Thursday, August 2, 2012

Montblanc Sponsors Young Directors in Salzburg Festival Competition

Tick Tock Productions of South Africa performs in the production of Trapped.

For the 11th consecutive year, Montblanc is involved in a theater competition for up-and-coming international directors and their ensembles, held during the annual Salzburg Festival.

Known as the “Young Directors Project,” it promotes “young, emerging theatre directors with innovative ideas who offer an unconventional approach to the questions of modern society.” Montblanc and Sven-Eric Bechtolf, director of Drama of the Salzburg Festival, invited a selection of theater ensembles from around the world, selected by a jury, to present their productions at the annual festival in Salzburg, Austria. 

The limited edition Hommage à Max Reinhardt fountain pen.

Montblanc covers all costs of bringing the groups to Salzburg as well as the awards and prize money. The ensemble and director with the most convincing performance will receive the Montblanc Young Directors Award, 10,000 euros ($12,180) in prize money and the Montblanc limited edition Hommage à Max Reinhardt fountain pen that is exclusively available during the Salzburg Summer Festival.

The crowd outside the theater during the opening night performance.

The project opened July 31 with the premiere of Trapped by Tick Tock Productions of South Africa. The project will run till August 26 and will feature four other performances:

* Jakob Michael Reinhold Lenz by Theater Montagnes Russes of Austria

* Éternelle Idole, and This is how you will disappear by Gisèle Vienne of France

* Hamlet Cantabile Performance Group by Tuida of South Korea 

Teri Hatcher, who attended the performance and the Montblanc premiere party, signs autographs.

Following the July 21 performance, Montblanc held a reception, followed by a premiere party in Salzburg. Guests came from all over the world and included actresses Teri Hatcher, Rosario Dawson and Sarah Marshall, designer Jean Claude Jitrois and actor Clemens Schick. 

Please join me on the Jewelry News Network Facebook Page and on Twitter  @JewelryNewsNet.