In the Eckensee there is a large lump of metal in the water. The lump was part of the roof of the Stuttgart State Opera for a long time. A year ago, a storm blew the sheet metal down, but because nothing can be removed in Stuttgart, the bent part of the opera roof was converted into a work of art that is supposed to warn of “advancing climate change”.
The lump is also a reminder that the Stuttgart State Opera needs to be renovated. The plans have been around for a long time, the project is expected to cost more than one billion euros, that has been known for a year. But now a debate is developing in the Baden-Württemberg state government as to whether it really has to be: one billion for an opera? According to government circles, parts of the CDU parliamentary group in particular are critical of the costs. But there are also Green MPs who are wondering whether the project can actually still be communicated in times of crisis. And whether it doesn’t need a smaller, cheaper solution.
The stage technology is so outdated that there are hardly any spare parts. Not to mention fire safety
It is undisputed that the Stuttgart State Opera needs to be renovated. It is an institution, was built in 1912 by architect Max Littmann, the last renovation was more than 35 years ago. The list of defects is correspondingly long. The stage technology is so outdated that there are hardly any spare parts. Fire protection is no longer up-to-date. And there is far too little space for the 1400 people who work there. 10,000 square meters of space is missing.
Therefore, after a long struggle, the city of Stuttgart and the state decided on a comprehensive renovation, the costs are to be shared. Originally, a generous amount of one billion euros was calculated – in the hope of not having to correct it upwards afterwards during the construction work. But it is now considered quite realistic that the costs could continue to rise as a result of the war and inflation – meanwhile wild speculation is circulating that the figure is around two billion. Maybe also a purely political number: the more expensive a project, the easier it is to shoot it down.
Nevertheless, both the city of Stuttgart and the state government are currently affirming that they will stick to the planned renovation. “There is no change in plans,” said a spokesman for Prime Minister Winfried Kretschmann (Greens). Art Minister Theresia Bauer (Greens) said that the times were “complicated” but “no reason to give up”. The general renovation is “necessary and overdue”. The working conditions are hardly bearable for the employees at the moment. She considers a renovation in a reduced form to be difficult.