Jessner, Leopold

The Concise Oxford Companion to the Theatre | 1996 | 700+ words | Copyright

Jessner, Leopold (1878–1945), German theatre director, who abandoned the use of representational scenery in favour of a bare stage on different levels connected by stairways (Jessnertreppe or Spieltreppe). During his years as Director of the Staatliche Schauspiele in Berlin (1919–30), where he had Fritz Kortner as his leading actor, he was considered one of the most advanced exponents of Expressionism and his work greatly influenced the contemporary theatre. Among his outstanding productions were Schiller's Wilhelm Tell in 1919, Shakespeare's Richard III and Wedekind's Der Marquis von Keith in 1920, and Hauptmann's Die Weber in 1928. He left Germany in 1933, and after a short stay in London went to the USA, where he died.

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PHYLLIS HARTNOLL and PETER FOUND. "Jessner, Leopold." The Concise Oxford Companion to the Theatre. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. 30 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

PHYLLIS HARTNOLL and PETER FOUND. "Jessner, Leopold." The Concise Oxford Companion to the Theatre. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. (May 30, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O79-JessnerLeopold.html

PHYLLIS HARTNOLL and PETER FOUND. "Jessner, Leopold." The Concise Oxford Companion to the Theatre. 1996. Retrieved May 30, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O79-JessnerLeopold.html

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