First the opening of the Isarphilharmonie, now the new Volkstheater: The city has created two more reasons that will attract envious glances. In the coming years, Munich can look forward to more cultural buildings.
No, the pandemic is not yet completely over. Even if it feels different at the moment, especially in Munich. In Great Britain, the government had proclaimed July 19 as “Freedom Day”, the date on which many pandemic guidelines were dropped. Similar ideas have not caught on in this country, and yet the freedom and the feelings it brings have been swelling for weeks. The clubs opened two weeks ago – and the joy of life exploded. Last weekend, the Isarphilharmonie was opened with a festival that not only celebrated culture, but also the revival of social life. And this series continued this weekend: first with the opening of the Volkstheater, then with the long night of the museums. And if you were in the mood for a different kind of culture, you could drift across the Auer Dult.
Although the incidence values are still being noted with anxiety and the free intensive care beds are still counted every day: Munich is glowing again, Munich is rumbling again, Munich is buzzing again. The pandemic didn’t go away in one fell swoop. But their pushing back is celebrated in rapid succession, with increasing frequency.
The lockdown hit culture particularly hard. What distinguishes her, what she lives on, was suddenly considered extremely dangerous: direct encounters. This experience has an effect. Many providers are just experiencing how difficult it is to attract the audience again. It is a fortunate coincidence that two new cultural magnets are being launched in Munich just in this phase. It could not be foreseen in which pandemic phase the opening of the Gasteig-Interim and the new Volkstheater building would fall. Now these come at exactly the right time and as a double punch that really cannot be overheard. The fact that both projects were completed in the planned time and for the calculated costs allows for a celebration without a guilty conscience.
The city has created two more reasons that will turn envious glances upon it. After all, which municipality can already afford something comparable? In the next few years, Munich can look forward to some cultural buildings that were launched during the pre-pandemic: the upgraded Gasteig, the completely renovated German Museum, and possibly even another concert hall in the Werksviertel, if the Free State donates it as promised . The glow, hum and rumble will go on. But right now it is particularly beautiful.