On Happiness in Turbulent Times
With the fascinating phrase ‘Violently Happy’ – which Björk made world-famous in 1993 with her electrifying song – Wortwiege kicks off a season of creative exploration of happiness in turbulent times.
The exploration of the myths surrounding Troy continues in the forms of spoken-word and musical theater. The rediscovery of Lida Winiewicz’s biting comedy “Das Zimmer” as well as provocative plays by Olga Flor and Nataliya Lizorkina shed light on highly topical facets of the subject. Notable speeches by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Viktor Frankl, and others will be featured, as will passionate discussions in the public SALON with Paulus Hochgatterer, Dimitré Dinev, Franz Schuh, Lisz Hirn, Tamara Scheer, Franz-Stefan Gady, Olga Flor, Erich Prem, and other prominent guests.
Interactive theatre that sparks reflection: At the PUB QUIZ théâtral, participants compete for knowledge in a playful way, while at the MINNA-WERKSTATT, theatre enthusiasts can try their hand at the art of acting. And for those who want to delve even deeper into the experience after a performance, the new SÉPARÉE invites you to exchange impressions, thoughts, and questions about the evening’s theater performance with members of the Wortwiege artistic team in a cozy atmosphere and small group setting.
How do we preserve both the great and the small joys of life in the face of a present that is increasingly marked by violence? How do we deal with the sense of powerlessness this question plunges us into—whether we ask it or not? And in the face of violence, can happiness be not only permissible but even a form of resistance? Let’s play and start a conversation about it!
Anna Luca Krassnigg
(Artistic Director)
Wortwiege invites you to the traditional Festival Aperitif.
We are presenting the festival programme and introducing the season motto »Violently Happy«. On Happiness in Violent Times: background information on the programme, the featured theatre forms, as well as the artists and salon guests of this edition await you. We will highlight the central themes and look forward to an exchange at the bar and in the salon!
Moderation: Anna Luca Krassnigg
With artists from the festival
Free admission with advance registration:
Since 2020, the Wortwiege Festival has been transforming the impressive underground vaults of Wiener Neustadt’s historic Kasematten into a very special kind of theatre stage.
The Kasematten are close, they are easily accessible, they are beautiful – and full of life!
Wiener Neustadt combines historical depth with an active cultural scene and a lively city center.
Culinary, cultural and leisure tips and accommodation in Wiener Neustadt can be found in our city guide.
The Wortwiege Festival presents a spectrum of content-rich and unusual forms of theatre in the historic Kasematten Wiener Neustadt.
Under the artistic direction of Anna Luca Krassnigg, it combines gripping storytelling – from ancient material to contemporary drama – with philosophical thinking in the contemporary salon. Theatre, literature, film, architecture, music and design merge in the impressive atmosphere of the historic fortified building.
Listen to our SALON on Sunday as a podcast on all common podcast platforms after the festival.
In 2026, Wortwiege is taking a new step in combining art and science. Together with the University for Continuing Education Krems (UWK), we have developed a part-time course and degree program: “STAGE NARRATION – Storytelling for the stages of our time” is aimed both at theatre people who want to expand and deepen their practice, as well as people who want to use the mindset and tools of theatre for their work in writing, teaching, science, presentations or even politics and marketing.
The program is artistically directed by our director Jérôme Junod and is closely linked to the Wortwiege Festival.
Since 2004, Wortwiege has been creating transdisciplinary formats as a theatre and festival producer, intertwining art and science. It opens up spaces for theatre and thought at the same time.
By and starring Anna Luca Poloni (aka Anna Luca Krassnigg) and Christian Mair.
Fox On Ice operates at the intercreative intersection of music, literature, film, and theatre. It explores narratives of transformation through feminine and fluid perspectives and strategies.
New from September 2026: “STAGE NARRATION” course and master’s degree program at Danube University Krems in cooperation with Wortwiege.
Thinking Beyond the Festival?
The conversations and discussions from the Sunday science program SALON are available on all major podcast platforms.
The Wortwiege Festival was accepted into the International Alliance of Independent Theatre (IATL)—an international network of independent theater makers dedicated to supporting performing artists and theater companies—from among numerous applicants.
