A citation for the award describes Warlikowski as an emblematic figure in post-communist theatre who has left his mark in international theatre with the memorable visions he has created.
The citation further says that “for over twenty years, Warlikowski has been the advocate for a profound renewal of the European language of theatre. Relying on references from cinema and an original use of video, inventing new forms of theatre that aim to re-establish the bond between the play and the audience, Warlikowski encourages the latter to rip away the paper backdrop of their lives and to discover what is really hidden underneath”.
Fifty nine-year old Warlikowski is the artistic director of the Nowy Theatre in Warsaw. He has to his credit highly acclaimed productions of Shakespeare, Greek tragedies and plays by modern authors, all co-produced with leading European companies and festivals, including the Odéon Théâtre de l’Europe in Paris, Festival d’Avignon, Greek Festival in Athens, and Théâtre Royal de la Monnaie in Brussels. Many of them have been presented in Edinburgh, Vienna, South Korea and China.
Opera is another chapter of Warlikowski’s work. He has directed operas by Mozart, Wagner, Shostakovich, Bartok and Berg in Brussels, Paris, Madrid, Munich, London and Salzburg.