RETURN

Dagmar Birke

Librettist
Dagmar Birke holds a Master's degree in musicology, psychology and philosophy. She has worked as a writer, singer, manager and opera director at various international centers (Berlin, Paris, Vienna, Frankfurt, New York). She has won awards for documentaries she has made for television channels arte, ZDF, ARD and BBC. She conceived the original idea for the creation of the chamber opera Vida la vida-Frida Kahlo, the music for which was written by Minas Alexiadis. This work premiered in 1994 at the Alte Oper (Old Opera) in Frankfurt, as part of the city’s festival, and won the Kritikerpreis (Critics Award) for the best contemporary musical theatre production. A translated version of the opera was later on staged at the Greek National Opera in 1996-97. Birke also directed the New Projects/New tutors (State Theatre of Darmstadt, 1996-1999). Her other creation/direction credits include: Fairy Queen, Nightingale, Rose, Penthesilea, (Vienna Festival in 1998), Brecht Tango (Berlin, Munich, Buenos Aires). In 1998, she was awarded the Baden-Württemberg Culture Prize for New Media, and in 1999 received the first prize from the Deutsche Musikrat for the video installation Mund, for six actors, tape and video. Birke continues to conceptualize and create new works in collaboration with the highly acclaimed Ensemble Modern. In addition, for many years she specializes and professionally implements the Coach (IFW) system on counselling to address psychological crises and better management of human life.