From 2016—including the pilot phase—until 2023, I had the privilege of developing and leading the theatre track at the Josef von Aufschnaiter Secondary School in Bolzano. Theatre was formally introduced as a curricular subject, and in autumn 2023, I handed the project over to my successor.

What makes this school so unique is its dual focus: it now offers two equally valued specializations—music and theatre. These tracks were born out of the desire to expand musical, linguistic, theatrical, and social education, responding to the talents and interests of young people while ensuring they have access to meaningful learning opportunities through public education.

By deepening both music and theatre studies, the school promotes a holistic development of essential social and cultural competencies: attention, perception, memory, verbal and physical expression, presence, reliability, punctuality, imagination, emotional depth, empathy, cultural awareness, social experience, and mental and physical agility—and much more.

Music specialization classes have existed since the 1995/96 school year. Initially conceived as a continuation of the lower secondary program offered by the Conservatory—with just one class—this initiative expanded to two classes by the 1999/2000 school year, establishing itself as a highly valued and well-regarded institution within Bolzano’s educational and musical landscape.

However, the school later recognized that having only one clearly defined specialization, which required an entrance aptitude test, led to considerable differences in the composition and training of individual classes. To address this, the school launched a development process, supported by external guidance, with the aim of creating equivalent educational models—particularly emphasizing the promotion of German as a language of instruction.

Theatre proved to be exactly the right approach—and time has shown that we were right. In the 2017/2018 school year, theatre-focused classes were finally introduced and quickly met with enthusiastic response.

The visionary headmistress, Ingrid Pertoll Froner, brought me on board as a theatre educator. In addition to my work as an actress and theatre director, I bring over 20 years of experience in the field of theatre pedagogy.

Launching a new specialization requires the buy-in of the entire school community and the active support of teaching staff. In such a case, a dedicated and specialized teacher is essential.

Themes, questions, and modes of representation are explored and defined together with the students, then brought to life through coordinated artistic processes. This creative journey culminates in a public presentation in the form of a theatrical performance.

A valuable partnership has also been established with the Vereinigte Bühnen Bozen (Bolzano Municipal Theatre), which enables additional opportunities such as guided tours of the city theatre, deeper insight into theatre professions, and complementary workshops.

During the 2020–2021 school year, theatre students at the Josef von Aufschnaiter Middle School produced an eight-part mystery series titled “Nebula,” directed by Alexandra Hofer. The music for each episode was composed and performed by music students under the direction of Eduard Demetz and Manfred Sanin.

The series premiered on June 8, 2021, on the YouTube channel of the Schulsprengel Bozen Stadtzentrum and the school’s official website.

As a special treat, students had the chance to enjoy an exclusive cinema screening of the series thanks to a collaboration with the Bolzano Filmclub.