CISA Award Winners

BALLET

Martina Piacentino (2025)

Martina Piacentino, who is an outstanding dancer in many roles as a member of the ensemble, impressed the jury for the CISA award in 2025 with her performance and interpretation of the title role in the dance theater piece ‘Frida’ (Kahlo). The clarity, straightforwardness, sensitivity and dominance with which Martina Piacentino approached the role and was absorbed in it were so authentic that she was remembered long after the performance. The jury members agreed that Martina Piacentino is our CISA 2025 award winner in the ballet category.

MUSIC THEATRE

Wiard Witholt (2025)

Wiard Witholt has been a strong pillar of the ensemble since 2017 and has always made a positive impression on us, whether in modern operas such as Solaris or in The Consul, among many others. In the 2024/2025 season, which is coming to an end, Wiard Witholt was once again the all-purpose weapon in the most diverse genres of musical theater. In La Cenerentola as Dandini, he not only made the ladies on stage fall in love with him. In Cosi fan tutte as Guglielmo, he inspired the audience with his self-understanding of how to deal with Mozart in an unusual directorial concept. The joy and professional interpretation both playfully and vocally in modern compositions such as Aufstieg und Fall der Stadt Mahagonny and Exportschlager convinced the jury.

The jury was unanimous: this year’s Golden CISA goes to Wiard Witholt. Congratulations on the theater prize!

DRAMA

Jenny Langner (2025)

Whether in Die Physiker, Tatort Augsburg, Frankenstein, Mord im Orientexpress or hildensaga.ein königinnendrama – this year’s CISA award winner in the acting category, Jenny Langner, is convincing in every role. Currently especially as the titular Nora in “Nora or a Doll’s Home” by Henrik Ibsen. From the well-behaved, blonde Barbie doll – constrained first by her father and then by her husband Torvald – she convincingly transforms herself into a naked, window mannequin with the intention or desire to live a self-determined life. Jenny Langner delivers an impressive physical performance, moving the whole time with spindly, awkward movements and spread fingers like a doll, perfectly illustrating the role ascribed to Nora – to be nothing more than a toy or accessory – and the constraints she is subject to and from which she wants to break free.
The Theaterfreunde Augsburg are therefore awarding her the Golden CISA for this outstanding performance. Congratulations!

AUDIENCE

Ricardo Fernando (2025) ‘FRIDA’

The prize was determined by the theater audience via online voting. The vote showed the large cross-section of audience preferences and was proof for us, the Theaterfreunde Augsburg e.V. as the support association, that the audience award is very important. Of the 16 new productions up for selection, 14 plays received audience votes this year. The race was exciting and first place changed hands several times between the plays Murder on the Orient Express, La Cenerentola, FRIDA and Nora or A Doll’s Home. In the end, the audience’s favorite piece was the dance theater production: ‘FRIDA (Kahlo)’, with around 20% of the votes.
Congratulations to Ricardo Fernando on the successful choreography and the “Golden CISA” audience award!

Award Winners 2024

BALLET

Nikolaos Doede (2024)

Der Theaterpreis geht in diesem Jahr an Nikolaos Doede.  Nik Doede, so nennen ihn alle die den Tanz und ihn verehren, ist seit Beginn der Intendanz André Bücker im Ensemble und hat in diesen sieben Jahren immer bewiesen, dass er eine konstante herausragende Figur im Ballett-Ensemble ist. Tänzer haben einen großen Freiheitsdrang, kommen und gehen, Nik Doede bleibt und ist eine starke Säule im Ensemble. Was uns besonders aufgefallen ist und freut, ist die große Begabung für Choreografie, die er immer wieder in der Serie Newcomer unter Beweis stellt. Eventuell auch einmal mit einem Repertoirestück?
Viel Kraft und Inspiration für die Zukunft wünschen wir Nik Doede, verbunden mit unseren Glückwünschen zum Theaterpreis ‚Goldene CISA‘.

MUSIC THEATRE

Jihyun Cecilia Lee (2024)

Der CISA Award im Bereich Musiktheater geht an dieses Jahr an Jihyun Cecilia Lee. Cecilia Lee hat uns in dieser Spielzeit 2023/2024 mit Ihren Interpretationen unterschiedlichster Rollen begeistert. Ob als Marzelline in der Oper Fidelio,  Violetta in Giuseppe Verdis La Traviata, Liu in Turandot auf der Freilichtbühne und Romilda in Serse am Sonntag 23. Juni 2024 oder in der Sinfonie Eroica von Beethoven.
Jeder Abend mit Cecilia Lee war für Musikfreunde ein schöner, erfüllter Abend den wir gerne mit Freude, Vehemenz umgesetzt in Applaus quittierten.
Wir wünschen Ihnen weiterhin großen Erfolg und uns viele Aufführungen mit Ihnen.

Herzlichen Glückwunsch zum Theaterpreis ‚Goldene CISA‘!

DRAMA

Kai Windhövel (2024)

Kai Windhövel kam 2017 nach Augsburg und stand seitdem in vielen Stücken auf der Bühne, u. a. in Peer Gynt, Die nötige Folter, Der Drache, Der Zauberberg, Jerusalem, Romeo und Julia. In dieser Spielzeit überzeugt er besonders in „Linda“, „Der Menschenfeind“ und „Viel gut essen“. Er gibt den „Alceste mit Inbrunst, diesen Griesgram auf Kreuzzug für das Gute, Wahre, Schöne. (…) Es ist ein Vergnügen zu erleben, wie Windhövel seine Sätze durch die Zähne presst, cholerisch an seinem Jackett zupft und als enttäuschter Idealist ächzt und japst…“,  so V. Lintner in ihrer Kritik für die Augsburger Allgemeine. In „Linda“ ist er der Chef der titelgebenden Protagonistin: korrekt im Verhalten, aber dennoch ein Fiesling. Für seine herausragenden Leistungen erhält Kai Windhövel die Goldene CISA‘. Herzlichen Glückwunschunsch!

AUDIENCE

Cornelia Maschner (2024)
‘Hedwig and The Angry Inch’

Der Preis wurde durch das Theaterpublikum per Online-Voting ermittelt. Die Abstimmung zeigte den großen Querschnitt an Publikumsvorlieben und war für uns als Förderverein der Beweis, dass der Publikumspreis sehr wichtig ist. Von den 18 neuen Produktionen die zur Auswahl standen, wurden dieses Jahr 16 Stücke mit Publikumsstimmen bedacht. Das Rennen war spannend und der 1. Platz wechselte mehrmals zwischen den Stücken Meister und Margarita, Hedwig and the Angry Inch und Charlie hin und her. Das Lieblingsstück des Publikums war dann zum Schluß mit gut 23 % der Stimmen: ‘Hedwig and The Angry Inch’.
Herzlichen Glückwunsch an Frau Cornelia Maschner zur gelungenen Inszenierung und zum Publikumspreis „Goldene CISA“!

BALLET

Gonçalo Martins da Silva (2023)

First of all, it must be said how happy we are about the high quality of all the dancers in the ensemble of the Augsburg State Theatre.

Nevertheless, one, time and again, with his outstanding personality and intense performance, has attracted attention in all productions of the Augsburg State Theatre Ballet, whether in “Godani-Goecke-Fernando” or “Kontraste”, “Dimensions of Dance 4” or “The Fairy Queen”.

The dance performance in the piece “Moving” by Peter Chu was also outstanding.

All these wonderful moments that we were able to experience with him led us to the decision that the CISA 2023 Theatre Award goes to Gonçalo Martins da Silva. Congratulations on this year’s CISA Award in the ballet category!

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MUSIC THEATRE

Sally du Randt (2023)

The jury chose Sally du Randt. She convinced the jury with her interpretation of Ellen Orford in the opera “Peter Grimes”. In addition to her vocal performance, she succeeded in believably supporting the leading actor and letting the opera thriller get under the skin. Leonore in the opera “Fidelio” was interpreted in a way that went to the heart, with minimalist actions, concentrating only on the voice. We also have lasting memories of her Leonore in a previous production.

In Arnold Schönberg’s monodrama “Erwartung” she once again proved her ability to change, depending on the requirements or interpretation of the director.

We had great moments when Sally du Randt interpreted opera roles by Richard Strauss: Ariadne in “Ariadne auf Naxos”, the title role in Salome and Chrysothemis, sister of Elektra. We also like to rave about her Vitellia in “La clemenza di Tito”.  Another prize-winner for the jury was Sally du Randt’s role interpretation of the wife Magda from “The Consul”.

We wish Sally du Randt -and us- many more good roles in the future.

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DRAMA

Sebastian Müller-Stahl (2023)

Since 2017 member of the Staatstheater Augsburg ensemble, Sebastian Müller-Stahl regularly gives strong performances, among others in Peer Gynt, Käthchen von Heilbronn, Der Sturm, Der Untergang des Egoisten Fatzer, Die Physiker, Der Drache, Auf dem Paseo del Prado mittags Don Klaus and many more. This season he was particularly brilliant as Johnny “Rooster” Byron in the German-language premiere of “Jerusalem”, for which he gave his all. An anti-hero, an outcast, a storyteller who reaches the point that only he believes in himself.

“Ingenious,” says Richard Mayr of the Augsburger Allgemeine, “how Sebastian Müller-Stahl explored this and stood in the limelight for four hours. Where did he stand?  He was always on the move, his Byron cannot stand still…”.
“He throws his body with power into this role of violence, as a dazzling forest rascal with muscles, whiskers and wrecking-ball charisma”, said Veronika Lintner, also from the Augsburger Allgemeine, in her review of the premiere in September 2022 – “and who, despite, or perhaps because of this? develops a certain charm and attraction, especially for the young people who come to him to live out their dreams, their longings.” Justifiably, there was enthusiastic applause for this commitment, for this energy time and again.”

Congratulations to Sebastian Müller-Stahl for this great performance and for this year’s theatre award “Golden CISA”.

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AUDIENCE

André Bücker  “Jerusalem” (2023)

All those interested in theatre voted online for the acclaimed production “Jerusalem” with 16.1% of all votes at the top and thus for the Audience Award of the 2022/23 season!  The extremely lively participation in the voting for the most popular play produced a large cross-section of audience preferences and is proof for us as the Friends of the Staatstheater that such an award, in addition to honoring individual artists in the individual sections, will continue to be fully justified in the future. Out of 28 productions, 26 received audience votes.

The presumed favorites, a well-known opera or the ballets that are very popular in Augsburg, were not able to come out on top this year. The favorites even changed several times in the course of the voting. First place therefore for the German-language premiere of Jez Butterworth’s play ‘Jerusalem’.  A double success for ‘Jerusalem’, after the ‘Golden CISA’ in the drama category was awarded to Sebastian Müller-Stahl, among others, for his outstanding performance in this play.

Congratulations to State Director André Bücker on this production and thus on the audience award “Golden CISA”!

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