchner and Voss won the Actor Duo of the Year award again!
He continued to play many different characters. In 1999, he was Schigolch in Wedekind's Lulu. In 2000, he directed himself in Die Zofen. He also played Dr. Dorn in Chekhov's Die Möwe.
In 2001, he was Sandperger in Glaube und Heimat. He also played a supervisor and a policeman in Roberto Zucco. In 2002, he was Uta-Napishti in a new play called Gilgamesh. He also played Richard in Elisabeth II. He continued to do solo readings from books by authors like Robert Walser and Thomas Bernhard.
From 2005, he performed in a special play called Der Anatom. He was the only actor in this show. He also appeared at the Salzburg Festival in the opera Der Freischütz. He played the speaking role of Samiel.
In 2010, he was nominated for a Nestroy Theatre Prize for "best leading role". This was for his part as Fürst Bolkonskyi in Krieg und Frieden. In 2011, he played Pozzo in Warten auf Godot. In his later years, he also continued to do readings from famous books.
Ignaz Kirchner passed away on 26 September 2018, after being ill for a long time.
Ignaz Kirchner's Films
Ignaz Kirchner also acted in several films and TV shows. Here are some of them:
- 1977: The Brothers – He played Pfleger
- 1989: Hanna Monster, Liebling – He played Rudolf
- 1995: Jailbirds – He played Mohrmann
- 1999: Sonnenallee – He played Onkel Heinz
- 1999: Klemperer – Ein Leben in Deutschland (TV Series)
- 2000: Zimmer mit Frühstück (TV Movie) – He played Rudolf
- 2005: NVA – He played Futterknecht
- 2005: Intrigue and Love (TV Movie) – He played Herr Miller
- 2007: Teufelsbraten (TV Movie) – He played Lehrer Mohren
- 2009: Dinosaurier – Gegen uns seht ihr alt aus! – He played Victor Semlitsch (This was his last film role)
Awards and Honors
Ignaz Kirchner received many awards for his amazing acting:
- 1991 – He won the Kainz Medal from Vienna for his role as Jago in Othello.
- 1992 – He was named Actor Duo of the Year (with Gert Voss) for their work in Tabori's Die Goldberg-Variationen.
- 1998 – He won Actor Duo of the Year again (with Gert Voss) for Beckett's Endspiel.
- 2001 – He was nominated for a Nestroy Theatre Prize for best supporting role.
- 2004 – He received the Silver Ehrenzeichen für Verdienste um das Land Wien, an honor from the city of Vienna.
- 2008 – He was given the title of Kammerschauspieler, a special honor for actors in Austria.
- 2010 – He was nominated for a Nestroy Theatre Prize for best leading role.
