IN MEMORIAM PETER SIMONISCHEK

We are deeply saddened by the passing of Peter Simonischek (1946–2023), one of the most versatile actors to grace the stage of the Burgtheater. In memory of this great actor and colleague, his theatre friends pay homage to his artistic legacy and share personal anecdotes. “Peter would have been the perfect football coach at AS Roma. Why? When I first saw him onstage at the Schaubühne back in 1982, he not only looked like an Italian national player, but also acted like one. When he entered the stage at the end of a five-hour production of Hamlet, directed by Klaus Michael Grüber, with an extremely complicated Bruno Ganz in the lead role, it was like seeing Fortinbras emerging after an intense training session. I loved it. I would have followed him anywhere in a heartbeat, but he didn’t know me yet at that point.” (Roland Koch)