Léa Tirabasso, winner of the Lëtzebuerger Danzpräis; Credit: MCULT

On Friday 22 September 2023, the second joint awards ceremony of the "Lëtzebuerger Danzpräis" (Luxembourg dance prize) and the "Lëtzebuerger Theaterpräisser" (Luxembourg theatre prizes) took place at the Escher Theater in Esch-sur-Alzette.

Organised by Luxembourg's Ministry of Culture, in collaboration with the Theater Federatioun, TROIS C-L and ASSITEJ Luxembourg, the awards ceremony took place in the presence of the Grand Duchess of Luxembourg and the Minister of Culture, Sam Tanson, as well as as many artists and representatives of the cultural sector. It was hosted by Jacques Schiltz and Claire Wagener.

This edition of the awards included several new features, such as the introduction of a new "Kanner- a Jugendtheaterpräis" (chidren and youth theatre prize) as well as two new Theaterpräisser categories, for best production and on-stage acting.

Lëtzebuerger Danzpräis: Grand Duchess Maria Teresa and jury president Carole Lorang presented the award to choreographer and dancer Léa Tirabasso.

Nationalen Theaterpräis (national theater prize): Minister Tanson and jury member Claude Mangen presented the award to Marja-Leena Junker, actress, director and former director of the Théâtre du Centaure.

Theaterpräis - Bescht Stéck (best production): Tom Leick-Burns, director of the Théâtres de la Ville de Luxembourg, and jury president Catherine Elsen presented the award to Larisa Faber's Stark Bollock Naked.

Theaterpräis - Op der Bün - Schauspill (on-stage acting): Antonia Kohler, deputy director of the Théâtre National du Luxembourg, and jury member Josée Hansen presented the award to Brigitte Urhausen for her portrayal of Émilie Blum in Madame Köpenick.

Theaterpräis - Op der Bün - Text, Konzept a Regie (prize for text, concept and direction of an on-stage work): Nathalie Jacoby, director of the Centre National de Littérature, and jury member Claude Mangen presented the award to Guy Helminger for the text of Madame Köpenick.

Theaterpräis - Hannert der Bün (behind the stage): Ben Bauler, production manager of the Escher Theater, and jury president Catherine Elsen presented the award to Peggy Wurth for the costumes and scenography of Zu unseren Schwestern, zu unseren Brüdern.

Theaterpräis - Nowuesstalent (emerging talent): Aspro president Nora Koenig and jury member Sascha Dahm presented the award to Timo Wagner for his portrayal of Puck in Songe d'une Nuit...

Kanner- a Jugendtheaterpräis: Laura Graser, founding member of ASSITEJ, and jury member Odile Simon presented the award to GO! by Artezia ASBL and Corps in situ in co-production with Escher Theater, Rotondes and Cité Musicale (Metz).

The Theaterpräisser have six categories endowed with prizes of €10,000 (Nationalen Theaterpräis), €4,500 (Theaterpräis - Op der Bün - Schauspill, Theaterpräis - Op der Bün - Konzept, Text a Regie and Theaterpräis - Hannert der Bün) and €3,500 (Theaterpräis - Nowuesstalent), respectively. The prize for best production (Theaterpräis - Bescht Stéck), rewarding a creation as a whole, is an honorary prize.

The Kanner- a Jugendtheaterpräis is endowed with €4,500 and rewards a production as a whole. It intends to reward a live show for its quality and relevance, as well as the coherence between all the elements of the creation.

The Lëtzebuerger Danzpräis has been awarded every two years by the Ministry of Culture since 2011. Endowed with €10,000, its objective is to reward the artistic merit of a choreographer or dancer in the world of choreographic art.

For this second edition of the joint awards ceremony, the winners also received a necklace featuring golden clapping hands, created by Luxembourg artist-designer Anne-Marie Herckes.