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Kahlschlag at the Regensburg Theater: New director separates from artists - dispute escalates

2021-10-13T15:28:44.757Z


The new director at the Regensburg Theater is changing the ensemble. Several artists have to go. The bridge faction of the former Mayor Wolberg criticized this sharply.


The new director at the Regensburg Theater is changing the ensemble.

Several artists have to go.

The bridge faction of the former Mayor Wolberg criticized this sharply.

Regensburg - The press release leaves nothing to be desired in terms of clarity.

It speaks of “calls for help from numerous artists from the Theater Regensburg *”.

The Brücke faction of the former Mayor of Regensburg Joachim Wolbergs speaks of up to 40 people who should leave the theater for the 2022/23 season.

One is "deeply dismayed and indignant".

There is talk of an "omnipotent position of an artistic director" and of "the power to destroy existence".

Theater Regensburg: Artists will not be extended: "This is not a Lex Regensburg"

The addressees of the criticism are the designated new director of the Regensburg Theater, Sebastian Ritschel, and Mayor Gertrud Maltz-Schwarzfischer in their capacity as chairwoman of the theater's board of directors.

The latter calls on the Brücke faction "to put a stop to this activity of the artistic director immediately and to position itself clearly in solidarity with the theater staff".

Initially, this is a common process.

If the artistic director changes, he is entitled to terminate the employment relationship of members of the artistic staff without further explanation.

“The procedure is the same in all theaters in Germany.

This is not a Lex Regensburg ”, says Uschi Michalke, chairwoman of the Theaterfreunde Regensburg.

She has seen four changes in directorship at the Regensburg Theater.

Every time there were painful decisions and every time there were also emotional debates.

One year before a new artistic director officially takes office, the ensemble is discussed with regard to its theater concept and many artists are regularly not renewed and new ones are signed instead.

"No director in the world would sign a contract where he is not allowed to exercise this right," said Michalke.

Uschi Michalke: “That is the theater world.

The toughest job in the world. "

This right is justified in the relevant collective agreement, the “normal stage contract”.

Contracts with artists at playhouses can therefore be limited in time over a period of 15 years.

If the directorship changes, these contracts may not be extended without further justification.

All you need is a so-called non-renewal notification to terminate the employment relationship.

"It's a cut through my heart every time something like this happens," says Michalke.

“I also understand when there are people who are devastated.

That can be painful and hurtful. “In the end, however, everyone knows what they are getting into when they sign such a contract.

“This is the theater world.

The toughest job in the world. "

(By the way: Our brand new Regensburg newsletter informs you regularly about all the important stories from the world cultural heritage city. Register here.)

Theater Regensburg: "We are the wrong addressee of this criticism."

The Regensburg Theater has around 300 employees, almost half of whom work under the terms of the “normal stage contract”.

The commercial director Dr.

Matthias Schloderer confirms that nine of them have not yet been extended.

Further talks would be held.

But the talks were not held until the end of October and more details could be communicated.

However, Schloderer does not see the allegations of the bridge or its parliamentary group chairman Joachim Wolbergs primarily directed against artistic director Sebastian Ritschel.

“First of all, I see it as a fundamental criticism of the system, which is definitely worth discussing.” However, this criticism is “much better” at the Deutsches Bühnenverein than at the Regensburg Theater.

“A contribution to a different legal basis can be created there.” This also involves the core question of “whether and how theaters can and should be regularly renewed”.

Theater Regensburg: Affected artists welcome criticism

The Brücke group received praise for its press release from those affected.

"This is perfectly appropriate both in terms of tone and content," says an artist who has already been terminated and who does not want to be named.

“In this industry, the reputation is quickly ruined.

That is why it remains so quiet on the part of those directly affected. "

It is true that the current processes are "normal" and legally sound.

"However, many in the theater industry consider the license for directors to be able to terminate artists without justification as no longer appropriate." Changes have been called for at the stage cooperative GDBA for a long time.

Criticism of the theater manager: "The people are simply not extended without comment."

Sebastian Ritschel also criticizes our interlocutor personally. When he was appointed, Ritschel emphasized in a large email how much he was looking forward to this task. "There was talk of continuity and cooperation." But since he was at the Regensburg Theater, he had blocked all attempts to establish contact. “The people are simply not extended without comment.” Sebastian Ritschel does not comment personally with reference to the ongoing discussions.

Mayor Gertrud Maltz-Schwarzfischer declares that she has greatly appreciated the ensemble and the theater's achievements in recent years. The loss of one's job is also bitter for each and every one of those affected. “However, it is not the job of the mayor or the chairman of the board of directors to regulate the artistic director's sphere of activity and thus restrict artistic freedom in the sense of the Basic Law.” When the director changes, it is common for “the new” to bring a team with whom he or she works want to shape the theater artistically. “Whether this is still up-to-date or whether new rules are needed here is a question that should be discussed at the level of the German Stage Association. A single house cannot solve that. ”

* Merkur.de / bayern is an offer from IPPEN.MEDIA

Source: merkur

All news articles on 2021-10-13

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