Heroes' Square

Following the successful production *Café Schindler*, director Jessica Glause turns her attention to another chapter in Austrian (theater) history. In early 2026, she examines *THE* scandalous play from 1988 to assess its relevance today and its political references: anti-Semitism, trauma, displacement, and right-wing populism. Where do we stand in Austria and Europe today?

“What writers write / is nothing compared to reality …”
Thomas Bernhard

In his final play, Thomas Bernhard already knew exactly how to portray the political, moral, and intellectual conditions so that we, the audience, would find our laughter stuck in our throats. The great artistry of this comedy certainly lies in its poetic, musical language, its now-legendary exaggerations, and its biting humor. Commissioned for the commemorative year of 1988 (50th anniversary of the Anschluss) and the 100th anniversary of the Vienna Burgtheater, Heldenplatz sparked a scandal even before its premiere, and suddenly all of Austria became a theater stage:

“What remains for this poor, immature people / is nothing but the theater / Austria itself is nothing but a stage”
Thomas Bernhard

The fate of Josef Schuster—persecuted by the Nazis as a Jew, returned from Oxford to Vienna, and driven to suicide by his disillusionment with Austrian society, which remained steeped in anti-Semitism and undemocratic practices—captivated all of Austria—from the Federal President to the taxi driver.

At the Tyrolean State Theater, musician Mira Lu Kovacs weaves together piano sounds, beats, and romantic melodies with a delicate touch, creating music that at times is minimally interwoven and at others powerfully breaks free from the pattern to become an integral part of the production. A citizens’ choir, using new texts by Austrian author Elias Hirschl, will explore the precise areas of tension that shape our present day.