Otto Schenk facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Otto Schenk
Schenk in 2010
Born	(1930-06-12)12 June 1930 Vienna, Austria
Died	9 January 2025(2025-01-09) (aged 94) Oberhofen am Irrsee, Salzkammergut, Austria
Occupation	Actor Stage director Theatre director
Spouse(s)	Renée Michaelis ​ ​ (m. 1956; died 2022)​
Children	1
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Otto Schenk (born June 12, 1930 – died January 9, 2025) was a famous Austrian actor and director. He directed plays and operas, working in major theaters around the world. These included the Vienna State Opera in Austria and the Metropolitan Opera in New York City.

Schenk directed many well-known operas by composers like Mozart, Verdi, and Richard Strauss. Some of his productions were so popular that they were performed for many decades. For example, his version of Puccini's La Bohème was shown at the Bavarian State Opera starting in 1969. His staging of Die Fledermaus by J. Strauss was a hit at the Vienna State Opera from 1972. He also directed a classic version of Wagner's Ring cycle at the Metropolitan Opera from 1986 to 2009. Otto Schenk also directed films based on operas and plays. He was an important member of the boards for the Salzburg Festival and the Theater in der Josefstadt.

Life and Early Career

Otto Schenk was born in Vienna, Austria, on June 12, 1930. His father was a lawyer. After Austria was taken over in 1938, his father lost his job. Otto's mother was Italian. He finished high school and then studied law for a year at the University of Vienna. Later, he decided to study acting at the Max Reinhardt Seminar, a famous acting school.

Starting in Theater

Schenk began his acting career in the 1950s at a youth theater in Vienna. He soon performed at other theaters like the Theater in der Josefstadt. He also became known as a comedian. In 1953, he started directing plays. He introduced a new style of theater called "absurd theater" to audiences. He became known for directing comedies that also had a touch of sadness.

He later directed plays by famous writers such as William Shakespeare and Anton Chekhov. These plays were performed at important theaters like the Burgtheater and the Salzburg Festival.

Directing Operas

In 1957, Otto Schenk directed his first opera, Mozart's Die Zauberflöte. He became very well-known as an opera director in 1962 with his production of Alban Berg's Lulu. This show was so successful that it moved to the Vienna State Opera. Schenk started working regularly at the Vienna State Opera in 1964.

He continued to work as an actor, comedian, and director for theaters and television in Austria and Germany. During the 1970s and 1980s, Schenk directed operas at major houses worldwide. These included La Scala in Milan, Italy, and the Royal Opera House in London, England. He also worked at many German opera houses. His 1969 production of Puccini's La bohème at the Bavarian State Opera is still performed today. It is the oldest production still in their repertoire.

In the United States, Schenk is especially remembered for his grand productions at the Metropolitan Opera (Met) in New York. He first directed Puccini's Tosca there in 1968. In 1986, he directed Wagner's huge Ring cycle. This production was praised by fans for being very true to Wagner's original ideas. It was performed at the Met until 2009. His last new production at the Met was Donizetti's Don Pasquale in 2006. He returned in 2010 to help revive it. The Met still uses his productions of Wagner's Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg and Tannhäuser, and R. Strauss's Arabella.

Otto Schenk directed 31 productions at the Vienna State Opera and 16 productions at the Met.

Film Work

Schenk acted in over 30 films, mostly in German. In 1973, he directed a film called Merry-Go-Round [de]. This film was based on a play by Arthur Schnitzler. He also acted in a stage play called Chuzpe in Vienna.

Leadership Roles

He was an important member of the board for the Salzburg Festival. He also served as a co-director of the Theater in der Josefstadt.

Family Life

Otto Schenk married Renée Michaelis in 1956. They met while studying acting. Renée was also a talented actress but later focused on her family. She passed away in 2022 after a long illness. Their son, Konstantin Schenk, was born in 1957 and became a conductor.

Otto Schenk passed away on January 9, 2025, at his home near Lake Irrsee in Austria. He was 94 years old.

Awards and Honors

Otto Schenk received many awards for his amazing work:

• Kammerschauspieler (a special title for actors)
• 1980: Became an honorary member of the Vienna State Opera
• 1991: Nestroy-Ring
• 1993: Bayerischer Filmpreis (Bavarian Film Award)
• 1994: Grand Decoration of Honour in Gold for Services to the Republic of Austria
• 1995: Karl Valentin Order
• 1997: Ring of Honour of the City of Vienna
• 2000: Became an honorary member of the Theater in der Josefstadt
• 2000: Nestroy Theatre Prize for his lifetime achievements
• 2016: Platin-Romy for his lifetime achievements
• 2023: Österreichischer Musiktheaterpreis [de] for his lifetime achievements

Notable Opera Productions

Here are some of the famous operas Otto Schenk directed:

• Mozart: Die Zauberflöte (1957)
• Alban Berg: Lulu (1962)
• Verdi: Othello (1965)
• Mozart: Don Giovanni (1967)
• R. Strauss: Der Rosenkavalier (1968)
• Beethoven: Fidelio (1970)
• J. Strauss: Die Fledermaus (1972)
• Mozart: Le nozze di Figaro (1974)
• Verdi: Un ballo in maschera (1975)
• Wagner: Tannhäuser (1977)
• Friedrich Cerha: Baal (1981, a world premiere)
• Wagner: Der Ring des Nibelungen (1986)
• Puccini: Manon Lescaut (1986)
• Verdi: Rigoletto (1989)
• Wagner: Parsifal (1991)
• R. Strauss: Elektra (1992)
• Wagner: Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg (1993)
• Dvořák: Rusalka (1987)
• Donizetti: Don Pasquale (2006)

Films Directed or Acted In

• Dunja (1955) - as an actor
• Always Trouble with the Reverend (1972) - as an actor
• Merry-Go-Round [de] (1973) - as a director
• Arabella (1977) - as a director
• The Living Corpse [de] (1981, TV film) - as a director

Many of his opera and play productions are available to watch on DVD.