Caspar Neher (born Rudolf Ludwig Caspar Neher; 11 April 1897 – 30 June 1962) was an Austrian-German scenographer and librettist, known principally for his career-long working relationship with Bertolt Brecht.

Neher was born in Augsburg. He and Brecht were school friends who were separated for a time by the First World War, during which Neher was awarded the Iron Cross, Second Class (on 2 February 1918). In 1919, he studied under Angelo Jank at the Academy of Fine Arts, Munich.[1] He was first engaged professionally by the Munich Kammerspiele in 1922, although his designs for its production of Brecht's Drums in the Night were rejected.[2] On 18 August 1923, Neher married Erika Tornquist in Graz.[2] Their son, Georg, was born on 14 October 1924.[3] In autumn of 1926, Neher became the staff designer at the Berlin Staatstheater.[3] A year later, he became head of design at the Grillo-Theater in Essen, Germany, where he designed 8 operas and 11 plays.[3] He died in Vienna.

Scenographic work

edit

(All plays by Bertolt Brecht unless otherwise stated.)

References

edit
  1. ^ Willett (1986, 118).
  2. ^ a b Willett (1986, 119).
  3. ^ a b c Willett (1986, 120).
  4. ^ Willett (1967, 145–146).

Sources

edit
  • Sacks, Glendyr. 1994. "A Brecht Calendar." In The Cambridge Companion to Brecht. Ed. Peter Thomson and Glendyr Sacks. Cambridge Companions to Literature Ser. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0-521-41446-6. p. xvii–xxvii.
  • Willett, John. 1967. The Theatre of Bertolt Brecht: A Study from Eight Aspects. Third rev. ed. London: Methuen, 1977. ISBN 0-413-34360-X.
  • Willett, John. 1986. Caspar Neher: Brecht's Designer. London and New York: Methuen. ISBN 0-413-41240-7.