After the glamorous opening concert, the normal people took possession of the new Isarphilharmonie.
The enthusiasm shows: the building is more than a temporary solution.
Saturday, 10:10 p.m., and maybe only now does it become clear what to expect from the Sendlinger Ersatz-Gasteig. The Philharmonic concert-goers have picked up jackets and coats from the cloakrooms, but many stop in the old Trafohalle, the foyer for the Isarphilharmonie. An electro-string-gong-guitar mix by Vangelino Currentzis (the brother of the conductor Teodor) roars from the loudspeakers, FM Einheit - formerly Einstürzende Neubauten - join forces with a couple of Philharmonic Orchestra. There are drinks, you shout conversations in your ears at the volume, Vladimir Jurowski, the new General Music Director of the State Opera, leans against the bar with a bottle of Augustiner.
The musical cultures marry in a very casual way at this after-show. “Mphil late” should be available more frequently in the future. And a better room than Hall E, which is still home to the adult education center and library and where people are now looking down from the galleries, cannot be imagined for all of this. The factions have to get used to each other. Christian Beuke, spokesman for the Munich Philharmonic, laughs and tells us how panic hit subscribers. Two hours before the start of the “normal” concert, some stopped by, pure curiosity about the new house - to get into the deafening soundcheck for the night concert. They were reassured: chief conductor Valery Gergiev is by no means switching to hardcore.
For Gergiev and his orchestra this opening weekend of HP 8 (you will hardly get used to the name for the replacement Gasteig) is hard work. Already on Saturday afternoon, 20 hours after the acclaimed opening concert of the Isarphilharmonie (we reported), they are back on stage. For the youngsters who enter the hall by the hands of mum or dad or alone and very self-confidently, there is “Cinderella” in the family concert. The Philharmonic and the Odeon Youth Symphony Orchestra play Prokofiev's score. Painted Arkona as the narrator and prince and Henriette Schmidt as a cool Cinderella in dungarees or stumbling heavily in high heels and evening dress bring the fairy tale cheekily into today. The younger generation chatted and laughed, the older generation held up their cell phones: the Isarphilharmonie for the first time, that must be recorded.
Thousands of people take possession of their new temple of culture, which may not be a temple at all. And pride and exhaustion are reflected in the faces of those responsible from Gasteig and the orchestra. The new Isarphilharmonie, which is as classy as it is in the living room, black, the most beautiful dark room in town, is a coup. This applies to the low cost (40 million), the construction time (one and a half years) and also the sound. Direct, but not gaudy. Dry but not dusty. Distinct, but not exposing the orchestra, plus warm and round: Even Daniil Trifonov's popularly punched playing is carefully wrapped in Beethoven's fourth piano concerto and yet - the room loves solos - is wonderfully present. The lighting concept with its play of shadows that plays with the black of the interior cladding,it should, by the way, be retained even after the television cameras have been removed.
There are a few catches, but that's always the case with new halls.
In the tutti, the woodwinds sometimes seem to be faded out - maybe it's not a good idea to pull the strings in the amphitheater seating arrangement up to the top step.
And every conductor and every orchestra has to find a solution for those with strong phoning skills.
The Isarphilharmonie does not like that very much.
They are also less popular with drivers.
Parking spaces are scarce, and some visitors circle in vain through the residential streets on Flaucher.
The Brudermühlstraße underground station is only eight minutes' walk away.
Even with the bus, which stops right in front of HP 8, you can get to the Ostbahnhof very quickly, for example.
Therefore: better leave the body at home or at least choose Park & Ride.
It is, you can feel it this weekend, love at first sight. Hardly anyone speaks of an interim solution - except for the Philharmonic, who sometimes only find rudimentary rooms behind the stage. But for that, there has also been one in the past few weeks, you meet for a spontaneous drink with all the other tenants on the premises, of whom the tire dealer is probably the most famous in the media.
In any case, that will take time with the retreat to Haidhausen.
It has just become known that the Gasteig renovation will only start in two years and will therefore last until the end of the twenties.
The decision to have the renovation managed by an external investor and not leave it in the hands of the Gasteig team is falling on the city's feet - just consider the enormously rising construction costs.
From the point of view of the audience, who enthusiastically took possession of the Isarphilharmonie, the postponement shouldn't be that bad.
The unanimous opinion seems to be that they want to keep this great temporary solution for a long time to come.
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Other forms of concert will be tried out - like here at “Mphil late” in Hall E after the “official” Philharmonic program.
© Tobias Hase
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The youngsters took possession of the new building on Saturday and Sunday at the family concert.
© Tobias Hase
