Nitzan was set to begin rehearsing for a new play this week, "Thrill My Heart," by the famed Israeli playwright Hanoch Levin, Walla News reported.The Habima Theater sent its condolences in a statement, saying that it was "shocked and hurt by his untimely passing."A joint memorial service hosted by Habima and Cameri Theaters will take place in Tel Aviv on Monday in Nitzan's honor.
Nitzan, a native of Tel Aviv, served in the IDF's Central Command Band during his youth.
Between the years 1973-1979 he served as the in-house director of the Habima Theater. In 1985 he was appointed artistic director of the theater and served in that position until 1990.
After leaving Habima, Nitzan served as artistic director of the Cameri Theater from 1993-2019.
Noam Semel, who worked alongside him at the Cameri Theater for many years, said that "35 years of professional coupledom between us passed away this morning prematurely."
Foreign Minister Yair Lapid, who worked with Nitzan at the Cameri in the past, paid tribute to him as well, saying "I bow my head in memory of Omri Nitzan. I had the great privilege of working with him at the Cameri Theater and I will carry with me his wisdom and delicate nature."
"Israeli culture has lost a great director, an artistic director with a vision and a charming person," Lapid said.
Tel Aviv Mayor Ron Huldai also added his condolences, saying that "In Tel Aviv he was born and also died. Each of the dozens of plays he directed were masterpieces of poetry and beauty, and as artistic director of the Cameri Municipal Theater for almost two decades, he shaped the what it means to experience theater for generations of Israelis."
"You will be missed by myself, as well as by tens of thousands of charmed spectators," Huldai concluded.
MK Efrat Reitan of the Labor Party said that she was "very sorry to hear about the death of the talented cultural figure and director Omri Nitzan."
"All his life he lived and breathed theater and made a great contribution to Israeli culture," Raiten said, adding that "The audiences that watched his performances and the actors who worked with him were lucky to do so."
Tzipi Pines, director of the Beit Lessin Theater said of Nitzan, "Omri was a brilliant theater man, a rare creator, with an overwhelming and surprising imagination. This is a painful loss and I and the Israeli theater will miss him very much."