Hanover
Dog excrement attack: State Opera separates from the ballet director
Marco Goecke will no longer work as ballet director of the Hanover State Opera. photo
© Christophe Gateau/dpa
It couldn’t be more disgusting: the attack by a ballet director with dog feces on a journalist made international headlines. Now the incident has further consequences for Marco Goecke.
The Hanover State Opera separates from ballet director Marco Goecke because of his dog excrement attack on a journalist. His contract as ballet director was terminated with immediate effect and by mutual agreement, said artistic director Laura Berman on Thursday at the Ballhof Eins theater venue. The theater management had already suspended Goecke on Monday. According to Berman, however, his plays will continue to be performed in Hanover.
On Saturday evening in the foyer of the opera house in Hanover, Goecke smeared a journalist from the “Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung”, Wiebke Hüster, with dog excrement. He had previously accused her of always writing “bad, personal” reviews. Three days later, the ballet director publicly apologized – but at the same time made further allegations against the journalist. She reacted indignantly and shocked.
According to the journalist, Goecke suddenly pulled a plastic bag with dog feces out of his pocket in the opera foyer and rubbed it in her face with the open side. “When I felt what he did, I screamed,” said the 57-year-old. She was in shock and cried.
Goecke explains himself in a letter of apology
Goecke later explained in writing: “I would like to sincerely apologize to everyone involved, first and foremost to Ms. Hüster, for my absolutely unacceptable action.” The choreographer explained the attack with the “nervous strain of two premieres in quick succession”. At the same time, he again accused Hüster and spoke of “often hateful criticism”.
Hüster then said that at the beginning the statement said that Goecke would like to apologize. “But then he switches immediately and reinforces the allegations that he made against me anyway,” said Hüster on Tuesday in the 3sat magazine “Kulturzeit”. “What kind of apology is that supposed to be? That’s a justification. Plus: We’re talking about a criminal offense here. That’s insult and assault.”
The disgusting attack has made international headlines, including the British BBC and the US newspaper “New York Times” reported about it. The attack also triggered a debate about the tense relationship between art and criticism.
CDU in Stuttgart demands consequences
From the point of view of the CDU parliamentary group in the Baden-Württemberg state parliament, the Stuttgart theater should end its cooperation with Goecke after the incidents. “We consider it unacceptable that Marco Goecke continues to be supported with public funds from taxpayers in Baden-Württemberg,” writes Albrecht Schütte, member of the CDU state parliament, in a letter to Art Minister Petra Olschowski (Greens).
“As long as he has this attitude, the publicly funded theaters in Baden-Württemberg can no longer offer him a stage.” Schütte is the chairman of the group’s working group for science, research and art. The letter is available to the dpa. A spokesman for the CDU parliamentary group said it was about new cooperation with Goecke. From the group’s point of view, old pieces by the choreographer should continue to be performed. Goecke should no longer go in and out of the theater.
Goecke is also Artist in Residence at the Theaterhaus Stuttgart. A spokeswoman for Gauthier Dance, the theater company’s company, had already said on Monday that he did not have to fear any consequences for his engagement there. The Nederlands Dans Theater also wants to continue its tour with Goecke’s play “In the Dutch Mountains”.
Bavarian State Ballet sticks to Goecke’s works
The Bavarian State Ballet will keep two works by the choreographer in its program. A spokeswoman for the State Ballet announced that they expressly condemned the act and the physical attack by Goecke. “This act is unacceptable in every way.” However, two of the choreographer’s works should remain in the program of the Bavarian State Ballet. Goecke was met in spring 2022 as an “extremely responsible and respectful artist”. The daily cooperation with him was very much appreciated by the whole ensemble, it said.
After discussions with those involved in the production, the theater management decided to leave the two works Sweet Bones’ Melody from the production Passagen and All Long Dem Day in the programme. The works are to be performed this summer as part of Spheres.01. The premiere is scheduled for June 23 at the Prinzregententheater in Munich.