Otto Schenk facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Otto Schenk
Otto Schenk in May 2013
Born	(1930-06-12)12 June 1930 Vienna, Austria
Died	9 January 2025(2025-01-09) (aged 94) Salzkammergut, Austria
Occupation	Actor, director
Years active	1953–2024
Spouse(s)	Renée Schenk

Otto Schenk (born June 12, 1930 – died January 9, 2025) was a famous Austrian actor and a talented director for both theater plays and operas. He was known for his amazing work on stage, bringing many stories to life for audiences around the world.

Life and Career Highlights

Otto Schenk was born in Vienna, Austria. His father was a lawyer, and his mother was Italian. Otto studied acting at the Max Reinhardt Seminar, a well-known acting school.

Early Acting and Directing

He started his acting journey at famous theaters in Vienna, like the Theater in der Josefstadt. He also performed as a comedian at Kabarett Simpl, a popular comedy venue.

Otto began directing plays in 1953. Soon, he was working at big theaters such as the Burgtheater in Vienna and the Salzburg Festival. He directed plays by famous writers like William Shakespeare and Anton Chekhov.

Opera Directing Success

In 1957, Otto Schenk directed his first opera, The Magic Flute by Mozart. His big break in opera came in 1962 with the opera Lulu. This production was so good that it moved to the Vienna State Opera, where Otto started directing regularly in 1964.

He worked as a director for the Vienna State Opera for many seasons. At the same time, he continued acting and directing for other theaters and television shows in Austria and Germany. In the 1970s and 1980s, he directed operas at world-famous places like La Scala in Italy and the Royal Opera House in London.

Work in the United States

In the United States, Otto Schenk was especially known for his grand and traditional productions at the Metropolitan Opera in New York City. His most famous work there was Richard Wagner's huge four-opera series, Der Ring des Nibelungen. Many fans loved this production because it stayed true to Wagner's original ideas. It was performed at the Met until 2009.

Otto Schenk first directed at the Met in 1968 with Puccini's Tosca. His last production there was in 2006, Don Pasquale, which starred the famous singer Anna Netrebko.

Film and Later Years

Otto Schenk also appeared in over 30 films, mostly German movies. In 1973, he directed a film called Merry-Go-Round [de]. He also acted in a play based on Lily Brett's book Chuzpe.

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

Notable Opera Productions

Otto Schenk directed many important operas throughout his career. Some of his well-known productions include:

• Die Zauberflöte (1957) – His first opera as a director.
• Lulu (1962) – A breakthrough production at the Vienna State Opera.
• Carmen (1966) – A popular opera at the Vienna State Opera.
• Der Rosenkavalier (1968) – Conducted by Leonard Bernstein at the Vienna State Opera.
• Der Ring des Nibelungen (1986) – His famous four-opera series at the Metropolitan Opera.
• Die Zauberflöte (1988) – Another production of this opera at the Vienna State Opera.
• Rigoletto (1989) – Performed at the Metropolitan Opera with famous singers like Luciano Pavarotti.
• Parsifal (1991) – Also at the Metropolitan Opera, starring Plácido Domingo.
• Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg (1993) – A production still used at the Metropolitan Opera today.
• Don Pasquale (2006) – His farewell production at the Metropolitan Opera.

Many of his opera productions are available to watch on DVD. He even returned to the Met in 2010 to bring back his Don Pasquale production.

Selected Films

Otto Schenk appeared in several films, including:

• Dunja (1955)
• Always Trouble with the Reverend (1972)
• Merry-Go-Round [de] (1973) – A film he directed.
• Arabella (1977)
• The Living Corpse [de] (1981, TV film)