Composers and their stage works 


Max FRISCH

Swiss novelist, dramatist and essayist: Born Zurich 15 May, 1911. Died Zürich 4th April , 1991

Stage Works

  1. Santa Cruz. Eine Romanze. Dream play, or romance, 5 acts. Written 1944. Published 1947. Produced Zurich, Schauspielhaus, Mar. 7, 1946.

  2. Nun singen sic wieder: Versuch eines Requiems (Now They Sing Again: Attempt at a Requiem). Dramatic requiem for victims of World War II, 2 acts. Written 1945. Published 1946. Produced Zurich, Schauspielhaus, Mar. 29, 1945; Mannheim, Mannheimer National Theater, Sep. 21, 1947.

  3. Die Chinesische Mauer (The Chinese Wall). Allegorical play, or dramatic farce, 24 scenes, First version: Written 1946. Published 1947. Produced Zurich, Schauspielhaus, Oct. 10, 1946. Second version: Written 1955. Published 1955. Produced Berlin, Theater am Kurfürstendamm, Oct. 28, 1955. Third version: Produced Hamburg, Deutsches Schauspielhaus, Feb. 26, 1965. Fourth version ("Paris version"): Produced Paris, Jeune Théâtre National des Théâtres de 1'Odéon, Nov. 8, 1972.

  4. Als der Krieg zu Ende war (As the War Was Over). Written 1949. Published 1949. Produced Zurich, Schauspielhaus, Jan. 8, 1949. Second version: Produced Freiburg, Stadtische Bühnen, May 8, 1965.

  5. Graf Oderland (Count Oderland). Play in 10 scenes. Written 1951. Published 1951. Produced Zurich, Schauspielhaus, Oct. 2, 1951. Second version: Produced Frankfurt, Stadtische Bühnen, Feb. 4, 1956. Third version: Produced Berlin, Schiller-Theater, Sep. 25, 1961.

  6. Don Juan oder Die Liebe zur Geometric (Don Juan or The Love of Geometry). Comedy, 5 acts. Written 1953. Published 1953. Produced Zurich, Schauspielhaus and Berlin, Schiller-Theater, May 5, 1953.

  7. Biedermann and die Brandstifter (United States, The Firebugs; England, The Fire Raisers). Play in 6 scenes and an afterpiece. Written 1953 as a radio play. Produced Bayerischer Rundfunk, Mar. 26, 1953. Published 1955. Rewritten 1958 for television and stage. Published 1958. Produced Zurich, Schauspielhaus, Mar. 29, 1958; first production in Germany, including the Nachspiel (Afterpiece), Frankfurt, Stadtische Bühnen, May 28, 1959.

  8. Rip van Winkle. Radio play. Written 1953. Published 1960. Produced Bayerischer Rundfunk, June 16, 1953. Based on the tale by Washington Irving (1819).

  9. Eine Lanze fur die Freiheit (A Lance for Freedom). Radio play. Produced Bayerischer Rundfunk, June 14, 1955.

  10. Die grosse Wut des Philipp Hotz (The Great Fury of Philipp Hotz). Farce, 1 act. Written 1958. Published 1958. Produced Zurich, Schauspielhaus, Mar. 29, 1958. Intended as a sequel to Biedermann und die Brandstifter.

  11. Andorra. Radio play, 12 scenes. Written 1959. Rewritten for stage 1961. Published 1961. Produced Zurich, Schauspielhaus, Nov. 2-4,1961.

  12. Zürich-Transit. Film script. Written 1965. Published 1966. Produced German television, January 1966; Swiss television, July 27, 1966. Because of production difficulties, the manuscript was merely read with the author's participation.

  13. Biografie (Biography). Play, 2 acts. Written 1967. Published 1967. Produced Zurich, Schauspielhaus, Feb. 1-3, 1968.

  14. Triptychon (Triptych). Play, 3 scenes. Written 1978. Published 1978. Produced (in French translation) Lausanne, Théâtre Municipal, Oct. 10, 1979; (in Polish translation) Warsaw, April 16, 1980. First German language production, Vienna, Akademie Theater, Feb. 1, 1981.

[compiled by Tamara S. Evans]

Further Reading

  • Play is Play by Peter Yang (2000);
  • Max Frisch: Das Werk by Walter Schmitz (1985);
  • Max Frisch: Das Spätwerk by Walter Schmitz (1985);
  • Max Frisch by Alexander Stephan (1983);
  • Max Frisch, ed. by G.P. Knapp (1979);
  • The Novels of Max Frisch by M. Butler (1976);
  • Max Frisch: das literarische Tagebuch by R. Kaiser (1975);
  • Max Frisch: die Dramen by M. Jurgensen (1968);
  • Max Frisch by E. Stäube (1967);
  • Frisch und Dürrenmatt by H. Bänziger (1960)