Krystian Lupa

Krystian Lupa studied at Jagiellonian University, Jan Matejko Academy of Fine Arts in Krakow and National Film School in Łódź. The recorded working language is Polish. The field of work recorded is theatre company, directing and scenography. Employment is recorded with AST National Academy of Theatre Arts in Kraków, Juliusz Słowacki Theatre and Bagatela Theatre. Distinctions recorded are Nestroy Theatre Prize, Europe Theatre Prize, Golden Medal for Merit to Culture and Commandeur des Arts et des Lettres.

• Born — 7 November 1943 • Birthplace — Jastrzębie-Zdrój, Poland • Education — Ludwik Solski Academy for the Dramatic Arts • Occupation — stage director • Years Active — 1977–present • Partner — Piotr Skiba • Awards — Swinarski Award (1988) Leon Schiller Award (1992) Witkacy Prize – Critics' Circle Award (2000) Europe Theatre Prize (2009) Nestroy Theatre Prize (2014)

He studied physics at the Jagiellonian University in Kraków, between 1963 and 1969 he studied graphics at the Kraków Academy of Fine Arts, also film directing at the National Higher School of Film in Łódź and finally, theatre directing at the Ludwik Solski Academy for the Dramatic Arts. After graduation, he worked at the Cyprian Kamil Norwid Theatre in Jelenia Góra. In Łódź, he started to collaborate with Konrad Swinarski, and was influenced by the works of Tadeusz Kantor. In 1976, he made his debut as a director by staging Sławomir Mrożek's play The Slaughterhouse at the Juliusz Słowacki Theatre in Kraków where he worked for many years. In this period, he explored in his works the spiritual condition of man in the era of deep cultural transformation. In 1986, he became the director of the National Stary Theatre in Kraków. Lupa is renowned for his specific methods of working with the text and actors in a very organic way also known as "laboratory rehearsals". He is known to translate and adapt the texts which he stages, at the same time designing the scenery and directing these productions. Occasionally, he appears on stage himself as the narrator. During his career he made a lot of notable productions based on texts of Robert Musil, Thomas Bernhard, Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Rainer Maria Rilke, Stanisław Ignacy Witkiewicz, Maxim Gorky or Witold Gombrowicz. He was awarded with numerous prominent awards which include Witkacy Prize – Critics' Circle Award, Gold Gloria Artis Medal, Order of Polonia Restituta, Ordre des Arts et des Lettres, Europe Theatre Prize and Austrian Decoration for Science and Art. In 2014, he received the Nestroy Theatre Prize for the staging of Thomas Bernhard's 1986 novel Woodcutters. He also received two nominations to Poland's top literary prize, the Nike Award, in 2002 for Labirynt and in 2004 for Podglądania. In 2016, he received the Golden Cross of the Stage Award in Lithuanina for staging Thomas Bernhard's play 'Heldenplatz' (Heroes' Square) in Lithuanian National Drama Theatre. In 2017, he became a member of the Polish Academy of Arts and Sciences. The same year, he created an adapted stage play, Mo Fei, combining several works by author Shi Tiesheng. Mo Fei premiered as the original play in the Tianjin Grand Theatre during the Lin Zhaohua Theatre Invitational Exhibition.

In June 2023, his play The Emigrants, based on the novel by W.G. Sebald, was cancelled by the Comédie de Genève and Festival d'Avignon as the director faced allegations of verbally abusing a number of team members involved in the project. The reason behind the cancellation was cited as "differences over the work philosophy". Lupa later apologized for his behaviour but at the same time noted the lack of efforts to discuss the matter and reach a compromise.

In 2008, he publicly came out as gay in an interview for Film magazine. His life partner is actor Piotr Skiba. In the 1960s, he was a member of the hippie movement and was in a relationship with painter Zbysław Marek Maciejewski (1946–1999).

Krystian Lupa worked in theatre company, directing and scenography. He was employed by AST National Academy of Theatre Arts in Kraków, Juliusz Słowacki Theatre, Bagatela Theatre, Helena Modrzejewska National Old Theater in Kraków and Polish Theatre in Wrocław. He belonged to Polish Academy of Learning.

Krystian Lupa is recorded with the occupation theatre director. Recorded with the occupation graphic artist. Recorded as having studied at Jagiellonian University, Jan Matejko Academy of Fine Arts in Krakow and National Film School in Łódź. Recognition and collections. Lupa received Nestroy Theatre Prize, Europe Theatre Prize, Golden Medal for Merit to Culture, Commandeur des Arts et des Lettres, Officer of the Order of Polonia Restituta and Order of Friendship.