Theatertreffen26: Actor Katharina Bach receives the 3sat-Award
This year the actor Katharina Bach has been presented with the 3sat-Award as part of the 63rd Theatertreffen presented by Berliner Festspiele. She has won the award, which comes with 10,000 Euro in prize money, for her role in the Münchner Kammerspiele production of Wallenstein that has been invited to the festival. The award ceremony will take place on Saturday, 9 May 2026, following the performance at the Haus der Berliner Festspiele. The 3sat-Award will be presented by Markus Dillmann, Managing Editor of 3sat.
“Jan-Christoph Gockel’s double exposure of Wallenstein exposes the mechanics of war and the anatomy of the soldier. The need not only for external armour but also to armour-plate his soul and mind is demonstrated by Katharina Bach as Wallenstein’s Field Marshal Illo and in a brilliant closing monologue in which she casts all this armour aside in a manner that hurts to watch. In a muscle suit and with a bald pate, Bach is at first unrecognisable – but then very recognisable indeed because she allows his deep vulnerability to shine through all the swagger of this 'warrior' who is loyal to the point of imbecility. Behind his/her/our decisiveness is a burning fear. A brilliant performance that is timelessly true!”
- Comment from the award jury on the selection of Katharina Bach
The award jury – comprising Nora Hertlein-Hull (Director of Theatertreffen, Berliner Festspiele), Wolfgang Horn (editor of ZDF Music and Theatre Department) and Sabine Leucht (arts journalist and member of the Theatertreffen jury).
A portrait of the award-winner Katharina Bach will be shown in the 3sat magazine “Kulturzeit” on Thursday, 7 May 2026 at 19:20 h on 3sat. This item can be accessed from Friday, 1 May 2026 via the 3sat media library.
As Theatertreffen’s media partner, 3sat has presented the 3sat-Award every year since 1997 in recognition of an innovative artistic achievement by one or several artists belonging to the invited ensembles. Previous award winners have included Claudia Bauer, Lina Beckmann, Sandra Hüller, Milo Rau, Christoph Schlingensief and, most recently, Anita Vulesica.
3sat presents four “Starke Stücke”
Under the title “Starke Stücke” 3sat will show four current productions from the Theatertreffen in its programme.
These start on Saturday, 2 May 2026, at 20:15 h with Fräulein Else after Arthur Schnitzler’s novella from 1924, in an adaptation by Leonie Böhm and Julia Riedler – who is also seen in the role of Fräulein Else. The play, a tale of an individual under pressure and social expectations, was directed by Leonie Böhm at Volkstheater in Vienna.
On Saturday, 9 May 2026, at 20:15 h, it is followed by Jette Steckel’s production of Klaus Mann’s novel Mephisto at Münchner Kammerspiele. II Gattopardo can be seen on 3sat on Saturday, 16 May 2026, at 20:15 h. Director Pınar Karabulut has staged Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa’s novel about the decline of the old order as a multifaceted piece of storytelling theatre at Schauspielhaus Zürich.
On Sunday, 10 May 2026 3sat will broadcast a time-delayed livestream of Wallenstein. A feast of slaughter in seven courses at Theatertreffen from the Haus der Berliner Festspiele – it can be accessed from 17:00 h in the 3sat Media Library. Friedrich Schiller has been directed by Jan-Christoph Gockel at Münchner Kammerspiele.
All four “Starke Stücke” can be viewed from Friday, 1 May 2026, for at least one year in the 3satMedia Library and the BerlinerFestspiele Media Library.
3sat magazine “Kulturzeit” examines the art of acting
The 3sat magazine “Kulturzeit” on Thursday, 30 April 2026 at 19:20 h will present several Theatertreffen productions with a particular focus on the art of acting. “Kulturzeit” will explore what Julia Riedler feels her performance in Fräulein Else is able to achieve in terms of making the power of older men over younger women comprehensible. In Mephisto Thomas Schmauser examines where freedom of speech slips into authoritarian propaganda. And Paulina Alpen makes clear in Die Welt im Rücken what actor-based theatre can achieve with reference to bipolar disorder.
The programme can be viewed from Friday, 1 May 2026, in the 3sat Media Library.