Sabine Theunissen

Sabine Theunissen studied architecture at La Cambre in Brussels before embarking on a career marked by rich collaborations. For 17 years, she served as an internal decor assistant at the Royal Theatre of La Monnaie in Brussels, following a year at the technical office of La Scala in Milan. Her creative journey took a significant turn in 2003, when she met William Kentridge, sparking a prolific partnership. Their collaboration commenced with Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte at the Royal Theatre of La Monnaie in 2005, leading to a series of acclaimed opera productions and art installations. Notable works include The Nose (Metropolitan Opera, 2010), Refuse the Hour (Johannesburg, 2012), Winterreise (Vienna Festival, 2014), Wozzeck (Salzburg Festival, 2017), The Head & the Load (Tate Modern, London, 2018), and the film Oh To Believe in Another World (Lucerne Symphony Orchestra). Her collaboration with Kentridge extends beyond opera productions to encompass more than 15 international exhibition designs. Among these, notable projects include Kentridge’s extensive retrospective at the Royal Academy of London and in Taipei (2022–24) and the current exhibition Je n’attends plus presented by the LUMA foundation in Arles. In addition to her work with Kentridge, Theunissen has lent her artistic vision to a range of projects. Collaborations with directors and choreographers include sets for Hélène Theunissen’s La Dispute (2000), Aurore Fattier’s Bug and Othello, Michèle Noiret’s Hors-champ (2015), and Lillo Baur’s Ariane et Barbe Bleu (Dijon Opéra, 2012). Notably, Theunissen designed sets for Rufus Wainwright’s Prima Donna (Royal Swedish Opera, Stockholm, 2020) and last Christmas’ windows for Hermès Paris Sèvres. In 2021, Theunissen directed the short film White Box Jacket, supported by the Film LAB of the French community in Belgium. Based in Brussels, Theunissen frequently lectures and mentors at institutions such as Stockholm University, La Cambre, and the Centre for the Less Good Idea in Johannesburg. In 2016, she established Squatelier, a studio that fosters creativity and offers internship opportunities for students of art, architecture, and interior design. Her dedication to mentoring and the art of scenography shines through in her ongoing commitment to guiding the next generation of creatives. Last summer, Theunissen directed Mozart’s Entfuhrung aus dem Serail as part of the 10th anniversary celebration of FIMM in Marvão.