Mayor Ludwig: “She is a great encourager and pick-me-up”
Vienna (OTS) – On Monday, Mayor Michael Ludwig, together with City Councilor for Culture Veronica Kaup-Hasler, presented the popular Viennese cabaret artist and actress Dolores Schmidinger with the Gold Medal of Honor.
“It is something that only exists in this way in Vienna – a crowd favorite,” said the city boss. “And the Viennese audience follows a crowd favorite for life and everywhere. Schmidinger first conquered the stage as a cabaret artist – in Gerhard Bronner’s cabaret in Walfischgasse. She soon found her temporary home as an experienced and distinctive comedienne in the famous Nestroy ensemble in director Gustav Manker’s Volkstheater.”
“Schmidinger wrote theater history,” said the mayor, “in 1971 with the premiere of Peter Turrini’s anti-consumerism and capitalism-critical expose farce ‘Rozznjogd’, which was quickly scandalized by conservative circles. Finally, she also took her fans to the Theater in der Josefstadt, where she shone with Nestroy and Horváth, and in musical productions (‘I am from Austria’) to the Theater an der Wien. In between, of course, she returned to the cabaret stage again and again – for example with the popular hits ‘With the weapons of a woman’ or ‘Operation Punschkrapferl’.”
Michael Ludwig: “Expanding all genres, Schmidinger impressed as a human actress in film and television – she is unforgettable as the robust caretaker in the Mundl series ‘A real Viennese doesn’t go down’. But she also achieved success with singing – with the concert series ‘Gucumbers Have No Tears’. And as an operetta director, the stage all-rounder entertained her loyal fans at the Lehár Festival in Bad Ischl and at the Linz State Theater.”
“Dolores Schmidinger has always managed to combine her artistic work with her social commitment. For example, she was involved in Johanna Dohnal’s ‘Daughters can do more’ campaign and traveled around the country with a corresponding cabaret program. In the 1990s she managed to address taboo topics such as child abuse with the socially critical one-woman show ‘The Naked Matron’. “She has repeatedly committed herself to fighting violence and racism and to helping with AIDS as a politically alert fellow human being and as a citizen,” says Michael Ludwig.
“Finally, Schmidinger also appeared as an author. In ‘Out With It’ she discussed pathological eating disorders in an entertaining way, and in ‘I Didn’t Count Them’ she satirically took stock of her lovers,” said the city boss.
Dolores Schmidinger has been recognized several times with major awards for her achievements, including twice Karl Skraup Prizewith the Nestroy-Ring as well as with the silver and the gold Decoration of honor for services to the state of Vienna
Mayor Ludwig: “I would like to thank Dolores Schmidinger for many years of witty entertainment and socio-political commitment as a great source of encouragement and encouragement. I wish ‘the Dolly’ continued strength, energy and health. I congratulate her wholeheartedly on receiving the Gold Medal of Honor from the federal capital Vienna – I see this high award as an incentive for further satirical and acting heights!”
The laudatory speech for his colleague Dolores Schmidinger was given by the satirist Dieter Chmelar at the ceremony in the town hall. Wolfgang Schmid and accompaniment provided the musical accompaniment.
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