This man is what he drinks: black coffee. And a strong Robusta blend to boot – not for the faint-hearted. Energising, stimulating, empowering. At the age of 45, Benedikt von Peter is also quite young to be a theatre director, his reserves of energy still bursting. “I started my career early, and I was already a director by the time I was 26 years old”, he recalls. “Everything happened very quickly somehow or other.” So the directorship of the theatre is a logical consequence of his career – coupled with his wish for a more settled lifestyle, because until eight years ago he was a freelance director and therefore on the road a lot. And we can be happy that he made this move to Switzerland – first to Lucerne, and now to Basel. Because he has a lot of plans.
The foyer as a place for encounters
We are sitting in the comfortable theatre café, which is part of the Foyer Public. For about a year now, the foyer has been used as an addition to the city’s public spaces and thus also as a place where theatre professionals and the general public can meet. In the meanwhile, people have started to meet in the Foyer Public to work, discuss, read, play, dance or just chill. However, chilling out is not what we’ll be doing for the next three quarters of an hour, because with Benedikt von Peter you need to pay the utmost attention. There is scarcely any time for digressions, because the 45 minutes are strictly arranged. And in fact, everything in the life of this young theatre director seems to be jam-packed. His free time? He loves to spend it with his wife and young son. “That’s when I feel the most relaxed, that or when I’m having a good conversation with friends.” Relaxing in his social environment. But with working days lasting 16 – 17 hours, there’s not that much free time available. Then there are the many evenings when he has to be at the theatre. “Working in theatre is often not very family-friendly, that is just how it is structured”, he explains. “Mind you, the theatre world is developing too and more and more attention is being paid to making family life possible.” This incompatibility may be one of the reasons Benedikt von Peter wants to entice more children into the theatre – on stage and in the audience.
The power of children
The St. Matthew Passion that he staged was the first time there was a group of children re-enacting the Passion composed by Johann Sebastian Bach. Opera, or rather an oratorio and children, is that a good combination? “A very good one actually, if the music is beautiful. And emotions can be conveyed through singing, so that the scenes are almost self-explanatory”, as the director knows from his experience of working with those children. “What’s more, the stories of the suffering and death of Christ and the virtues associated with them are familiar and therefore quickly told. It was the realisation of this elaborate project that was much more difficult.” The children’s dedication surprised even this experienced professional: “It is amazing what the children managed up there on the stage, especially the children’s choir, because the oratorio is not easy to sing. And the rehearsals during the pandemic were a challenge for everyone.” On the whole, there tend to be more children in the audience when there are children on stage, although the psychological barrier for taking them to the opera is still higher than for drama or ballet. Benedikt von Peter recommends just taking children along to the opera. “It doesn’t have to be Richard Wagner.” As a start – particularly for young children – productions like the Trallalali Trallalala! opera which has been playing on the small stage since 10 June are particularly suitable for younger children. It was developed together with the children and only lasts an hour.
Making theatre more easily accessible
But it is not just the children whom he is hoping will discover the pleasures of opera in particular, and what the theatre has to offer in general. Benedikt von Peter wants to open theatre up to a wider segment of the general population, so that the audience becomes more mixed. His concept for the Foyer Public is the first important step he has taken in that direction. “The theatre’s location was crucial to this decision, because all around us there is an incredibly dense network of cultural institutions, welcoming cafés and ideal accessibility”, enthuses Benedikt von Peter. “The aim is that people don’t just wander past, but overcome their inhibitions and get to know these institutions.” It is very clear how important dialogue and interaction are to him – with the other cultural institutions nearby as well. “I want to bring different peer groups together, different generations, different interests. With sport, games, discussions or other types of encounters.” As is already the case with the Digital Café arranged by Pro Senectute, which takes place regularly in the foyer. Students help elderly people with their queries about digital applications. Coffee, not just a source of energy, but also an icebreaker.
