Interview with Suzanne Ziellenbach

Interview with Prof. Suzanne Ziellenbach, Professor of Speech Training and Acting at Alanus University of Arts and Social Sciences.

In a short introductory series, we would like to present our lecturers from the Acting department, who are now also teaching in the new degree programs perfomART and Business & Acting. Applications for these degree programs, unique in Germany, can be submitted at any time. Secure your place at university now!

Interview with Prof. Suzanne Ziellenbach, Professor of Speech Training and Acting at Alanus University of Arts and Social Sciences.

What has your artistic career path been like so far? 

After graduating from high school, I spent a wonderful academic year in Aix-en-Provence in southern France. I then studied speech training at the University of Münster for four years while also completing a Magister degree in German studies, Romance studies, and art history. From October 1984, I then studied acting at the Stuttgart University of Music and Performing Arts, graduating with a diploma in 1988. Since then, I have had many engagements in theatre, radio, film, and television. I did not want to accept a permanent position at a theatre because I also always wanted to have enough time for my two children. And I have taught a great deal. At various acting schools, but I have also taken on speech coaching or co-direction in various theatre productions.

1992  Direction of the cabaret program “Liebe und andere Katastrophen” by David Leuckert, awarded the cabaret prize `Wolfsburger Wolf´ //
2000  Co-direction for ” Das Traumkissen” by Yukio Mishima with what was then the 4th year of the Acting department at Folkwang University / Ensemble Award at the Drama School Festival in Potsdam and invited to the Theatre Festival of Russian Drama Schools in Moscow //
2002  Development of the chorus for the production  “Medea” by Euripides, directed by Nora Somaini  / Theatre Krefeld  Mönchengladbach
2002  Speech coaching for the production “Ibrahim Sultan” by D.K. von Lohenstein, directed by Hansgünther Heyme  / Ruhr Festival Recklinghausen as part of the 12th European Festival  // 
2019  Co-direction for ” Das Sherlock Musical” by B. Montazem and V. Bakhanov   / Urania Theatre Cologne //

Since when have you been teaching at Alanus University and what do you teach?

Since August 2008, I have been Professor of Speech Training and Acting in the Acting department. My focus is the core artistic subject of speech training. Alongside my teaching, over the years I have developed speech productions with students, performed my own literary programs at numerous symposia, and in 2016 I spent a year covering a professorship at the Hanover University of Music, Drama and Media.

What has been your favorite project so far that you have been involved in, and why?

After so many years of artistic work, that is difficult to say. I once played a detective inspector in a crime series for a year. That was a great joy. At the Braunschweig State Theatre, I played a leading male role, Philotas in `Philotas´ by Gotthold Ephraim Lessing. That was a wonderful challenge. And in all the speech performance programs that I develop with my students, we unleash our concentrated, passionate mastery together. Every single time, it is overwhelming.    

Photo: Frank Buchna