Munich is getting a new stadium for the European Football Championship. Of course, the games will be played in the large arena in Freimann from June 14th. But in the yard of the Fat Cat, the temporary cultural use of the Gasteig, a “stadium of dreams” with 300 stands is being built from recycled material: as a venue for “encounters across all borders, for shared enthusiasm for football and culture,” as the curator says Albert Ostermaier and head of organization Till Hofmann see it. This was done at a presentation on Wednesday program presented. While the football fans cheer on their stars on the pitch, the cultural arena also attracts heroes: from art, society and sport from Herbert Grönemeyer onwards Sports friends Stiller until Lars Eidinger.
It starts long before the first European Championship kick-off with an “opening game” on Friday, May 10th, 5:30 p.m. – a gala with Phillip Lahm, Josephine Henning, Nina Kunzendorf, Claudia Roth, ex-footballer Andy Görlitz and his band Whale City – and Herbert Grönemeyer (free tickets via muenchenticket.de). The football-loving musician, who wrote the tournament anthem for the World Cup in 2006, will then speak to sports reporters at 8 p.m South German newspaper at the start of the series “The Future of Football”. Experts such as Didi Hamann (May 17th) or Uli Hoeneß and Max Eberl (May 31st) have their say in other SZ talks.
“A sign of happiness and optimism”: This is how London artist Morag Myerscough planned the “Stadium of Dreams” from used components. It will later be set up at other locations in Munich.
(Photo: Stadium of Dreams)
On the opening day there will also be a party with DJ Hell, the play “Roberto Baggio” by Davide Enia and a poetry slam with contributions that Bas Böttcher developed at “Wortsport” workshops in schools at EM locations. The whole program is so varied and mostly football-related. A number of theater texts were written specifically for this purpose: for example “Andi Brehme” by Nuran David Calis with Veronica Ferres and Uwe Ochsenknecht (June 3); “The Team” with the Residenztheater Ensemble (June 10); or “Offside” (June 27th and 28th) with three “theatrical interjections” by Friedrich Ani, among others, and the film “The Holy Game” by Hans Steinbichler based on the play “The Holy Game” by Albert Ostermaier. The curator himself has co-written several productions, including “The Holy Game” in collaboration with the Bavarian State Opera (June 21, 22 and 23). Or “The Fifth Beatle” about Pete Best for stage darling Lars Eidinger, which will premiere at the “Herzschlag Finale” on July 12th (at the Residenztheater).
One evening, the Munich light artist Michael Gene Aichner will commemorate the bombed-out theater in Mariupol on the facade, while a concert in the Ukraine will be broadcast live in the stadium (May 12th). There are readings such as an evening with the German and Austrian national authors’ teams (June 7th) and – under the motto “You’ll never play alone” – lots of music: for example with Amy and Wally Warning (May 25th), Keno and b parade (June 11th), Ebow (June 20th), Three-quarter blood and the Munich Symphony Orchestra (June 12). The Sports friends Stiller organize the surprise gala “You have to win Duel” (May 13th). And at the “Go Sing Choir” hundreds of amateurs rehearse the German goal anthem “Major Tom” together (May 26th).
Most events cost no entry, tickets for evenings with reservations can now be purchased from Münchenticket.
The “Stadium of Dreams” is to be dismantled after the final day (e.g. with the play by the Bellevue di Monaco Theater “Global Player” with refugees and border guards) – and rebuilt at other locations in the city in the coming years. After the game is before the game.