Swiss production of "Billy Elliot" wins Musical Award 2025 in Berlin
This has never happened before: A Swiss musical production has won an award in Germany. The Maag Halle Zurich adaptation of «Billy Elliot» won the German-Language Musical Award for «Best Translation» on Monday evening in Berlin, with the translation by two Swiss artists: Roman Riklin (lyrics) and Eric Hättenschwiler (dialogue).
The musical only won the Prix Walo for "Best Stage Production" in Switzerland in May and has already proven its international standing with its appearance at the Helene Fischer Show 2024 in Germany. "Billy Elliot - The Musical" celebrated the German-language premiere of the musical hit on November 1, 2024 at the Maag Halle in Zurich and welcomed over 100,000 visitors in its first season. The play is currently back on stage for a second season and can be seen in the Maag Halle until the end of March 2026.
Movie as musical - that was Elton John's idea
"Billy Elliot" is originally a film by British director Stephen Daldry. In 2000, "Billy Elliot" premiered in Cannes and subsequently enjoyed worldwide success. Sir Elton John was so moved by the story that he gave Daldry the idea of writing a musical based on the film. Elton John went on to compose the soundtrack. "Billy Elliot - The Musical" celebrated its premiere in London's West End in May 2005. The hit musical ran there for over 11 years and "Billy Elliot" also sold out theaters night after night on Broadway in New York. The musical version won 83 awards worldwide, including 10 of the coveted Tony Awards. Maag Music & Arts finally secured the rights for German-speaking countries and produced the play in German.
The German-language Musical Award 2025
The German-language Musical Award was presented for the second time last Monday, November 10, 2025. An award that recognizes the diversity and quality of the current musical scene. Artists who have made their mark on the stage with creativity, passion and exceptional skill in the 2024/2025 season are honored in a total of 20 categories. All world premieres and German-language premieres of this season are nominated, providing an exciting overview of the innovative power of the genre. The award winners are selected by a broad-based committee: in addition to the editors of the specialist magazine "blickpunkt musical", theater professionals, journalists and the audience are also involved in the decision.
