First of all, allow me to say a big thank you to Michael Lakner, who has shaped the artistic fortunes of Bühne Baden over the last eight and a half years. Michael Lakner has skillfully mixed traditional plays with rarities and often - with courage - with somewhat more daring productions, found great leading teams and casts for them and brought them to Baden's stages. You, dear audience, have fully supported this mix, judging by your numerous positive feedbacks, but also by the capacity utilization figures.

I am therefore very pleased that Michael Lakner will remain associated with Bühne Baden as the new President of the Friends of Baden Stage Association - to which I cordially invite you to join in order to enjoy numerous benefits.

I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Birgit Sarata, who has been actively involved in setting up the Friends Association from the very beginning and is handing over the baton to Michael Lakner after fifteen years as president.

But every end has a new beginning, and I'm really looking forward to the beginning with Andreas Gergen. Andreas Gergen is probably one of the most sought-after directors in the German-speaking world at the moment: I am all the more delighted that Andreas Gergen will now be devoting his time to Bühne Baden from the 2025/26 season and will be setting new accents with his wit, experience and contacts.

The selection of plays in his first season alone, with the brilliant opening of the Austrian premiere of WICKED, will make Baden's reputation as a theater location shine far beyond Austria's borders.

However, there will also be some organizational changes from the 2025/26 season onwards: the Landestheater Niederösterreich will perform at the newly opened Stadttheater Wiener Neustadt, and the Tonkünstler-Orchester will move to the Baden stage. Some subscriptions will have to be adjusted accordingly, and as a thank you we have set up a change bonus for you.

If you are looking forward to the new season as much as I am, then we will definitely see you at one or two performances at Bühne Baden!

Your Martina Malzer

 Management