German ballet director Marco Goecke smeared dog poop on the face of the dance critic “FAZ” during a premiere intermission. Representatives of the opera spoke of an “impulsive reaction” and suspended the director with immediate effect. He is also not allowed to enter the house.
This is to protect the ballet and state theater ensembles from further damage. The ballet director was asked to apologize extensively in the coming days and to explain to the theater management, according to the opera. “The Staatsoper Hannover is an open place of respectful cooperation and exchange, and we deeply regret that our audience was disturbed by this incident,” said director Laura Berman.
First verbal attack
What exactly happened? The “FAZ” dance critic Wiebke Hüster watched the ballet premiere of “Glaube-Liebe-Hoffnung” in Hanover on Saturday night. During the break, the chief choreographer and director of the State Ballet allegedly attacked her verbally. The “Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung” reported online that Goecke had asked Hüster what she was doing in the premiere. He was not personally acquainted with the critic, but may have been provoked by one of her previous reviews of one of his plays. He accused her of being responsible for canceling subscriptions.
Goecke became increasingly hot-tempered and finally physically attacked Hüster. He took out a paper bag of dog poop and threw it in the woman’s face. It is said that he was then able to disappear unhindered through the crowded foyer. The 57-year-old critic filed a report after the attack. According to a police spokeswoman, the ballet director is now under investigation for assault and insult. Currently, the testimonials of witnesses are the focus.
Goecke: Person and work polluted for years
Both the “FAZ” and Goecke have already commented on the attack. In an interview with the NDR Lower Saxony, Goecke said that his person, his work and his company had been polluted for years. “I think the choice of resources was definitely not great,” he admitted, however. His performance is also “definitely not recognized or respected” socially.
The “FAZ” wrote of an “attack on press freedom”: “But we, the serial of this newspaper, consider the humiliating act beyond the crime of bodily harm as an attempt to intimidate our free, critical view of art Goecke’s transgression of boundaries exposes the distorted relationship between an artist and criticism.” Intentional contempt and humiliation are taken very seriously.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
