Help for Berlin Opera
September 11, 2007
The German government's deputy spokesman, Thomas Steg, confirmed this week that the government was not interested in a takeover of Berlin's historic 18th century Unter den Linder state opera house. .
The news is a blow to Berlin mayor, Klaus Wowereit, who had petitioned the federal government recently to take over the opera. Wowereit had pointed to the record three opera houses in the German capital and said the city, which faces a mountain of debt and depleted coffers, was unable to sufficiently finance all of them.
Nevertheless, the federal government will add 100 million euros to the 50 million (a total of about $207 million) it had already promised for the renovation of the famous Unter den Linden opera, according to German news agency dpa.
In exchange, it expects Berlin -- which functions simultaneously as both a city and one of Germany's 16 federal states -- to up its annual 37 million-euro contribution by an eight-digit sum.
Steg added that the door had not been closed on discussions between state and federal culture representatives and that there were further possibilities for cooperation.
Bail-out not the first time
Chancellor Merkel's Christian Democrats welcomed the decision, though Merkel had originally expressed support for a federal takeover of the opera house, said Berlin daily Tageszeitung.
CDU spokesperson for cultural affairs, Michael Braun said the committed 150 million euros would ensure the renovation of the over 250-year-old building in downtown Berlin.
The federal government currently allots a major portion -- 346 million euros -- of its culture budget to the capital city. Since 2001, the state of Berlin has slashed its culture budget from 511 million euros to 351 million this year.
It's not the first time that Berlin has turned to the federal government for help with funding a landmark or putting its finances in order. Plagued by one of the highest unemployment rates in Germany and no industry to speak of, Berlin has long had a reputation of being "sexy but poor."
Click on the link below for a complete listing of this season's performances at the Berliner Staatsoper.