Max Burckhard facts for kids
Max Burckhard (born July 14, 1854, in Korneuburg, Lower Austria; died March 16, 1912, in Vienna) was an important person in the world of theater. He was the director of the famous Burgtheater in Vienna for many years.
Leading the Burgtheater
Max Burckhard was a lawyer who became the artistic director of the Burgtheater in Vienna. He took on this important role when the theater, also known as the "New House on the Ring," first opened on May 12, 1890. He led the theater until 1898.
Max Burckhard wanted more people to enjoy the theater. He started special Sunday afternoon shows, called matinees, with cheaper tickets. He believed that audiences who didn't have a lot of money were often the best at understanding and judging the plays.
During his time as director, he made some changes to the theater building itself. In 1897, he updated the main hall where the audience sat. He also brought many new and exciting plays to the Viennese stage. He introduced works by modern writers like Henrik Ibsen, Gerhart Hauptmann, Arthur Schnitzler, and Hugo von Hofmannsthal. He also made sure to include classic Austrian plays by Ludwig Anzengruber and Ferdinand Raimund.
To make these plays shine, he hired talented actors such as Adele Sandrock, Otto Treßler, Hedwig Bleibtreu, and Josef Kainz. However, he eventually faced strong disagreements from a political group called the Christian Social Party. Because of these disagreements, he decided to step down from his role as director.
