Christian von Götz Opera Director

"Director Christian von Götz with sparkling ideas up to the final scene" (Berliner Morgenpost, 3.11.2015)

“First of all, forget about Shakespeare. Secondly: Forget about Sir John Falstaff, at any rate Verdi’s. Thirdly: Forget about “komisch-phantastische Oper”, as the the subheading of Otto Nicolai’s “Lustige Weiber von Windsor” reads. Open your mouths, or eyes and ears, respectively, for a hilarious evening in the theatre, a musical with slightly more music from the mid-19^th and slightly less sound from the later mid-20^th century. Christian von Götz has it mixed inventively and with many shenanigans. (…) a bike-and-drink-mobile, a gaudily coloured beetle, a ridable pink giant settee … carrying the bulky Falstaff via a washing machine into the chilly Thames. (…) In the final act, set LSD-coloured and greenish magically under a huge osier (…), the stage director actually achieves a midsummernight’s dream with Shakespeare.” (Volksstimme, 9. 5. 2016)

“Fascinating direction by Christian von Götz”
(Magdeburger Sonntag Oct. 12th 2010)

“Enthusiastic applause for all”
(Opernglas Dec. 2010)

“A production one should see without fail ”
(aspektMagazin, Magdeburg Nov. 2010)

“The interpretation (...) succeeds brilliantly”
(Neues Deutschland, Oct. 25th 2010)

“Ingenious”
(Opernglas Dec. 2010)

“Christian von Götz created multitudinous impressive tableaux (...) An incredible achievement.”
(Volksstimme, Magdeburg Oct. 6th 2010)

"Director Christian  von Götz provides in his precise and subtle interpretation further  means to characterize the different background of Prince and Princess. The Princess’ language is canto, the Prince’s dance. Together they need to find a mutual basis for their communication: in the first act this even leads to a choreographed Pas de Deux. Aki Hashimoto, the Princess, herself executes the dances, at the same time achieving to perform impeccably her soprano part in high tessitura and full of Zerbinetta-like  coloraturas. (...)"

(Opera Magazine "DIE BÜHNE", June 2011)

"Christian von Götz’ direction is sensitive and expressive."

(Opera Magazine "OPERNGLAS", June 2011)

“Christian von Götz’ interpretation turns the plot into a ingenious play within the play. (...) Powerful tableaux, intellectually convincing, emotionally moving, maintained by an ensemble whose acting is full of intensity, an opera event evolves one cannot elude.”
(dacapo, June 22nd 2009)

“A crash of the ivory tower – in an intelligent manner Christian von Götz imparts political dimensions to Richard Strauss’ Capriccio. (...) Strauss and his librettist have created an autonomous work of art that tries to shut out the real world. Perhaps it was an artistic effort to survive hell. That this must remain utopian the Cologne production demonstrates in a fascinating way.”
(Bonner General-Anzeiger, June 22nd 2009)

"With this performance the director Christian von Götz succeeded in producing a prime example of a well-directed show."

(Wochenspiegel, Kultur, 5.4.2012)

"Excellent  'Regietheater' (...) many intelligent details (...) a level of scenic presentation rarely to be encountered"

(Gerhard Wiesend, myway.de/hoffmann, 3.4.2012)

"Bizarre"

(Magdeburger Volksstimme, 2.4.2012)

"Widely splashed at the beginning, artificial blood will in the course of the production by successful opera director Christian von Götz continue to be used copiously. (...) With von Götz the theatre points to the theatre itself, it all comes down to the old inquiry into the connection between art and life.(...) Basically, it is the playfulness of the staging, which is enchanting."

(Magdeburger Volksstimme, 2.4.2012)

"His statement ‘Can art improve the world? Can art improve us? The latter would, in any case, be an excellent object.’ will gain him appreciative acclaim."

(Wochenspiegel Kultur, 5.4.2012)

“Turandot directed by Christian von Götz – this signifies a new impulse for the craft of stage. We are witnessing the beginning of a new and fascinating chapter in the history of theatre in our country.” 
(Odessa Daily, May 24th 2010)

“The realisation of Christian von Götz’ precise direction, leading every single singer individually, was of a quality you will not always find at the foremost western opera houses.”
(Opernglas, July/Aug. 2010)

"With his worldwide unique revolving stage-concept opera director Christian von Götz symbolizes the climactic spiral of violence which finally gets out of hand. (…) He stages the touching story as a fascinating symbiosis of music, play and dance. (…) ‘West Side Story’ in Dessau unquestionably sets new standards  (…). The audience was plainly carried away by the incredible intensity and the realisticdramatic-tragic qualities of the staging.

(VOLKSSTIMME Oct. 4th,2011)

"At the beginning a doll is broken, at the end people will lie in their own blood – but the little girl will still be trying to fix her destroyed toy. It is a plain, coherent framework that Christian von Götz provides for his interpretation of West Side Story at the Anhaltisches Theater Dessau. And it perfectly fits the deadly game between the Jets and the Sharks in the streets of New York (...) Christian von Götz supplies anything but a dull remake of the classic standard. Thanks to the gigantic revolving stage in Dessau he created a labyrinth leaving enough space between fire escape stairs und air condition cases for intense  tableaux. (...) Hence, only a few accessories are necessary (...) to transfer the story into the present, and a few drastic moments suffice to prove its existential dimension."

(MITTELDEUTSCHE ZEITUNG Oct. 3rd 2011)