Artistic Director Märki to leave Staatstheater Cottbus in 2025

Stephan Märki, artistic director and opera director of the Staatstheater Cottbus, speaks at the press conference for the 2023/24 season. ©

The renowned artistic director Stephan Märki wants to take his hat off at the Staatstheater Cottbus in two years. Märki will not extend his contract as artistic director, which expires in the summer of 2025, at his own request, the Staatstheater announced on Friday. Märki has been artistic director of Brandenburg's only multi-genre theatre since the 2020/2021 season - the start was during the Corona crisis.

Cottbus - The 68-year-old gave personal reasons for his departure.

"I work with great pleasure and motivation together with the ensembles of the four divisions and the staff for this house," said Märki, according to the statement. "Looking at my personal watch, however, I think it is opportune to pass on the baton at the end of my contract period and enable a continuous transition." The Ministry of Culture and the cities of Cottbus and Frankfurt (Oder) - which provide funding - set up a search committee for his successor.

Culture Minister Manja Schüle (SPD) paid tribute to Märki's achievements to date. Cottbus is currently one of the most exciting cities in Germany, said Schüle with a view to the lignite phase-out and the subsidies for structural change. Word is getting around in Germany. "The fact that this is the case is largely due to the Staatstheater Cottbus. And, of course, Stephan Märki." She emphasized: "I am glad that Stephan Märki will remain with us as artistic director until summer 2025." Culture is the key to strengthening regional identity, tapping into new employment potential and developing charisma for Lusatia.

The mayor of Cottbus, Tobias Schick (SPD), regretted the withdrawal. "It is always unfortunate when influential personalities like Stephan Märki readjust their personal development and the impression arises that this is a decision against Cottbus/Chóśebuz," he said. "I know that's not the case."

The Staatstheater Cottbus is the only state theatre in Brandenburg and the only one with four divisions - drama, music theatre, orchestra and ballet. The ballet ensemble of the theatre had recently been increased with four new positions.

Märki was born in Bern in 1955. From 1993 to 1997 he was artistic director of the Hans Otto Theater in Potsdam. From 2000 to 2012 he was general director of the Deutsches Nationaltheater in Weimar, which under his direction was preserved as a three-division house and then became a state theater. Märki left Weimar two years prematurely and then merged the Bern Symphony Orchestra and the Stadttheater into a four-division house. Later he was artistic director of the Konzert-Theater Bern. There he also went.

In Cottbus, for example, he performed Richard Wagner's opera "Tristan und Isolde" with six sold-out performances. In the 2023/24 season, the regained shared experience is at the core of the theatre under the motto "Together. Here." is the focus. Dpa