Ein Bang goes through the venerable walls of Vienna’s Burgtheater and can be heard far beyond: the director has given up. In a brief press release, Martin Kušej states that after only three years in office, he is not interested in an extension.
His performance had previously been heavily criticized. However, he does not address this in his statement.
He is much more likely to identify the culprits in the ranks of cultural policy. The statement reads: “The late and lengthy decision-making process on the future of the Burgtheater management maneuvered my person and the entire Burgtheater into an unspeakable situation that was damaging to the building. The basis for my future work as a director beyond my current contract is the complete confidence of the owner. This is obviously not the case, so I am withdrawing my current application to continue my directorship with immediate effect.”
It seems as if Kušej anticipated his non-renewal with these bitter words. The decision on who should direct the Burgtheater in the future is expected later this week. A woman with management experience and a prominent theater man are said to be in the running.
