Theatre Director
CV
Mateja Koležnik studied Philosophy and Comparative Literature and Literary Theory at the Faculty of Arts in Ljubljana and continued her education at the Academy of Theatre, Radio, Film and Television in Ljubljana. She obtained a university degree in directing in 1990 with the production of Harold Pinter’s The Birthday Party, supervised by Professor Dušan Jovanović.
Awards
2023
60th edition Berliner Theatertreffen invited “children of sun” Schauspielhaus Bochum (selection of 10 remarkable productions of 2023 Theatertreffen)
Statement of the Jury
At first glance, Mateja Koležnik’s production of Maxim Gorki’s “Kinder der Sonne (Children of the Sun)” appears to be from a different time. Raimund Orfeo Voigt’s hyper-realistic set, which reflects the decline of a self-absorbed bourgeoisie in every detail, and the psychologically exact acting by a company that is perfectly cast even in the smallest roles, align themselves with theatre traditions that have gone a little out of fashion. And yet, there is nothing museum-like about Koležnik’s approach. In fact, her work is highly topical. The scientist played by Guy Clemens, whose unworldly behaviour is an expression of toxic privilege, and all the others who revolve around him reveal themselves to be tragi-comic egocentrics and blind to everything that is happening around them. In this way, Koležnik moves Gorki’s characters closer to us and our crisis-ridden reality.
2022
49th INFANT Award for the most successful experiment, or the performance as a whole Fräulein Julie (Burgtheater Wien)
2018
Beste Bundesländer Aufführung Nestroypreis for Ivanov (Stadttheater Klagenfurt)
2017
Nomination for best Directing on Nestroypreis der Wiener Theaterpreis 2017 for Henrik Ibsen's Wild Duck (Theater in der Josefstadt Wien)
Golden Lion Award for best Directing on International Festival of Chamber Theatre "Golden Lion" for Gerhart Haupmann's Rose Bernd (SLG Celje)
2016
Borštnik Award for Directing on Maribor Theatre Festival for Thomas Bernhard's Eve of Retirement (PG Kranj)
Association of Theatre Critics and Researchers of Slovenia award 2016 for the best performance of the last season for Gerhart Hauptmann's Rose Bernd (SLG Celje)
2015
Kulturpreisen der Münchner Abendzeitung - Rosenstrauß des Jahres for best performance of the year for Oedipus The King (Residentztheater Munchen)
The Award Winning Performance of 30. Gavela Evenings Zagreb for Henrik Ibsen's Hedda Gabler (SNG Maribor)
Best directing of 30. Gavela Evenings Zagreb for Henrik Ibsen's Hedda Gabler (SNG Maribor)
The Grand Prix Award for Best performance of Maribor Theatre Festival for Henrik Ibsen's Hedda Gabler (SNG Maribor)
Borštnik Award for Dramaturgical Concept for Henrik Ibsen's Hedda Gabler (SNG Maribor)
Uchimura Prize 2014 (International Theatre Institute) for Yukio Mishima's Five Modern Noh Plays (SSG Trst / Teatro Stabile Sloveno)
2014
Borštnik Award for Directing on Maribor Theatre Festival for Yukio Mishima's Five Modern Noh Plays (SSG Trst / Teatro Stabile Sloveno) and Kobo Abe's
Friends (SNG Drama Ljubljana)
2013
Borštnik Award for Directing on Maribor Theatre Festival for Henrik Ibsen's John Gabriel Borkman (SNG Maribor)
Best Overall Performance Award and Best Children and Youth Jury's Choice Performance Award on Festival of Performance Arts for Children and Young People - Golden stick for Jacqueline Wilson's Secrets (SLG Celje)
2008
Award for Best Directing on SKUP - Chamber Stage Festival Ptuj for August Strindberg's Miss Julie (PG Kranj)
2007
The Award Winning Performance of 22. Gavela Evenings Zagreb for A. P. Chekhov's Uncle Vanya (HNK Split)
2005
Award for Best Directing on Assitej Festival Čakovec for Jasen Boko's How Tonkica used to buy bread (Kazalište Mala scena, Zagreb)
2004
Borštnik Award for Best Scenography on Maribor Theatre Festival for Arthur Miller's Death Of A Salesman (SNG Drama Maribor)
2001
The Prešeren Foundation Award for directing David Harrower's Knives in Hens
(SNG Drama Ljubljana) and Winterberg's, Rukov's and Hansen's Festen (SNG Drama Ljubljana)
The Grand Prix Award for Best Performance of Maribor Theatre Festival for David Harrower's Knives in Hens (SNG Drama Ljubljana)
2000
The Grand Prix Award for Best Performance of International Festival of Chamber Theatre "Golden Lion", Umag for Paula Vogel's How I Learned To Drive (PG Kranj)
1999
The Grand Prix Award for Best Performance of International Festival of Chamber Theatre "Golden Lion", Umag for Martin McDonagh's Beauty Queen Of Leenane
(SNG Drama Ljubljana)
Selected performances
2023
Molière: Der Geizige/ Schauspiel Frankfurt
2023
Ödön von Horvath: Kasimir und Karoline / Burgtheater Wien
Sophokles /Slavoj Žižek / Mateja Koležnik /Diana Koloini: Antigone / Residenztheater München
2022
Maxim Gorki: children of the sun / Schauspielhaus Bochum
2021
Arthur Miller: Hexenjagd / Berliner Ensemble August Strindberg: Fräulein Julie / Burgtheater Wien
Witold Gombrowicz: Yvonne, die Burgunderprinzessin / Schauspiel Frankfurt
2020
Henrik Ibsen: Gespenster / Berliner Ensemble
Guisepper Verdi: Falstaff / Bayerische Staatsoper
2019
Maria Lazar: The Executioner/ Burgtheater Wien
Federico Garcia Lorca: Yerma / Theater Basel
2018
Henrik Ibsen: An Enemy Of The People / Residentztheater München
Franz Grillparzer: Medea / Staatstheater Stuttgart
Anton Chekhov: Ivanov / Stadttheater Klagenfurt
Arthur Schnitzler: The Lonely Way / Theater in der Josefstadt Wien
2017
Henrik Ibsen: The Wild Duck / Theater in der Josefstadt Wien
J.P. Moliere: Tartuffe/ Residentztheater Munchen
Arne Lygre: Nothing of me / Berliner Ensemble Berlin
2016
Georg Büchner: Leonce and Lena / MGL Ljubljana
Henrik Ibsen: Nora / Stadttheater Klagenfurt
Henrik Ibsen: Nora / Residentztheater Munchen
Gerhard Hauptmann: Rose Bernd / SLG Celje
2015
Sophocles: Oedipus The King / Residentztheater München
Thomas Bernhard: Eve of Retirement / PG Kranj
H. Ibsen: Hedda Gabler / SNG Drama Maribor
2014
Gustave Flaubert, Albert Ostermaier: Madame Bovary / Residentztheater München
Thomas Mann: The Magic Mountain / SNG Drama Ljubljana
Yukio Mishima: Five Modern Noh Plays / SSG Trst
Franz Grillparzer: Des Meeres Und Der Liebe Wellen / Schauspielhaus Leipzig
2013
Kobo Abe: Friends / SNG Drama Ljubljana
Henrik Ibsen: John Gabriel Borkman / SNG Drama Maribor
Pierre Corneille: Ein Spiel Um Illusion / Die Theater Chemnitz
2012
Witold Gombrowicz: Yvonne, Princess Of Burgundy / Die Theater Chemnitz
Nikolai Gogol: Marriage / Gavella Zagreb
2011
Maxim Gorky: The Philistines / SNG Drama Ljubljana
Karl Schönherr: Weibsteufel / Mestno gledališče ljubljansko
2010 - 2000
A.P. Chekhov: Uncle Vanya / SNG Nova Gorica
Berthold Brecht: A Respectable Wedding / SNG Drama Maribor
Nikolai Gogol: Revisor / PG Kranj
Eugene O’Neal: Mourning Becomes Electra / HNK Zagreb
August Strindberg: Miss Julie / PG Kranj
Conor McPherson: Weir / Gavella Zagreb
Tennessee Williams: Orpheus Descending / SNG Drama Ljubljana
Ferdinand Bruckner: Pains Of Youth / SNG Drama Ljubljana
A.P. Chekhov: Uncle Vanya / HNK Split
Roland Schimmelpfennig: Die Frau Von Früher / Bitef Teatar Beograd
Arthur Miller: Death Of A Salesman / SNG Drama Maribor
Hannie Rayson: Life After George / SNG Drama Ljubljana
Neal LaBute: Shape Of Things / SNG Drama Ljubljana
J. P. Molliere: The School For Wives / SNG Drama Ljubljana
Roland Schimmelpfennig: Push Up 1-3 / PG Kranj
Susan Sontag: The Lady From The Sea / Mestno gledališče ljubljansko
Martin McDonagh: Cripple Of Innishmann / Mestno gledališče ljubljansko
Vinterberg, Hansen, Rukov: Festen / SNG Drama Ljubljana
David Harrower: Knives In Hens / SNG Drama Ljubljana
1990 - 1999
Martin McDonagh: Beauty Queen Of Leenane / SNG Drama Ljubljana
Edward Albee: Who Is Afraid Of Wirginia Woolf / SNG Drama Ljubljana
Edward Albee: Three Tall Women / Mestno gledališče ljubljansko
Jukio Mishima: Madam De Sade / SNG Drama Maribor
Israel Horowitz: Indian Wants The Bronx / SNG Drama Ljubljana