A German ballet director smeared feces on the critic’s face from a newspaper, apparently offended by a review written by her.
The Hanover State Opera has apologized for the incident, saying on Monday (February 13) which promptly suspended the choreographer Marco Goecke.
The newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung He reported it Goecke turned to dance critic Wiebke Huester, during the interval of a premiere at the Hanover opera house this Saturday (11) and asked him what he was doing there. According to the newspaper, they did not know each other personally.
The newspaper said Goecke, apparently provoked by a recent review Huester wrote of a production he staged at the Dutch seat of government in The Hague, threatened to ban her from the ballet and accused her of being responsible for people canceling tickets seasonal in Hanover.
Then he took out a paper bag with animal feces and smeared it on his face.reports the newspaper. Huester filed a criminal complaintThis was reported by the German press agency Dpa.
In a statement on its website, the opera house said so Huester’s personal integrity has been violated in an unspeakable way. He added that he contacted her immediately following the incident to apologise.
He added that Goecke’s impulsive reaction violated the basic rules of the theater and caused enormous damage to the Hanover State Opera and the State Ballet. Consequently, he said, is suspended and banned from operating until further notice.
Goecke has the next few days to apologize “fully” and explain himself to the theater management “before further steps are taken,” the theater added.
Threats and attacks
During the break Glaube–Liebe–Hoffnung (Faith love hope), at the Hanover Opera, details the Frankfurter AllgemeineMarco Goecke turned to the critic of that publication, Wiecke Huester and, after, apparently, verbally threatening her, he assaulted her with dog excrement that Goecke was carrying in a bag.
Again according to the story of sausage…, the choreographer shut out the critics in the foyer of the Operaduring the ballet break.
Without having ever met before, Goecke was greatly disturbed by Huester’s articles about his former work in The Hague and threatened not to let her return to the theatre, accusing her that ticket sales had dropped because of her. Soon after, he took out a paper bag of excrement and threw it in his face.
Declaration of the Hanover Opera
For its part, the Hanover Opera, through its director, Laura Berman, has published a statement in which it indicates that it contacted “the journalist immediately after the incident and we apologize personally and also publicly.
“The Hanover State Opera is an open place for respectful cooperation and exchange,” he continues. “We believe calm and healing are needed now. We will review labor law measures with ballet director Marco Goecke, we will seek advice and then take internal action on this matter. We are very sorry that our audience has been disturbed by this incident.”
However, He Frankfurter Allgemeine makes it appear that this attack is an attack on their freedom of information, criticism and freedom of the press in generalconsidering that, for the moment, the actions taken as a result are insufficient. The case is also in the hands of the police, who are keeping the investigation open.
Source: Clarin
