Sonnet Factory (World Premiere)
A musical-poetic theatre evening based on sonnets by William Shakespeare – SOLD OUT!
Tickets & dates
About the production
Start
7 p.m.
End
9 p.m.
Shakespeare's sonnets are regarded as a highlight of Renaissance poetry and of European poetry in general. In artistic terms, they are on a par with the poet's dramas, which have always been a focal point of the Lausitz Festival's theatre productions. The Englishman's 154 lyrical masterpieces were published as a cycle in 1609. In them, a speaker addresses a young man and a mysterious, dark lady. In this triangle of textual-sexual desire, all the poems revolve around basic themes of human existence – love, beauty, transience, death - and unfold a polyphonic common ‘we’ in the intimate lyrical dialogue between »I« and »you«.
The theatricalisation of Shakespeare's sonnets is a tradition that will be continued at the opening of this year's Lausitz Festival. For the poems can be understood and staged as dramatic vignettes, as in them a speaker addresses an addressee and thus evokes a potentially dramatic event. And even if a counterpart is not audible, the lyrical speech always seems to be a response to an inaudible utterance or to provide the occasion for a subsequent reply. In any case, the space that Shakespeare's texts open up is a dialogue space. Its empty spaces awaken and fuel our visual and scenic imagination. In this respect, the transformation of lyrical speech into dramatic speech is obvious. The reading or recitation of a poem is transformed into a theatrical event.
Austrian theatre artist Michael Sturminger, who is at home as a director and author in all stage genres, brings Shakespeare's poetry into a lively dialogue with the beauty of the disused Louise briquette factory at the opening of this year's Lausitz Festival. He sends the audience on a scenic and musical journey through the inner and outer worlds of condensed language and coal dust. So he allows the audience to look inside the face and bowels of verse and industrial architecture.
Persistence through transformation – if you like, the old briquette factory and Shakespeare's lyrical monodramatic miniatures find a common denominator in this. Just as the factory's active days are long behind it, the beloved and coveted addressees of the sonnets are inevitably subject to transience. And just as the factory blossoms and survives anew and differently by virtue of its transformation into an industrial museum and a venue for cultural events, the lovers addressed in the sonnets awaken to new, eternal life through Shakespeare's poetry and its theatrical visualisation. For example, the 18th sonnet »Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?« states:
» […] But thy eternal summer shall not fade,
Nor lose possession of that fair thou ow’st;
Nor shall Death brag thou wander’st in his shade
When in eternal lines to time thou grow’st:
So long as men can breathe or eyes can see,
So long lives this, and this gives life to thee.«
In this correspondence, the »Louise« briquette factory becomes a sensual and sensuous stage for a production of Shakespeare's sonnets.
Artists:
With: Wojo van Brouwer, Crispin Hausmann, Rino Murakami, Jan Henri Müller, Leonie Pum, Claudia Renner, Klaudia Sobota, Flo Sohn, Leonard Tondorf, Sarah Wockenfuß
Guides and Machine Operation: Members of Freundeskreis Technisches Denkmal Brikettfabrik LOUISE Domsdorf e. V.
Concept and Direction: Michael Sturminger
Stage/Lighting: Paul Sturminger, Manuel Biedermann
Costumes: Marie Sturminger, Nina Samadi
Musical Direction / Electronic Soundtrack: Rino Murakami
Musical Director: Wojo van Brouwer
Dramaturgy: Alexandra Althoff
A collaboration with Max Reinhardt Seminar, mdw – University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna and Salzburg Global Seminar, Inc.
Made possible by Sparkassenstiftung »Zukunft Elbe-Elster-Land«
Introductions by festival dramaturge Michael Höppner:
From the second performance on 25 August – 45 minutes before the start of each performance
By bus & train to the event
Why don't you leave your car at home and come to the event by public transport? Click on the button to calculate your route. The destination is already pre-filled in the trip planner.
We owe this service for the Lausitz Festival to the transport associations VVO, VBB and ZVON.
Special buses in service
The Verkehrsmanagement Elbe-Elster will provide the following special buses as a feeder service for rail travellers from Berlin, Dresden, Cottbus and Leipzig.
Visitors pay nothing on the specified buses. The buses are free of charge for »Sonnet Factory« ticket holders.
Arrival:
24.August
BUS 560/526 from Bahnhof Doberlug-Kirchhain to Brikettfabrik Louise
16:50-17:10
(changeover: RB43 16:45 from Berlin and Cottbus, RE10 16:15 from Leipzig, RE8 16:26 from Dresden/ 16:33 IC2174 from Dresden)
BUS 560/526 from Bahnhof Bad Liebenwerda to Brikettfabrik Louise
17:40 -18:00
(changeover: RE11 17:32 from Dresden and Cottbus, RB49 17:25 from Leipzig and Berlin)
25.August + 6.+7.September
BUS 560/526 from Bahnhof Bad Liebenwerda to Brikettfabrik Louise
17:40 -18:00
(changeover: RE11 17:32 from Dresden and Cottbus, RB49 17:25 from Leipzig and Berlin)
Departure:
24.August
BUS 560/526 from Brikettfabrik Domsdorf to Falkenberg Bahnhof
21:25 – 21:50
(changeover: RB10 22:03 to Berlin and Cottbus, RE10 21:59 to Leipzig)
BUS 560/526 from Brikettfabrik Domsdorf to Elsterwerda Bahnhof
21:30 – 22:00
(changeover: RB45 22:13 to Dresden)
25.August + 6.+7.September
BUS 560/526 from Brikettfabrik Domsdorf to Falkenberg Bahnhof
21:25 – 21:50
(changeover: RB10 22:03 to Berlin and Cottbus, RE10 21:59 to Leipzig)
BUS 560/526 from Brikettfabrik Domsdorf to Elsterwerda Bahnhof
21:10 – 21:40
(changeover: RB31 21:45 to Dresden)
Accessibility
The venue for this event is not wheelchair accessible.
Additional information for a special theatre evening:
On this evening, you will not only leave your seat during the interval. Instead, you will experience the actors on a tour through striking locations on the grounds.
There are steep stairs to climb. The tour also includes areas of the outdoor grounds. Please wear sturdy/comfortable shoes and weatherproof clothing.
With the exception of a few clearly marked areas in the outdoor area, smoking is strictly prohibited everywhere – in the briquette factory and on the grounds.
The Louise Briquette Factory is the oldest fully operational briquette factory in the world. It is a museum. Please treat all objects with respect. We thank you.
Tickets:
The performance on 24 August is sold out. Tickets are still available for all other performances.
Wojo van Brouwer
Wojo van Brouwer initially studied jazz singing before beginning his acting studies at the Max Reinhardt Seminar in 2006.
He has performed at the Deutsches Theater in Göttingen, the Schauspielhaus Graz, the Düsseldorfer Schauspielhaus, the Theater in der Josefstadt, the Maxim Gorki Theater, and the Landestheater Niederösterreich, as well as in various plays at the Kosmos Theater in Vienna. He has worked with directors such as Michael Sturminger, Harald Posch, Nurkan Erpulat, Cesare Lievi, Claudia Bossard, and Christina Tscharyiski. The production of »Dunkel Lockende Welt« (directed by Nurkan Erpulat) received the Nestroy Prize for »Best Off-Production«. Van Brouwer also regularly appears in TV and film roles.
Claudia Renner
Claudia Renner, born and raised in Weimar, studied acting at the Hamburg University of Music and Theatre. There she spent her first years at the Thalia Theater in Ulrich Khuon's ensemble, appearing in Andreas Kriegenburg's »Lovers on Ice Hexenjagd« (Abigail), »Unschuld« (The Blind Woman) and »Bernada Alba's Haus« (Adela), in Stephan Kimmig's »Penthesilea« (Prothoe), in Jorinde Dröse's »A Midsummer Night's Dream« (Helena), in Christiane Pohle's »Früchte des Nichts« and in Tom Kühnel's »Jasagen und Neinsagen«.
She then moved to Hasko Weber's Staatstheater in Stuttgart, where she worked with Thomas Dannemann (Rosalind in »As You Like It«), Volker Lösch (»Nachtasyl«), Stephan Rottkamp (»Übergewicht«), Annette Pullen (»Fremdes Haus«), and others. Claudia Renner now works as a freelancer on various stages and has made guest appearances at the Salzburg Festival, the Burgtheater in Vienna (Martin Kusej, Henning Bock), the Düsseldorf Schauspielhaus (Markus Bothe), the Theater Bremen (Tom Ryser), and the Deutsche Theater Berlin.
Rino Murakami
Born in Tokyo in 1995, Rino Murakami grew up there and studied at the Tokyo University of the Arts under Prof. Kunitaka Kokaji with bachelor's degree, as well as master's and Meisterklassenexamen’s degree at Hochschule für Musik und Theater Leipzig under Prof. Dr. Fabien Lévy.
Since September 2024 she has started her second master's degree in the newly opened MA »Music and Scene in Transformation (MuST)« program at the Hochschule für Musik Basel as a vocalist with Prof. Sarah Maria Sun. Murakami not only composes instrumental pieces, but is also involved as a performer in premieres of the pieces by young composers, as well as her own ones.
As a musician in general, she is particularly interested in developing new vocal technics and using words or languages as musical materials. She has worked with numerous instrumentalists, ensembles and orchestras, some of which have commissioned her to compose new works: Geidai Philharmonia, mdr Orchestra, Orquesta de Valencia, Magdeburgische Philharmonie as well as Ensemble Contemporary Insights, Ensemble Tempus Konnex Leipzig, NESEVEN, Companie Humaine, Percussion Tree, etc.
She received the Best Prize for the Sogakudo Concert Organization in 2018 (Tokyo, coproduction) and the Best Prize in Music at the Biennale di Venice 2022 for the concert project »Reaching Out« (Marseille and Venice, co-production). She was a DAAD scholarship holder 2020/21 and was DMR scholarship holder 2022.
Crispin Hausmann
Crispin Hausmann was born in Augsburg in 2003 and grew up bilingually as the son of a mother of Jamaican descent and a German father. After graduating from the International School in Augsburg, he began studying acting at the Max Reinhardt Seminar.
As a member of the production »K.I. and Abel«, directed by Bianca Thomas, he was a guest at the Wuzhen Theatre Festival in China. In the production »Call Me (,) Daddy oder Rettet die Zärtlichkeit oder Die Räuber aber nicht von Schiller sondern von dein ❤️« he appeared on the stage of Dschungel Wien. Most recently, he was part of the ensemble of the pre-diploma production »Bent Boys Boi Band« by Jakob Leanda Wernisch.
Jan Henri Müller
Jan Henri Müller was born in Mannheim in 2004 and began studying mathematics at the Technical University of Kaiserslautern while still at school. At the same time he also took part in several performances at the Mannheim National Theatre. He plays the flute and piano. He has been studying acting at the Max Reinhardt Seminar since 2023 and performed in Lukas Schöppl's graduation production »Der Hofmeister - oder: Vorteile der Privaterziehung«. At the University of Applied Arts Vienna, he read in a 24-hour performance »4.48 Psychosis« by Sarah Kane.
Leonie Pum
Leonie Pum was born in Freistadt in 2000. She speaks English, French, Italian and Spanish fluently, has knowledge of Arabic and also knows several dialects. After completing a bachelor's degree in psychology at the University of Vienna, Leonie has been studying acting at the Max Reinhardt Seminar in Vienna since 2023. Since then, she has been involved in various theatre and film productions and performed lately in the pre-diploma production »Bent Boys Boi Band« by Jakob Leanda Wernisch in April 2025.
Klaudia Sobota
Klaudia Sobota was born in Salzburg in 2003 and speaks fluent Polish as well as German. She initially began studying journalism and was also active in the Salzburg State Theatre's youth club. She worked at the Salzburg State Theatre as a trainee and assistant director on several productions. In 2023 she was accepted at the Max Reinhardt Seminar and has been studying acting ever since. Klaudia rides, dances and plays the piano. As part of her studies at the Max Reinhardt Seminar, she can currently be listened to on Ö1: She is part of the Hans Gratzer radio play production »Babygirl - Geschichten ohne Happy End« by Carlotta Huys.
Flo Sohn
Flo Sohn was born in Laichingen near Ulm in 1997. After completing an apprenticeship as an electronics technician for automation technology, he began an adducation as a musical theatre performer in Hamburg in 2020. After a year he transferred to the Max Reinhardt Seminar in Vienna to study acting.
During his studies, he appeared in numerous theatre productions - at the Kasino am Schwarzenbergplatz (Burgtheater), at the Hin & Weg Festival in Litschau and at the Max Reinhardt Seminar. He was honoured in the »Best Actor« category at the Luleå International Film Festival for his portrayal of »Heinrich Weber« in the British short film »A Love Worth Fighting For«.
Leonard Tondorf
Leonard Tondorf was born in 2004 in Hamburg and raised there. Since the age of 13 he played at the Deutsches Schauspielhaus Hamburg's youth theatre. From 2023 he performed also in »Der Morgenstern«, directed by Viktor Bodó, at the Deutsches Schauspielhaus Hamburg. He is currently studying acting at the Max Reinhardt Seminar and has appeared in several TV and short film productions, including the TV feature film »Die Nichte des Polizisten«, which will be relased in autumn 2025.
Sarah Wockenfuß
Sarah Wockenfuß was born in Rostock in 2001 and grew up there. She speaks Spanish and English fluently and spent a year abroad in Colombia after graduating from high school. She then completed a four-year vocal training programme at the Rostock Conservatory and moved to Vienna in 2021 to study acting. With the production »K.I. and Abel« directed by Bianca Thomas, she was invited to the Wuzhen Theatre Festival in China in 2024. In 2024, she also took part in the ensemble of Elfriede Jelinek's »Sonne, los jetzt!«, directed by Christina Tscharyiski, and in 2025 she was part of the graduate production of Lukas Schöppl's »Der Hofmeister - oder: Vorteile der Privaterziehung«.
Michael Sturminger
Michael Sturminger was born in Vienna in 1963, where he studied directing and screenwriting at the University of Music and Performing Arts. Since 1990, he has worked as a freelance theater, musical theater, and film director, as well as an author of theater texts, libretti, and screenplays.
From 2014 to 2022, he was artistic director of the Perchtoldsdorf Summer Festival. From 2018 to 2023, he taught as a university professor of musical theater direction and dramatic performance at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna. His work has taken him to the Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg, the National Theater in Taipei, the Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg, the Theater an der Wien, the Zurich Opera House, the Aalto Theater in Essen, the Staatstheater am Gärtnerplatz in Munich, the Vienna State Opera, the Vienna Volksoper, and the opera houses in Wiesbaden, Graz and Cologne.
Michael Sturminger has been a guest at the Salzburg Easter Festival, the Cherry Orchard Festival Moscow, the Wien Modern Festival, the Schwetzingen Festival, the Ruhrfestspiele Recklinghausen, the Prague Spring Festival, White Nights Festival in Saint Petersburg, Sydney Festival, Toronto Festival, Grafenegg Festival and the Bregenz and Salzburg Festivals, where he staged »Jedermann« from 2017 to 2023, among other works. His »Salome« at the Klagenfurt City Theater was awarded the Austrian Music Theater Prize for »Best Overall Opera Production« in 2018, while Bernhard Lang's new opera »Hiob«, for which Sturminger contributed the libretto and staging, was awarded the Austrian Music Theater Prize for »Best World Premiere« in 2024.
He has close artistic partnerships with John Malkovich and Bernhard Lang. Sturminger has worked with famous opera artists such as Christian Thielemann, Anja Harteros, Anna Netrebko, Cecilia Bartoli, and others, as well as numerous important film and theater artists.
Alexandra Althoff
Alexandra Althoff worked as a dramaturge at Schauspiel Köln, Schauspielhaus Bochum and Schauspiel Frankfurt. She is a founding member of the art collective RAUM+ZEIT; theatre works were created for Schauspiel Frankfurt, Residenztheater Munich, Kunstfest Weimar, Düsseldorfer Schauspielhaus and Berliner Ensemble, among others.
»Antigone :: Comeback« was invited to the Schweizer Theatertreffen in 2019, »Berlau :: Kingdom of Ghosts« was awarded the Friedrich Luft Prize 2022. From 2019 to 2022, she was Deputy Artistic Director at the Burgtheater. She was a jury member for the Retzhofer Dramapreis 2021 and 2025. Since the 2022/23 season she was chair of the jury for the NESTROY Prize. She has been the director of the Max Reinhardt Seminar since 2024.
Location
Location Louise Briquette Factory, Domsdorf
Address Louise 111, 04924 Uebigau-Wahrenbrück, OT Domsdorf
Cooperation partners
Made possible by:
