The German State Theatre Timișoara (GSTT) has concluded its 2025/2026 season, distinguished by artistic diversity, educational initiatives, international collaborations, and a sustained presence in the cultural life of the city and the region.
A central feature of the season was its six premieres, offering audiences a broad artistic spectrum: the Romanian premiere of Penthesilea. A Requiem by Nino Haratischwili, directed by Eberhard Köhler, which also marked actress Ida Jarcsek-Gaza's 55th anniversary on stage; the children's production Heidi, based on Johanna Spyri's novel and directed by Petra Rațiu; the musical Sister Act, directed by Răzvan Mazilu; the contemporary German drama project Drama Nights, conceived and coordinated by Irisz Kovacs and Clemens Bechtel; the stage adaptation of Thomas Mann's novel The Magic Mountain, directed by Clemens Bechtel; and Love Money by Daniel Glattauer, directed by Irisz Kovacs.
The theatre also continued its educational mission and commitment to fostering new generations of audiences and theatre-makers. In partnership with the Nikolaus Lenau Theoretical High School, GSTT organized the 24th International Festival of German-Language School and Youth Theatre, which took place from 6 to 10 April 2026 and brought together theatre groups from Romania, Serbia, Croatia, and Germany. This was followed by the NiL Theatre Long Weekend, held from 24 to 26 April 2026, celebrating the 30th anniversary of the NiL theatre groups.
In September 2025, Sidy Thal, by Thomas Perle and Clemens Bechtel – a co-production of the German State Theatre Timișoara and the Jewish State Theatre Bucharest – was presented at Theaterhaus Stuttgart in Germany. The project was supported by the Romanian Cultural Institute. GSTT further strengthened its international cultural partnerships by hosting two productions from the State Theatre Bruchsal (Germany) in January 2026: else (someone), by Carina Sophie Eberle after Arthur Schnitzler, and JEDER*MANN, based on Hugo von Hofmannsthal. Heidi toured to Arad and Reșița, while Tschick. Why We Took the Car was presented in Reșița, reinforcing the theatre's connection with audiences across the region.
At the beginning of the 2025/2026 season, GSTT successfully concluded the educational project Impuls Teatru ("Theatre Impulse"), implemented throughout Timiș County with the aim of bringing students closer to the performing arts. Developed in collaboration with educational institutions, the project gave young people the opportunity to discover theatre as a space for creativity, dialogue, and personal expression. The project was co-financed by the Timiș County Council through the TimCultura 2025 programme.
Since March 2026, GSTT has also been implementing the project Theatre in Dialogue, co-financed by the Romanian National Cultural Fund Administration (AFCN). The project aims to develop cultural mediation tools and deepen the audience's theatrical experience through workshops, meetings, and discussion sessions organised around productions from the theatre's repertoire. These activities have encouraged active participation while fostering interpretation, communication, and critical thinking skills among students and teachers.
In collaboration with the German Theatre of Szekszárd (Hungary) and the German Section of the Radu Stanca National Theatre in Sibiu, GSTT created a pocket-sized interactive performance entitled The Tricked Wolf, based on a Transylvanian folk tale. Developed between May and June 2026, the production is intended for the youngest audiences and is performed in German-language kindergartens.
Due to the provisions of Government Emergency Ordinance No. 52/2025, the theatre's performance schedule was significantly reduced in November 2025.
During the 2025/2026 season, GSTT presented 97 performances and welcomed 12,361 spectators to its productions, educational projects, and special events.
The German State Theatre Timișoara would like to thank its audiences, partners, and collaborators for their trust and continued support and warmly invites spectators to join the theatre again for the upcoming season, which will open on 18 September 2026 with the musical Sister Act.
The German State Theatre Timișoara is a public performing arts institution funded by the Municipality of Timișoara.
