Andrea Eckert: The fascinating journey to the role of Maria Callas

Andrea Eckert: The fascinating journey to the role of Maria Callas

As part of the program "Coffee and Cake", ORF editor Clemens Janout had the opportunity to speak to the talented actress Andrea Eckert. Eckert, who is 66 years old and had Engagements on renowned stages such as the Burgtheater and the Vienna Volkstheater in her career, is currently shining in the role of the legendary opera singer Maria Callas. The play "Master class" celebrated its premiere at the Volkstheater in Vienna for the first time in 1997 and shows impressive achievements that Eckert knows again and again in the over 30 years of the play. In the conversation, Eckert expressed her fascination for the complex figure of the Callas. She explained that this role was a life's work for her and that she had learned a lot about herself through the figure. "She was such an outstanding singer of the last century ... her attitude to art and devotion are admirable," she revealed. According to their own statements, there are parallels between their person and Callas, which Eckert already felt when the play was first read.

The power of the theater

theater is not only her job, but also her refuge. In her youth she experienced difficult times that she couldn't do alone. "I knew I had to go to a place where people perceive me," she recalled and explained how much it helped her to find contact with other people through art. Her path to the theater came after a cancellation for the Max Reinhardt seminar, which she did not stop her from continuing to follow her dream.

Eckert firmly believes in the importance of the theater today and sees it as a place where stories are told and emotions are shared. "The theater is one of the last analogous places where you are in common and experience something," she said. She fulfills this direct interaction with the audience with enthusiasm and confirms the relevance of the theater for her in the digital era.

audience in Klagenfurt enthusiastic

Eckert is particularly impressed by the Klagenfurt audience, who meets her performance with great enthusiasm. "I was moved to tears of warmth and enthusiasm," she reports, emphasizing that the complex nature of the piece is also well understood by the audience. "The Klagenfurt audience really overwhelmed me. It is an admiration that I didn't expect," she added.

Andrea Eckert communicates with her audience in a way that makes the theater a lively experience. "I believe that people come to tell stories," she says, emphasizing the importance of personal exchange on stage. Ultimately, she sees herself as part of this greater whole and leads her commitment to this special place with passion.

With a look at her career, Eckert emphasizes the challenges of the acting profession, which often also require personal victims from her. "I really crashed into this profession with skin and hair. The life decisions that I deliberately made," she admits. Nevertheless, she feels in her role and on stage and says: "The stage is my home." The thoroughbred player shows that her legend is far from being told.

The representation of Maria Callas not only remains an acting performance for Andrea Eckert, but also a personal journey. This illustrates the power of the theater, which in times of digital distraction enables an incomparable connection between the artist and the audience. Your trip will have many other stations ready, and she remains excited about what the future brings while she continues to live at the moment and sees the stage as her home.

Further information can be found in detailed reports on Andrea Eckert and their role in "Master class" at kaernten.orf .