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Suspended ballet director Goecke: The house "massively damaged"
Photo: Bernd Weissbrod / picture alliance / dpa
After an unpleasant newspaper criticism, he is said to have confronted the author in the theater and smeared her with dog feces - now the ballet director of the Hanover State Theater, Marco Goecke, has been suspended.
He was also banned from the house.
This was announced by the Hanover State Theater on Monday.
The »Hannoversche Allgemeine Zeitung« had previously reported on this.
Accordingly, Goecke "violated all principles of conduct of the Hanover State Opera" "through his impulsive reaction" to the journalist.
He had "massively damaged the State Ballet".
An apology is expected from Goecke in the next few days.
If you believe Goecke's recent statements on Instagram, this is not to be expected.
There, a user expressed understanding for his irritation at the criticism.
Goecke's reaction: "Very right!!!
Thanks very much!!
After 20 years of reading this shit, the Maas was full!!« When another user remarked that negative reviews were part of it, Goecke raged: »No!!
Doesn't belong!
Not in this way!
I've been working for 25 years and I don't care about bad reviews!!
But there are limits!
No one with a business would put up with that.«
Police are investigating for assault and insult
The Hanover police had previously initiated investigations against Goecke.
It is about the allegation of physical harm and insult, said a police spokeswoman in the Lower Saxony state capital on Monday.
According to those affected, Goecke confronted her verbally on Saturday during a break in the premiere of a new ballet piece in the foyer of the theater and then smeared dog feces on her face.
The State Opera also confirmed the incident.
The critic works for the "Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung", which made the events public.
The newspaper wrote of a "humiliating act" and a "crossing of boundaries" that revealed the "disturbed relationship of an artist to criticism".
A criminal complaint was immediately filed.
Intendant apologized for Goecke
According to the newspaper, in a verbal argument before his attack, Goecke accused the critic of being responsible for canceling subscriptions.
The head of the ballet was not known to her personally until then.
In a statement on the Internet, the State Opera confirmed an incident in which a critic "was violated in her personal integrity".
Director Laura Berman immediately apologized personally to those affected and did so publicly.
Therefore, steps under labor law are being examined against Goecke, the statement said.
"The Hanover State Opera is an open place of respectful cooperation and exchange," the theater went on to explain.
At the same time it called for moderation.
"We are of the opinion that calm and diligence are now required." After the labor law check, the management of the house will advise together and "then act in this internal personnel matter".
According to the information, the event happened on Saturday evening during the first break of the premiere of the ballet evening "Faith - Love - Hope" in the foyer of the State Opera.
According to the police, the 57-year-old critic then appeared at a police station in downtown Hanover and filed a complaint.
The investigation into the case is still in its infancy, the spokeswoman added.
The dog excrement was not secured.
For the investigators, testimonies are now the focus.
Interrogations have not yet started.
Goecke has been chief choreographer and ballet director of the Hanover State Ballet, which belongs to the State Opera there, since 2019.
According to the theater, the 50-year-old has already developed more than 60 choreographies in the course of his career, which are part of the repertoire of ballet stages from Paris to Berlin to Zurich.
Last year he received the German Dance Prize.
feb/dpa