On June 25, 2026, the official nominees for the German Theater Prize “DER FAUST” were announced. (DER FAUST Deutscher Buehnenverein)
Established in 2006 and named after Johann Wolfgang von Goethe’s landmark play, the annual award is widely regarded as Germany’s most prestigious national theater honor. Often compared to the Tony Awards in the United States, DER FAUST represents the highest level of recognition in the country's performing arts sector. Operating under the ethos of being an award “by theater professionals, for theater professionals,” it focuses strictly on artistic excellence, innovation, and diversity across the German theater landscape rather than commercial success or popularity.
The prize is jointly organized by the German Stage Association (Deutscher Bühnenverein) and the German Academy of Performing Arts (Deutsche Akademie der Darstellenden Künste), in cooperation with state cultural foundations. Public broadcaster 3sat and the trade magazine Die Deutsche Bühne serve as media partners. The ceremony is hosted each year by a different member theater of the German Stage Association, supported by financial contributions from the host city and federal state.
The physical FAUST trophy was designed by the renowned Austrian stage designer Erich Wonder. Inspired by a passage from Goethe’s text, the trophy takes the form of an outstretched human hand, symbolizing human desire and aspiration.
DER FAUST selects its winners through a strict three stage evaluation process overseen by two independent juries.
Nomination Proposals: Any member theater of the German Stage Association can submit entries across the official categories. To qualify, productions must have premiered on a German stage between April 1 of the preceding year and March 31 of the award year, and must involve living artists. To ensure impartiality, theaters cannot nominate their own productions, and individuals cannot propose works in which they were personally involved. Only new productions from other theaters are eligible for consideration.
Official Nominations: A specialized Nomination Jury (Nominierungskommission) reviews the eligible submissions to select three finalists per category. This panel consists of active industry professionals, including artistic committee members, directors, choreographers, dramaturges, journalists, and cultural policymakers, appointed by the two organizing bodies. Finalists are determined by a majority vote. Any jury member with a conflict of interest regarding a production must recuse themselves from the discussion and voting.
Final Selection: A separate, seven-member Final Award Jury (Preisträgerjury) selects the ultimate winners. Convened by the German Academy of Performing Arts, this jury comprises academy members and cultural sector experts. They conduct an in-depth review of the official nominees and vote by majority. Members tied to any nominated production are excluded from the entire deliberation and voting process at this stage as well.
DER FAUST evaluates productions nationwide, ranging from major metropolitan venues to publicly funded regional theaters. The award does not include prize money. Revised in 2022 to better represent modern performing arts, the current structure features 12 competitive categories alongside two special awards, grouped into four primary pillars.
Performers
- Theater Actor
- Opera and Musical Theater Singer
- Dancer
- Actor in Children’s and Young People’s Theater
Directing
- Theater Direction
- Opera Direction
- Choreography
- Direction in Children’s and Young People’s Theater
Stage Aesthetics
- Space and Stage Design
- Costume
- Media
- Cross-Disciplinary
Genre Crossing (Awarded to visual and performing arts collectives pushing traditional boundaries through experimental and innovative approaches.)
Special Awards
- Lifetime Achievement Award (Preis für das Lebenswerk, Honoring individuals who have dedicated their lives to the advancement of the performing arts.)
- Perspective Award of the Federal States (Perspektivpreis der Länder, Recognizing forward-looking artistic or cultural policy projects.)
The 20th annual ceremony took place on November 15, 2025, at Theaterhaus Stuttgart. Major highlights included Thomas Schmauser winning the Theater Actor Award for Mephisto at Münchner Kammerspiele, and Bettina Ranch taking home the Opera and Musical Theater Singer Award for her role in Parsifal at Aalto Musiktheater Essen. William Forsythe won the Choreography Award for Blake Works V with the Hamburg Ballet, while Jana Vetten won for Theater Direction with Nora. The Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to director Brigitte Dethier for her extensive contributions to children’s and youth theater development.
The upcoming 21st edition will be held on November 14, 2026, at the Hessisches Staatstheater Wiesbaden. Notable nominees in this year's Opera and Musical Theater Singer category include Ambur Braid (Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk at Komische Oper Berlin), Nadine Lehner (The Fiery Angel at Theater Bremen), and Richard Glöckner. Theater Bremen has garnered significant attention this season, securing three nominations across opera and contemporary dance categories. The final winners will be announced live during the ceremony.
Which of this year's nominees are you most excited to see win?
