The choreographer, theater director, set designer, and performer Martin Zimmermann, born in 1970, grew up in the small village of Wildberg, Switzerland. After completing an apprenticeship as a decorator, he attended the Centre National des Arts du Cirque (CNAC) in Paris. With the diploma production Le Cri du Caméléon, he toured internationally before returning to Switzerland, where he began developing his own theatrical language.
For over 25 years, Zimmermann has been creating, choreographing, and directing visual and physical theater without words. His work, a blend of contemporary circus, dance, theater, and spectacular stage installations, captivates audiences worldwide. Central to Zimmermann’s art is making it accessible to all, while advocating for greater inclusion and diversity. His productions create bizarre and uncanny scenarios where everyday objects are transformed into parallel, often absurd worlds. Breaking conventions, unveiling the invisible, making the improbable seem real, and encouraging audiences to think differently are hallmarks of his work.
Zimmermann's pieces have been performed on renowned stages and festivals worldwide, including BAM New York, Tokyo Metropolitan Theater, Théâtre de la Ville-Paris, Barbican London, Sydney Opera House, Grand Théâtre de Luxembourg, Hong Kong City Hall, Schauspielhaus Zürich, Théâtre Vidy – Lausanne, Festival d’Avignon, NTGent, Fondation Beyeler, and Semperoper Dresden. In 2021, Martin Zimmermann received Switzerland's highest theater honor, the prestigious Grand Prix for Performing Arts / Hans-Reinhart-Ring.
photo: Basil Stücheli