Stage Direction

Gil Mehmert

Gil Mehmert first began studying music in Cologne and then completed the directing course with August Everding at the Munich Academy of Music. His productions, which span all genres of musical theatre (opera, operetta, musical) and all variations from drama to comedy in drama, have been produced at numerous renowned theatres, including Berlin, Bochum, Hamburg, Leipzig, Munich, Shanghai, Vienna and Zurich. His awards include the directing prize of the Impulse Festival in 2001, the »Stern des Jahres« of the »Münchner Abendzeitung« (2001 and 2016), the »Rosenstrauß des Jahres« of the Munich »tz« (2001, 2004 and 2016), the prize for »Best Production« at the Bavarian Theatre Days in 2005, the »Inthega-Preis« in 2006, the Hamburg »Rolf Mares Preis« in 2008, the »Monica Bleibtreu Preis« in 2019, the »Austrian Music Theatre Prize« in 2020 and the »Cologne Cultural Event 2021« award. His cinema debut »Aus der Tiefe des Raumes« (»From the Depth of Space«), based on his own screenplay, received the »Starter Prize of the City of Munich« and the »Bavarian Film Prize« for the »Best Newcomer Production« in 2005.

His work includes, in particular, stage adaptations of film material, but also elaborate open-air productions such as the opening show and the finale of »RUHR.2010« broadcast live by ZDF and WDR respectively, or the »Elisabeth« open-air in front of Schönbrunn Palace in Vienna (live on ORF, 2022) as well as the »Commemoration of 9 November« commissioned by the Federal President at Bellevue Palace (live on ARD, 2021).

In autumn 2014, the musical »Das Wunder von Bern« premiered at the purpose-built Theater an der Elbe in Hamburg, with Gil Mehmert responsible for writing and directing. His more recent works include the musical productions »Cabaret« at the Volksoper Wien, »Chicago« in Bonn and, also based on his own libretti, »Wüstenblume« in St. Gallen and »Goethe!« at the Bad Hersfeld Festival.

In addition, Gil Mehmert has been teaching as a professor in the musical studies programme at the Folkwang University of the Arts in Essen since the winter semester of 2003. At the Gärtnerplatztheater he directed »Hair«, the German-language premiere of »Priscilla ‒ Queen of the Desert« and the European premiere of »Tootsie«.