Elphi-in-chief on Lockdown: “We have no Lobby, such as the car industry”

Podcast

“The Zero Hour”
Elphi-in-chief on Lockdown: “We have no Lobby, such as the car industry”

“Artists need to sell your wings, before you get Hartz IV”: Christoph lieben-Seutter, General and artistic Director of the Elbphilharmonie and his Dortmund colleague, Raphael von Hoensbroech reports, what is the second Lockdown for musicians.

It was a very special concert, which was performed in the Elbe Philharmonic hall last Friday: The anniversary concert for the 75. Birthday of the NDR Elbe Philharmonic orchestra. But it was shortly before the new Lockdown without the need for the public, instead of: Brahms and Tchaikovsky in front of the empty hall, and only as a video stream, Federal President of Germany Frank-Walter Steinmeier was switched on with his congratulatory speech.

Now Empty and silence reigns again in the Elbphilharmonie, as in hundreds of concert houses in Germany – and the culture industry complains that it is a little on the track. “We don’t have as good a Lobby as the auto industry, we are an individualistic bunch,” says Christoph lieben-Seutter, General and artistic Director of the Elbphilharmonie in the Podcast “The Zero hour” (Here to listen).

“We need to take yourself by the hair: The high culture do not look at the commercial culture down, the Theater is talking with the concert, the Large with the Small”. It’s not just give the a Lobby of the “economy of culture”.

“The culture is not loud enough,” adds Raphael von Hoensbroech, managing Director and artistic Director of the concert house Dortmund, was also in the Podcast as a guest. “We believe, we are loud, but only to the features section and WDR3.” He describes that many musicians would provide great Existence. “The need to unsubscribe, packages, or your wings to sell, before you get Hartz IV.”

Criticism of the measures

There is a “glaring gap” in the case of the musicians, as both Director reported agreed – the employees, the musicians, even of state-supported orchestras, and the Ensemble, in which the artist lives not only of the performances. Christoph lieben-Seutter expresses, however, understanding for the Lockdown: “I see that we have Massive to do, and that we can now be no exception.”

Raphael von Hoensbroech, exercise more criticism. “The fact that the measures are necessary, it is not clear whether they are proportionate, that’s debatable,” says the head of the Dortmund concert house. “But the question is whether they are suitable. The closure of concert halls will not bring the infection numbers down, because they are stove no infection.” The culture is going to be sorted in the area of recreation and “unnecessary” and “a kind of collateral damage”. He see things differently.

The Dortmund concert hall was only provided at the beginning of September caused a stir, and the first choral concert since the Corona dared. 90 musicians and choir singers performed in front of 800 audience. Under the direction of conductor Thomas Hengelbrock Haydn was listed as “added”. All of the musicians had spent the trial period in quarantine in a Hotel, a ventilation system changed the air in the room every 20 minutes. “The artists have almost cried, to be allowed in front of the audience to play,” recalls Hoensbroech. Also lieben-Seutter reported, the concerts in the summer had been for all the “exhilarating”. Now silence and Emptiness is so again.

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