Ersan Mondtag
Ersan Mondtag, born in Berlin, is one of the most distinctive theatre-makers of his generation. His works are marked by a strong visual aesthetic in stage and costume design and have received numerous awards.
After dropping out of his performing arts studies, he co-founded the KAPITÆL ZWEI KOLEKTIF in Munich, with which he developed interdisciplinary forms. Among the results were durational performance installations such as «Konkordia», a nine-day collaboration with Olga Bach for the Pinakothek der Moderne in Munich.
By the age of 30, Ersan Mondtag had received recognition in three artistic categories: in 2016 he was named Young Director of the Year by Theater heute, in 2017 Costume Designer of the Year by Theater heute, and Set Designer of the Year by Die Deutsche Bühne. Most recently, he was awarded the prestigious Berliner Zeitung Culture Award.
He was invited to the Berliner Theatertreffen three times in just four years: in 2016 with «Tyrannis», in 2017 with «Die Vernichtung», and in 2019 with «Das Internat», for which he also created the set and costumes and received the 3sat Award. In 2025, his production of Sam Max’s «Double Serpent» at Staatstheater Wiesbaden was selected as one of the ten “most remarkable productions of the year” and invited to the Theatertreffen.
Ersan Mondtag made his opera debut in 2020 with Franz Schreker’s «Der Schmied von Gent» at Opera Vlaanderen, in co-production with the Nationaltheater Mannheim. This was followed by «Der Silbersee» (also Opera Vlaanderen, co-produced with the Opéra national de Lorraine), «Antikrist» by Rued Langgaard at Deutsche Oper Berlin (2022), «Gianni Schicchi & L’heure espagnole» at Teatro dell’Opera di Roma, as well as new productions of «La forza del destino» (Opéra de Lyon), «Der Vampyr» (Staatsoper Hannover), and «Salome» (Opera Vlaanderen).
In 2024, he designed the German Pavilion at the Biennale di Venezia, which attracted international attention as a radical artistic statement.
In the 2025/2026 season, Ersan Mondtag will stage the world premiere of «Munich Machine» by Albert Ostermaier.
Productions
A UFO in the shape of a weisswurst lands in front of the Bayerische Staatskanzlei: is this a film or reality? The film maker and asphalt cowboy Klaus Lemke embarks together with a group of aliens on a high speed, madcap journey through Munich’s history in search of what the city once was and could perhaps be in future. Albert Ostermaier’s new play is an affectionate homage to the film poet Klaus Lemke, who died in 2022, and both a hymn to and reckoning with his home city of Munich.
Munich Machine