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.
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In its ruling of May 16, the court revoked the building permit that the city had granted to Swiss Prime Site Immobilien, as several appellants announced on Thursday.
Among other things, this building permit provided for the demolition of the two large event halls Lichthalle Maag and Maag Theater as well as the office tower built in 1971. A high-rise building with apartments was to be built in their place.
In their press releases, the Zurich Heritage Society and the Hamasil Foundation write that the city was wrong to refrain from examining whether the Maag Halls were worthy of protection.
Buildings appear worthy of protection
The hall and office tower between Hardbrücke railroad station and Escher-Wyss-Platz have a special intrinsic and situational value and contain old building fabric; the building therefore appears to be potentially worthy of protection and belongs in the municipal inventory of art and cultural-historical objects of protection, summarizes the Zurich Heritage Society.
This means that the Maag-Hallen will be preserved for the time being, and with them a lively cultural venue and one of the last witnesses to the industrial history of Zurich West, according to the Hamasil Foundation. It is convinced "that the district does not need more sterile office buildings and expensive apartments, but rather culture, restaurants, stores and apartments that are affordable".
Clarifications are still pending
However, the fate of the halls remains uncertain with the decision of the building appeal court. On the one hand, the ruling is not yet legally binding and can be appealed.
On the other hand, it only calls on the city to go over the books again. An inventory does not yet mean that the site is protected - whether protective measures are appropriate must first be clarified before a building permit is issued. (SDA/swi)
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Tino Andrea Honegger has the best qualifications for the job, the company says. As an actor, musical performer, director, producer and author, he is very familiar with show business and can bring his feel for audience trends, his extensive experience and his contacts to the new task. He recently moved from Berlin to Zurich and will start his new job at Maag Music & Arts AG on August 1.
Darko Soolfrank, who opened Maag Halle together with business partner Guido Schilling in 2002, was responsible for the programming of the stage, among many other things, from the very beginning. Now he is handing this area over to new hands in order to devote himself more to the strategic goals of the company. However, he will continue to be associated with the show area as Artistic Co-Director.
Darko Soolfrank says: "We want to take Maag into a next growth phase and for that I need capacity. Hiring Tino is not only a great asset for us, but also a logical consequence."
Maag Music & Arts AG is today one of the largest event organizers in Switzerland and, in addition to the Maag Halle with theater, operates the Lichthalle Maag, the Halle 622 and various catering establishments such as Bistro k2, Zum Frischen Max in Zurich-Oerlikon and the Waldkantine near Stettbach station. In addition, the company is a participating partner of Frau Gerold's Garden, Mica's Garden and the Zürcher Wienachtsdorf.
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