Deutsches Theatermuseum
Galeriestr. 4a
80539 München

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Tuesday to Sunday
11 a.m. - 5 p.m.

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5 € Regular
4 € Reduced

The life's work of Jürgen Rose

The extensive body of work by Jürgen Rose, rightly described by Sven Ricklefs in BR as "one of the most renowned stage designers of recent decades," spans more than five decades. Its diversity is truly unique, as Jürgen Rose has dedicated himself with equal intensity to all three genres of theatre. He has created stage spaces and costumes for approximately 300 productions.

The aesthetic energy with which Jürgen Rose has shaped theatre, opera, and ballet in Germany and beyond since 1959 is reflected in his artistic work. This includes finely crafted landscape prospects, imagery inspired by Gustav Klimt, Paul Klee, or Byzantine art, bold costume designs, delicate fashion sketches, and opulent variations of a single colour within the same silhouette, seemingly echoing the late works of Edgar Degas – and much more.

Remarkable parallel worlds often emerge: in the same year, for instance, the lavish Die lustige Witwe with John Cranko in Stuttgart and the stark Wozzeck with Gustav Rudolf Sellner in Salzburg. The differing aesthetic designs are a distinctive characteristic of Jürgen Rose's work, as he meticulously engages with each production and allows his imagination to guide him.

In Munich, this costume and set designer has profoundly influenced the aesthetics of numerous productions at the National Theatre, the Residenz Theatre, and the Munich Kammerspiele since 1960. Richard Strauss's Der Rosenkavalier, Vincenzo Bellini's Norma, and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's Le nozze di Figaro – the productions of these works were long part of the repertoire of the Bavarian State Opera, or they still are today, such as Giuseppe Verdi's Don Carlo and Mozart's Die Zauberflöte and Così fan tutte. Despite the diversity of their impact, they share the commonality that their spaces and costumes are creations of Jürgen Rose. John Cranko's Romeo and Juliet, John Neumeier's La dame aux camélias, Cranko's Eugene Onegin, Neumeier's Odile, Odette, and Ludwig II – they all still dance in Rose's costumes and move within the stage spaces he designed.

Jürgen Rose's artistic journey also took him to renowned theatres in Copenhagen, Hamburg, Stuttgart, Vienna, Geneva, London, and New York, as well as the Bayreuth and Salzburg Festivals.

His artistic collaborators included notable directors and choreographers such as John Cranko, Dieter Dorn, Thomas Langhoff, Hans Lietzau, John Neumeier, and Rudolf Noelte, to name just a few. Jürgen Rose regularly collaborated over the long term, creating costumes for the major stage stars of his generation and era, such as Marcia Haydee, Edita Gruberova, Rolf Boysen, and Gisela Stein, as well as for the entire ensembles associated with these protagonists.

Some directors and choreographers have encouraged his drawing work, with John Cranko being particularly outstanding in this regard. Other collaborators demanded less of Rose's drawing capabilities, seeking a more sculptural approach. Jürgen Rose is also a precise model maker with a love for and patience with detail. A total of 110 models remain, allowing audiences to experience Rose's theatrical worlds anew.

The acquisition of Jürgen Rose's life's work represents a significant enrichment and enhancement of the Deutsche Theatermuseum's graphic collection and model collection.

Copyright: Jürgen Rose

Copyright: Max Rose

Copyright: Max Rose

Copyright: Jürgen Rose