Sveinn Einarsson (born September 18, 1934) is most known for championing and cultivating professional

theatre Theatre or theater is a collaborative form of performing art that uses live performers, usually actors or actresses, to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place, often a stage. The perform ...

Iceland Iceland ( is, Ísland; ) is a Nordic island country in the North Atlantic Ocean and in the Arctic Ocean. Iceland is the most sparsely populated country in Europe. Iceland's capital and largest city is Reykjavík, which (along with its s ...

. He was the stage director of more than 70 productions, operas, classics and modern plays, including several world premieres in Iceland and other countries.

Career

Sveinn was artistic director of The

Reykjavík Theatre Company The Reykjavík Theatre Company (RTC) was founded in 1897 when two existing companies in Reykjavík combined, performing in the then newly built Iðnó (Craftsmens' House). With Indriði Einarsson (1851-1939) as its Director, RTC became the fertile ...

(RTC) from 1963 to 1972 and director of the

National Theatre of Iceland The National Theatre of Iceland (NTI) ( is, Þjóðleikhúsið, pronounced ) in Reykjavík, is the national theatre of Iceland. The theater, designed by Guðjón Samúelsson, was formally opened on 20 April 1950. Since 2020, the artistic directo ...

from 1972 to 1983. He also served as counsellor for the Ministry of Culture of Iceland from 1983 to 1989 and program head at Icelandic television from 1989 to 1993. He was artistic director of the

Reykjavík Arts Festival The Reykjavík Arts Festival is an art festival that takes place in Reykjavík every other year. It was founded in 1970 and was biennial from the beginning, but in the years 2005-2016 it was held annually. Since 2016, the festival has again bec ...

in 1998–2000. He has been chairman and a board member for national and international cultural commissions, committees or institutions. Among these positions are president of the Icelandic Theatre Union (1973–89), chairman of the Icelandic Dramatists' Union (1985–89), vice president of the

International Theatre Institute The International Theatre Institute ITI is the world’s largest performing arts organisation, founded in 1948 by theatre and dance experts and UNESCO. It has hosted various events through its history, including the Theatre of Nations, an intern ...

(ITI) (1979–1981, board 1977–79) and president of the Icelandic National Commission for

UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ...

since 1994.

References

Theatre Museum of IcelandSveinn Einarsson's personal webpage
Icelandic theatre directors Living people 1934 births {{Theat-director-stub