Anton Aicher was the founding Artistic Director

Artistic director

An artistic director is the executive of an arts organization, particularly in a theatre company, that handles the organization's artistic direction. He or she is generally a producer and director, but not in the sense of a mogul, since the organization is generally a non-profit organization...

 of the Salzburg Marionette Theatre

Salzburg Marionette Theatre

Salzburg Marionette Theatre was established in 1913 and is one of the oldest continuing marionette theatres in the world. It is based in the city of Salzburg, Austria. Original productions featured live actors and musicians. Today soundtracks are recorded...

. He founded the company in 1913 and was its leader until his death.

Background

Aicher was born in a small village in southern Styria in Austria. His talent for carving was recognised at an early age and he was sent to study with the well known maker of altar pieces. His interest in figures in motion took him to Munich

Munich

Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...

 to one of the masters of puppetry Papa Schmid 

Influences

One of the greatest influences on Aicher was the work of Count Franz Pocci

Count Franz Pocci

Count Franz Graf von Pocci was a significant official in the court of King Ludwig the First of Bavaria. However, he is best known as the founding Director of the Munich Marionette Theatre, shadow puppeteer and author of countless puppet plays and childrens' stories.Pocci, in collaboration with...

, founder of the Munich Marionette Theatre.

Salzburg Marionette Theatre

In 1913, Aicher founded the Salzburg Marionette Theatre. The company opened on 27 February, 1913 with a production of Mozart's opera, Bastien and Bastienne
. In October of the same year, Aicher hired the gymnasium of the Borromaeum seminary and installed his company there. The venue was the home of the Salzburg Marionette Theatre for 49 years.

World War I did not interrupt the workings of the theatre company. In 1926, Aicher handed over the management of the theatre to his son, Hermann Aicher. 1927 saw the first tour of the company to Hamburg

Hamburg

-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...

, Germany

Germany

Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...

. This tour started a tradition that still continues today.

Legacy

Professor Anton Aicher's company continues to flourish today under the artistic direction of his granddaughter, Gretl Aicher

Gretl Aicher

Gretl Aicher is the Artistic Director of the Salzburg Marionette Theatre.-Background:Gretl Aicher took over the position of Artistic Director of the famous Salzburg Marionette Theatre in 1977 on the death of the former director, Hermann Aicher. With her father she has been linked for a...

.

External links

• - Salzburg Marionette Theatre homepage of the Salzburg Marionette Theatre - available in English and German