Farewell to Peter Simonchik at the Burgtheater

The actor passed away on May 29 at the age of 76. Even before the state funeral ceremony, the audience had the opportunity to see them off, after which the honorary member’s coffin was traditionally carried around the Burgtheater.

“a great and extraordinary person”

The director of the Burgtheater, Martin Koschek, praised Simonchik as “a remarkable and extraordinary person, fellow artist and friend who was one of the truly great actors of this country”. He appreciates him for his clear and frank opinion, his extraordinary theatrical instinct and his social and political stance.

As an actor, Simonischek was distinguished by “a very special sensitivity and intelligence,” and his special aura persisted in the auditorium. Christian Kircher, managing director of the Bundestheater Holding, also bowed to the actor: “The fact that he played on our stage was not a prize for him, but for our stadiums.”

The farewell words came from Simonischek himself

The Burgtheater’s former director, Karin Bergmann, also found moving words, praising Simonischek’s “always clear” compass and remembering him as “a free spirit, generous, always inspiring and curious”.

Simonichek is “the player who was never far from anything human” and whose love of theater did not stop at the slope. “The audience was important to you.”

Finally the last word was for Simonchik himself, whose interpretation of Alois Hergoth’s poem “Abscheid”, created in 2016 for the Ö1 series “Du Holde Kunst”, marked the end of the funeral ceremony.