Polish director receives Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement
Polish theatre and opera director Krzysztof Warlikowski has received the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement in Theatre 2021, awarded by La Biennale di Venezia.
Warlikowski received the award during the 49th International Theatre Festival in Venice on Saturday.
"The Golden Lion is for me not a crowning achievement but an obligation to continue my journey," Warlikowski said.
The 59-year-old director from Szczecin, who has been the director of the Nowy Theatre in Warsaw since 2008, has become a leading name in theatre, scooping numerous international awards.
The Board of Directors of La Biennale di Venezia described Warlikowski as "an emblematic figure in post-Communist theatre who has left his mark in international theatre with the memorable visions he has created."
"For over 20 years, Krzysztof Warlikowski has been the advocate for a profound renewal of the European language of theatre," reads the statement.
"Relying on references from cinema and an original use of video, inventing new forms of theatre that aim to re-establish the bond between the play and the audience.
"Invited to present his theatre productions at the major festivals around the globe, from Europe to the Americas, and to direct lyric operas in the most important opera houses, from Paris to London and Salzburg, Krzysztof Warlikowski is 'a free artist' who opens poetic breaches to cast a ray of raw light on the other side of the coin; who breaks through the crust of things to touch consciences," the statement continued.
