Saxony-Anhalt: Dieter Hallervorden plays "The King Dies"

Dessau-Roßlau (dpa/sa) - The actor and cabaret artist Dieter Hallervorden (87) is satisfied with the first season in his theater in Dessau.

Saxony-Anhalt: Dieter Hallervorden plays "The King Dies"

Dessau-Roßlau (dpa/sa) - The actor and cabaret artist Dieter Hallervorden (87) is satisfied with the first season in his theater in Dessau. According to the information, around 16,250 people visited the "Central German Theater in the Marienkirche" from September to the end of December 2022. The theater is only four months old. It is an absolute heart project for him, he emphasized. "I'm very attached to it," he said on Wednesday in Dessau-Roßlau. "Such a delicate little plant needs time to mature into full bloom. I find a utilization rate of over 70 percent to be very encouraging," says Hallervorden.

He intends to occupy an absolute top position with his theater in Saxony-Anhalt. The next premiere of his Dessau theater is "The King Dies" by Eugène Ionesco (January 5, 2023). Hallervorden plays the leading role. His wife Christiane is on stage with him. The 60-year-old play has many current references, such as the environment, war, the dangers of illness and discussions about retirement, said Hallervorden.

This is not an issue for him. "I personally prefer the state of restlessness," said the 87-year-old. He wants to play as long as his legs can carry him onto the stage on their own. As long as the brains are still participating and he can keep his text - and more than two people want to see it per performance - he will stay on stage, said the actor. "I'm not giving up on my own," he said. Age doesn't really matter to him. "On the contrary, inactivity makes you old," he said. His tip for people not just his age: exercise for at least an hour a day, eat healthily and smile every day. "Because every day without a smile is a lost day."

Hallervorden's theater in the Marienkirche started at the beginning of September 2022. It is reportedly operated by him privately. The contract for the second season at the Marienkirche, which has been a venue in the city for years, is about to be signed. Appearances by well-known guests and great theater guest performances, for example "Biedermann and the Brandstifter" by Max Frisch, are planned. Hallervorden was born in Dessau and is an honorary citizen of the city. He lives in Berlin, where he runs the Schlosspark Theater.