On Thursday 7 August 2025, Luxembourg’s Ministry for Culture announced the shortlist of nominees for the Lëtzebuerger Bünepräisser, which will be awarded on Thursday 25 September 2025, at 19:30, at the Mierscher Theater in Mersch.
The ministry announced that for the first time the Lëtzebuerger Bünepräisser (Luxembourg Stage Awards) will bring together several existing awards under one name: the Theaterpräisser (established in 2021); the Kanner- a Jugendtheaterpräis (2023); and the Lëtzebuerger Danzpräis (2011).
Organised by the Ministry of Culture in collaboration with the Theater Federatioun, the awards cover six prize categories, recognising artists and productions in theatre, dance and musical theatre.
According to the ministry, the 2025 edition introduces a new two-stage voting process. In the first stage, nominators from the performing arts sector – including public institutions, contracted partners with performing arts programmes, professionals in the field, venues, festival organisers, programmers and critics – submitted three nominations each for artists or projects that stood out over the past two seasons. From these submissions, the organisers compiled shortlists of five nominees per category. In the second stage, a jury appointed by the Minister for Culture, Eric Thill, will choose the winners. The jury will also select the recipients of the two national prizes – the Lëtzebuerger Theaterpräis and the Lëtzebuerger Danzpräis – at its sole discretion.
Members of the 2025 Jury:
• Mirka Costanzi – theatre educator;
• Jérôme Konen – Director, Kinneksbond – Centre culturel Mamer;
• Anne-Marie Reuter – teacher, author and publisher;
• Joël Seiller – hair and make-up artist;
• Isabel Spigarelli – journalist and theatre critic;
• Lis Trausch – representative of the theatre audience groups of Luxembourg City and Escher Theater;
• Andreas Wagner – dramaturge and lecturer.
Pablo Chimienti from Theater Federatioun will serve as jury secretary.
Shortlists and Award Summaries for the Lëtzebuerger Bünepräisser 2025
Best Youth Production: awarded for an outstanding dance, theatre or musical theatre creation aimed at young audiences. Prize: €4,500
Nominees:
• 8.23, TNL Jugendclub;
• D'Julie an den Aprikosejong, Théâtre du Centaure (co-produced with Kulturhaus Niederanven and Kinneksbond – Centre culturel Mamer);
• D'Prinzessin op der Ierbes, Escher Theater (co-produced with Prabbeli Wiltz, AllerRetour ASBL, Traffik Theater);
• Här Bë, Kopla Bunz ASBL (co-produced with neimënster);
• Minuit, Rotondes & Florence Kraus, Grégoire Terrier, Sophie Raynal, Coline Grandpierre (co-produced with Aalt Stadhaus and CAPE – Centre des arts pluriels Ettelbruck).
Best Production: an honorary (non-monetary) award recognising an outstanding dance, theatre or musical theatre production.
Nominees:
• Ce que j’appelle oubli, directed by Sophie Langevin (JUNCTiO, CAPE, Kinneksbond);
• Les glaces, directed by Sophie Langevin (Escher Theater, JUNCTiO);
• Prima Facie, directed by Marja-Leena Junker (Théâtre du Centaure);
• THE GAME – GRAND FINALE, artistic direction and choreography by Jill Crovisier (JC Movement Production and partners);
• The Great Chevalier, artistic direction by M. Chevalier and co-direction by Simone Mousset (Ballet national folklorique du Luxembourg, Simone Mousset Projects).
Emerging Talent: awarded to an artist at the beginning of a promising career. Prize: €3,500
Nominees:
• Catarina Barbosa – choreography for Mary’s Daughters;
• Sara Goerres – direction of Die Katze Eleonore;
• Juliette Moro – performances in Les jours de la lune, Les glaces, La poupée barbue;
• Antoine Pohu – scripts for Spring Awakenings and Pandora;
• Nora Zrika – performances in PatrIdiot, Toute vérité n’est pas bonne à dire, Daddy Issues;
Behind the Scenes: this prize highlights essential backstage contributions: set design, dramaturgy, costumes, lighting, sound, music, make-up and hair. Prize: €4,500
Nominees:
• Christian Klein – set design, including Prima Facie and Elena;
• Anouk Schiltz – set and costume design for productions including Cock, D'Julie an den Aprikosejong, Foxfinder, Molière: Intégrale, Stolen Ground;
• Marc Thein – lighting design;
• Michèle Tonteling – set design (Nornen) and costumes (Alphabet, SeleXion);
• Sophie Van den Keybus – set and costume design for Ladies Football Club and Ce que j'appelle oubli;
On Stage: Acting, Dance and Musical Theatre Performance: awarded to outstanding performers in acting, dance or musical theatre over the last two seasons. Prize: €4,500
Nominees:
• Céline Camara – Prima Facie;
• Jorge De Moura – Ce que j’appelle oubli;
• Catherine Elsen – SeleXion;
• Nora Koenig – Der Pelikan;
• Luc Schiltz – Ce que j’appelle oubli
On Stage: Text, Concept, Choreography and Direction: this award recognises exceptional directors, writers, dramaturges, choreographers, composers and librettists. Prize: €4,500
Nominees:
• Jill Crovisier – THE GAME – GRAND FINALE
• Simone Mousset – The Great Chevalier
• Myriam Muller – Molière: Intégrale and Elena
• William Cardoso – Baby, Angriff
• Léa Tirabasso – In the Bushes
National Awards
Lëtzebuerger Theaterpräis: this award honours a lifetime of work in Luxembourg theatre and sustained contribution to the field. Prize: €10,000
There is no shortlist for this category. The jury will announce the winner on 25 September.
Lëtzebuerger Danzpräis: this award recognises a lifetime of work in Luxembourg dance and a long-term commitment to the sector. Prize: €10,000
There is no shortlist for this category. The jury will announce the winner on 25 September.
Awards Ceremony
The ministry confirmed that actress Anne Klein, director Sara Goerres and writer Samuel Hamen will host the awards ceremony, which will be open to the public by reservation from early September.
