Franz Schafranek
Franz Schafranek (born February 6, 1930 in Gratzen, today Nové Hrady , Czechoslovakia , † June 4, 1991 in Vienna ) was an Austrian theater man and, with his wife Ruth Brinkmann , founded the Vienna's English Theater in 1963 .
Life
Schafranek came to Austria at the age of 15, studied theater studies in Stockholm and was assistant director to Ingmar Bergman and from 1955–56 to Bertolt Brecht in the Theater am Schiffbauerdamm . In 1959 he returned to Austria, became assistant director at the Burgtheater and from 1961–65 dramaturge, from 1965–67 he worked as a program advisor for Austrian television. As the director of Vienna's English Theater, he was responsible for more than 40 productions at this and other Viennese theaters. Vienna's English Theater showed not only "audience-friendly" but also demanding pieces. Schafranek staged world premieres by Tennessee Williams , William Saroyan and Edward Albee . He also managed to win international stars for the small theater. In 1978 Schafranek also founded a Théâtre Français de Vienne and in 1985 a Teatro Italiano di Vienna.
Franz Schafranek died suddenly the night after a successful premiere with Larry Hagman and Linda Gray .
Web links
- Short biography, website of Vienna's English Theater
- Entry on Franz Schafranek in the Austria Forum (in the AEIOU Austria Lexicon )
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Schafranek, Franz |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | Austrian theater director and theater director |
| DATE OF BIRTH | February 6, 1930 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Gratzen, today Nové Hrady , Czechoslovakia |
| DATE OF DEATH | 4th June 1991 |
| Place of death | Vienna |