Nuran David Calis

Nuran David Calis was born in Bielefeld. He studied directing at the Otto-Falckenberg-Schule in Munich and produced music videos for hip-hop bands. Nuran David Calis works as a director at renowned German-speaking opera houses and theatres in Hamburg, Berlin, Cologne, Leipzig, Basel and Vienna, as well as a playwright and screenwriter. In 2008, his first feature film, »Meine Mutter, mein Bruder und ich«, was released in cinemas. In 2010, he adapted Frank Wedekind’s »Frühlings Erwachen« for the screen, and in 2012, Georg Büchner’s »Woyzeck«. In 2011, his first novel, »Der Mond ist unsere Sonne«, was published by S. Fischer Verlag. His second novel, »Rausch«, has been published in 2026, also by S. Fischer Verlag. He is also currently in the early stages of production for his next film, »Göz« – a modern adaptation of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe’s »Götz von Berlichingen«.

Alongside his work in classical theatre, Nuran David Calis is regarded as an expert in documentary theatre formats with a political focus. This led, amongst other things, to the development of the play »Die Lücke – Ein Stück Keupstraße« at the Schauspiel Köln, which he created to mark the 10th anniversary of the nail bomb attack carried out by the NSU on Keupstraße in Cologne. Furthermore, Nuran David Calis has been appointed to numerous juries and advisory boards, including as a member of the board of trustees for the SOLINGEN 93 exhibition, chaired by Cem Özdemir, and as a member of the North Rhine-Westphalia State Advisory Board for Art Colleges, chaired by the Minister for Culture and Science, Ina Brandes.

Nuran David Calis has been Artistic Director at the Landestheater Salzburg since the 2025/26 season. »Der Menschenfeind« is his first production at Theater & Orchester Heidelberg.