A production by portraittheater Vienna
in cooperation with Freie Universität Berlin

Lise Meitner (1878-1968), a double migrant, voluntarily and involuntarily, the first woman to receive a physics professorship in Germany. A woman in a field unusual for her time. A scientist who remains in close contact with her colleagues Otto Hahn and Max von Laue on scientific and political issues, even at a distance. Starting from the discovery of nuclear fission in 1938 the play takes us to moments of Lise Meitner‘s career and shows how everyday work and the conditions of research change in extreme political situations.

The play „CORE ISSUES“ by portraittheater Vienna under the direction of Sandra Schueddekopf brings Lise Meitner (Anita Zieher), Otto Hahn (Dietmar Koenig – videos/Dennis Kozeluh – voice) and Max von Laue (Christoph Gareisen) back into the lecture hall and transforms it into a stage. It was initiated by the physicist Heinz-Eberhard Mahnke. The story is brought to life with the help of the Berliner Capella choir and live light projections by Katrin Bethge. The project is an extraordinary collaboration between science and art, both in the performance and in the development of the play.

Premiere in English: Thursday, 21.12.2023, 19:00
Freie Universität Berlin (FU): Henry-Ford-Bau, Garystr. 35, 14195 Berlin
on the occasion of 75 years FU Berlin

Duration: 90 Minutes

https://www.fu-berlin.de/presse/informationen/fup/2023/fup_23_299-theaterstueck-lise-meitner/index.html

Registration: einladungcoreissues@physik.fu-berlin.de

Producer: portraittheater
Host: Freie Universität Berlin
Director and author (with original quotes and letters): Sandra Schueddekopf
Lise Meitner: Anita Zieher
Max von Laue: Christoph Gareisen
Otto Hahn (video): Dietmar Koenig; Voice: Dennis Kozeluh
Light art: Katrin Bethge; Light art assistant: Maj-Lene Tylkowski
Music: Chor Berliner Cappella, Sergi Gili Solé (Conductor), Katharina Landl (piano) and Uta von Willert (Vocal soloist)
Videos: Karl Boerner
Costume: Lejla Ganic
Tour assistant: Rudi Hausmann
Photos: Reinhard Werner und Urban Ruths; Bernd Wannenmacher/FU
Translation: Dennis Kozeluh 
Synchronisation: Rupert Derschmidt, Sandra Schueddekopf
Voice coach: Bronwynn Mertz-Penzinger
Project manager: Heinz-Eberhard Mahnke

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Deutsche Physikalische Gesellschaft
Wilhelm und Else Heraeus-Stiftung
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