The manager of the German State Theatre Timișoara (GSTT), Lucian Vărșăndan, will step down from his position starting September 1, 2026. He announced this to the GSTT staff on June 23, 2026, during the meeting marking the end of the 2025/2026 season.
Vărșăndan also outlined his decision in a letter addressed to the Timișoara City Council and Mayor Dominic Fritz, in which he explained, among other things, the reasons behind it: “In my view, the key objectives entrusted to me upon my return to the theatre management in 2021 have been achieved: the expansion and diversification of the repertoire, the strengthening of the ensemble, consistently strong audience attendance, theatre education projects, as well as collaborations, co-productions, and the theatre’s presence at national and international level have all contributed to enhancing its reputation and establishing the German State Theatre Timișoara as one of Romania’s most respected and highly regarded cultural institutions. Under these circumstances, I believe that the mission entrusted to me has been fulfilled.”
In his letter, the manager thanked the Timișoara city administration for its cooperation and expressed his hope “that the achievements of recent years will provide a solid foundation for the theatre’s continued development and will further strengthen its role in the cultural life of Timișoara and Romania.”
Born in Arad in 1975, Lucian Vărșăndan studied German Studies, English Studies, and Law in Timișoara after graduating from the Nikolaus Lenau High School. He joined the GSTT in 1999 as a dramaturg. He served as manager of the theatre from 2007 to 2017 and has held the position again since 2021. In 2016, he served for six months as State Secretary in Romania’s Ministry of Culture.
The German State Theatre Timișoara is the only cultural institution in Romania that produces and presents performances exclusively in German.
