Günther Schneider-Siemssen

Günther Schneider-Siemssen (7 June 1926 – 2 June 2015) was a German-born Austrian scenic designer, working as the chief designer for all Austrian State Theatres and the Salzburg Festival, where he created 28 productions for Herbert von Karajan and 60 for Otto Schenk. He was a pioneer in using lighting and projections on stage. He designed sets for major international opera houses.

Career Born Günther Schneider in Augsburg, he later adopted his second name, Siemssen, from his maternal grandfather. He spent his childhood and youth in Munich, originally wanting to become a conductor. He studied set design at the Akademie der Bildenden Künste München. Schneider-Siemssen died in Vienna after long term sickness just prior to his 89th birthday

Literature Kurt Becsi (ed.), Die Bühne als kosmischer Raum. Zum Bühnenbildschaffen by G. Schneider-Siemssen. Vienna, 1976 Josef Mayerhöfer (ed.), G. Schneider-Siemssen. 30 Jahre Bühnenschaffen. 1977 und . Günther Schneider-Siemssen: Die Bühne – Mein Leben. Vienna 1998.