# Arturo Ui Opens Landestheater Niederösterreich

September 20, 2026 at 02:37 PM

> Patricia Nickel-Dönicke debuts her tenure in St. Pölten with a multi-director production of Bertolt Brecht’s political parable.

Artistic director Patricia Nickel-Dönicke launched her tenure at **Landestheater Niederösterreich** with **Bertolt Brecht**'s 1941 play, '**The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui**.' This nearly three-hour production features 11 directors and a cast from the local ensemble.

The staging by Wolfgang Menardi utilizes a Chicago car graveyard set with Austrian flags and a crucifix. In this parable, Chicago represents Germany while Cicero stands for Austria, following a vegetable merchant consortium and the rise of character Arturo Ui.

Bettina Kerl and Max Kurth share the lead role, supported by a score from Tobias Schwencke and music from 'The Sopranos.' Featuring a Brecht puppet and a disco ball, the play explores political power dynamics through a unique, multi-director lens in **St. Pölten**.


#LandestheaterNiederösterreich #BertoltBrecht #ArturoUi [#StPölten](<https://austriareport.com/hashtag/stp%C3%B6lten>) #AustrianTheater

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