Christian Lupa Theater director, recognized master of European theater Date of Birth: 07.11.1943 Country: Poland

1. Biography of Krzysztof Warlikowski
2. Work at the Norwid Theatre and Stary Theatre
3. Exploration of Ethical and Spiritual Themes
4. Exploring the Works of Thomas Bernhard
5. Russian Literature and International Recognition
6. Awards and Honors

Biography of Krzysztof Warlikowski

Krzysztof Warlikowski, a renowned European theatre director, is recognized as a master of European theatre. He is rightfully considered a teacher of an entire generation of contemporary Polish directors. Since 1983, Warlikowski has been teaching at the Krakow Theatre School, and since 1993, he has been a professor at the school. From 1990 to 1996, he served as the dean of the directing department. Warlikowski studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Krakow from 1963 to 1969, and then at the directing department of the State Higher School of Film in Lodz. From 1973 to 1977, he studied theatre directing at the Higher State School in Krakow. After graduating, he collaborated with the Norwid Theatre in Jelenia Góra, where he created a unique theatre laboratory with a group of young artists, exploring new theatrical language and stage techniques. At the same time, he directed plays at the Stary Theatre in Krakow, which became his main place of work from 1984 onwards. Krzysztof Warlikowski is the author of the theatrical manifesto of the suspended theatre, which explores the realm of the subconscious. He is also the author of the book "Utopia and Its Inhabitants."

Work at the Norwid Theatre and Stary Theatre

During his time at the Norwid Theatre, Warlikowski created original productions in which he served not only as a director but also as a set designer and scriptwriter. These productions include "Transparent Room" (1979), which established the principles of the theatre of prolongation, "Dinner" (1980), "The Return of Odysseus" by S. Wyspiański (1981), and "Nameless Labor" (1982). Exploring the liminal states of human existence, Warlikowski often turned to the works of late 19th and early 20th-century writers such as Przybyszewski, Wedekind, Leonid Andreyev, and Wyspiański. His favorite authors became Witold Gombrowicz ("Marriage," 1984) and Stanisław Ignacy Witkiewicz ("Pragmatists" (1981), "Matka Korbowa and Bellatrix" (1986), and others). These productions, which Warlikowski called the theatre of prolongation in his manifesto, focused on the exploration of the self. According to Krzysztof Warlikowski, theatre is a unique opportunity for self-discovery and personal development.

Exploration of Ethical and Spiritual Themes

In the late 1980s and 1990s, Warlikowski's work began to explore new themes, focusing on ethical problems and the spiritual life of individuals during times of great social and cultural change. Productions during this period include "The Dreamers" by R. Muzil (1988), "The Brothers Karamazov" by F. Dostoevsky (1990), "Etudes from 'The Man Without Qualities'" based on the novel by R. Muzil (1990), "Malte" by R.-M. Rilke (1991), "Calquerque" by T. Bernhard (1992), and "Lunatics, Ash, or Anarchy" by G. Broch (1995).

Exploring the Works of Thomas Bernhard

The production of "Calquerque" marked Warlikowski's fascination with the works of Thomas Bernhard. In 1996, he directed two plays based on Bernhard's works: "Immanuel Kant" (Polish Theatre, Wrocław) and "Ritter, Dene, Voss" (Stary Theatre, Krakow). In these productions, Warlikowski explored the irrational mechanisms of the human psyche. One of the highlights of Warlikowski's Bernhard cycle is the production of "Extinction" (2001), based on Bernhard's testament-novel, which addresses the crisis of culture and the pervasive hypocrisy that permeates established forms of culture and its foundations. In recent years, his productions have turned to mythological forms of consciousness, such as "Presidents" by W. Schwab (1999) and "Thus Spoke Zarathustra" by F. Nietzsche (2003). Warlikowski's theatre is a place for philosophical and existential reflection, with a central focus on modern humans who are desperately seeking their place in an increasingly dehumanized world. In an interview, Krzysztof Warlikowski stated, "I am interested in the border areas between literature and theatre: the incomplete theatre that merges into theatrical literature. I am no longer interested in pure art. I don't want to turn literature into mere drama. In a novel, discoveries about dialogue are not only limited to the dialogue itself. They manifest in the coexistence of dialogue and a specific lyrical context, a quiet whisper that hangs over the situation. I create theatre that is infected with literature and cannot fully break free from it. And, at the same time, it becomes something completely different, perhaps even the opposite of theatre based on words."

Russian Literature and International Recognition

"The Seagull" in Alexandrines was the first play directed by Krzysztof Warlikowski in Russia. However, it was not his first encounter with Russian literature. Throughout the years, he has directed works by Leonid Andreyev, Maxim Gorky, Fyodor Dostoevsky, and Anton Chekhov. Among his recent productions are "Master and Margarita" based on the novel by Mikhail Bulgakov (Stary Theatre, Krakow, 2002) and "Three Sisters" by A. Chekhov (Boston, 2006). Krzysztof Warlikowski is a recognized master of European theatre. He is rightly called a teacher of an entire generation of contemporary Polish directors. Since 1983, Warlikowski has been teaching at the Krakow Theatre School, and since 1993, he has been a professor at the school. From 1990 to 1996, he served as the dean of the directing department.

Awards and Honors

Krzysztof Warlikowski has received numerous prestigious theatre awards, including the Conrad Swinarski Polish Theatre Award, the Schiller Polish Theatre Award, prizes from various international festivals, and the Grand Prix for the play "Lunatics" as the best foreign production shown in France during the 1998-1999 season. He has also been awarded the French Legion of Honour and the Austrian Cross of Honour for Science and Art, First Class, for his outstanding contributions to the field of arts and culture.