Pirchan, Emil

(Emil Pirschan, 1884-1957)

   Designer. Pirchan was Leopold Jessner's most accomplished designer in the 1920s at the Berlin State Theater. He took the name of painter Emil Pirchan (1720-1778) when he embarked on his career as a stage designer. Among his most significant designs for Jessner were Richard III in 1919 and Wilhelm Tell(William Tell) in 1923, both with Fritz Kort-ner in the title role. Pirchan later worked at the Burgtheater in Vienna and became a professor at the Art Academy in Vienna, where he taught numerous courses on stage design. He is also the author of several books, the best of which is a treatment of the Viennese soubrette Marie Geistinger, published in 1947.