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Matthias Kaiser, dramaturge
(Compiled February 2001)
Mr. Kaiser was born in Bremen in 1956. His early studies included the violoncello and trombone. From 1976 - 79 he studied music and theater at the Freien University in Berlin and went on to the Hamburg University where he studied Opera Direction under Professor Götz Friedrich from 1979 - 83. He graduated from that school with high honors as a director.
After graduation he worked in the management of several theaters and was a journalist in both Hamburg and Bremen. From 1985-89 he was the dramaturgist (opera, drama, concert) for the State Theater in Heidelberg and from 1989 - 91 held the same position at the Staatstheater Darmstadt. Since 1991 he has worked at the Staatstheater in Saarbrücken, a theater with more than 500 employees, 25 new productions, and about. 550 performances a year in three theaters. His first position was that of assistant and then as the chief dramaturgist. In 1998 he also became the director of the opera department.
In addition to his artistic management work Mr. Kaiser directed several operas, from the classic repertoire to the avant-garde, and several musicals. He has written librettos for ballets and operas (for example recently for the Deutsche Oper am Rhein in Duesseldorf) and directed TV-productions of operas. He has also musically restored and translated ancient operas as by Claudio Monteverdi and Agostino Steffani .
His collaboration with Birgit Scherzer began in 1991 with Requiem!! since when he has worked as Ms. Scherzer's author and dramaturgist on all her works both in Saarbrücken, Berlin, Essen and elsewhere. Their most recent work together was x-file:m.e.s.s.i.a.h. for BalletMet Columbus. Together with the photographer Bettina Stöß he compiled and wrote a book about Birgit Scherzer's work.
Mr. Kaiser also maintains an active schedule of creations for independent productions and experimental theater.