Bavaria's art minister wants to plan a smaller concert hall project
In the struggle for a new concert hall in Munich, Bavaria's Minister of Art Markus Blume wants to significantly scale back the project. "I want a project worth billions to become a project worth millions," the CSU politician told the Süddeutsche Zeitung newspaper (Saturday). "We need a different scale."
Commenting on the smaller scale, the minister said: "We are shifting our focus from the 'concert hall' back to the 'concert hall'." The latest cost estimate was around 1.3 billion euros, said Blume. "It is clear to me: in these times of war, upheaval and uncertainty, our commitment can only be kept if we set up the project in such a way that we can actually realize it." He emphasized: "That's why the motto for me is: slim down."
The Free State of Bavaria is planning the concert hall, which will primarily be the venue for the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra (BRSO). However, in view of the estimated cost increases, Minister President Markus Söder (CSU) had ordered a pause for thought on the project, although planning continued.
Söder's concerns had received some support in politics and society, but also a lot of criticism. Star conductor Sir Simon Rattle, the new head of the symphony orchestra, and the director of Bayerischer Rundfunk, Katja Wildermuth, had also repeatedly called for the project to be implemented.
Blume has now announced a "dialog phase" after the pause for thought: "We will therefore discuss the concert hall plans with all those involved and concentrate on the essentials." The aim had always been to build a concert hall for Munich's world-class orchestras, especially the symphony orchestra. "The decisive factor is not concrete, but what happens inside. That is our aspiration."
Regarding the timetable, the minister said: "We should agree on key points relatively quickly and then translate them into concrete planning considerations. All of this will definitely happen in this legislative period."
In the new coalition agreement, the CSU and Free Voters have agreed to stand by the concert hall, but to "redimension" the plans. Blume said in the interview that if you keep chasing the really big thing, you will never reach your goal. "I am therefore campaigning for a solution that can be implemented in the foreseeable future."
Blume said that a project like the concert hall could be loaded with all kinds of wishes. "But then it remains a billion-euro project and has to be postponed from legislature to legislature in the hope of better times."
Source: www.dpa.com
