Walter Meierjohann has been appointed artistic director of theatre for Home, the new organisation formed from the merger of Manchester's Cornerhouse and Library Theatre Company.
Meierjohann, currently associate artist at the Young Vic in London, will start his new role next April and will lead development of the new theatre programme for 2014, when Home opens.
He has established an outstanding international reputation for productions that include the European première of In the Red and Brown Water by Tarell McCraney and Kafka’s Monkey, starring award-winning actress Kathryn Hunter, which has since embarked on a worldwide tour.
At present he is directing Unleashed at the Barbican, which will be followed by The Ballad of the Sad Café at the Residenztheater and the opera Falstaff by Salieri at Schloss Nymphenburg, both in Munich earlynext year .
Previously, Meierjohann has worked with the State Theater of Dresden as founder and artistic director of Neubau: an international new writing theatre; he achieved the Theater’s best audience figures of the last 15 years with his direction of Inkheart by Cornelia Funke.
Dave Moutrey, chief executive of Home said: “We are delighted to have Walter on board during this exciting time. He is an incredibly creative individual who will be able to guide an innovative theatre programme capable of really reflecting our ambition to be an international leader in the arts.”
Sir Richard Leese, leader of Manchester City Council said: "This exciting appointment is another significant milestone. Walter Meierjohann has an impressive CV and his arrival will be another sign of what an addition the new centre is going to be to the city, region and nation's cultural landscape.”
Meierjohann himself said: “I am thrilled to be joining Home as artistic director of Theatre, following Chris Honer's great achievements with the Library Theatre Company. I very much look forward to collaborating with Sarah Perks to establish Home as a bold and innovative artistic centre for the city of Manchester, the UK and beyond."
Chris Honer, will continue to oversee the programme for LTC until the move and will also work with Meierjohann on development of the programme. Meierjohann will join Sarah Perks, artistic director of Visual Arts and Film as part of the artistic team at Home, when it opens during the second half of 2014.