BERLIN — The Hannover State Opera mentioned Thursday that it’s ending its contract with ballet director Marco Goecke after he smeared canine feces on the face of a newspaper critic whose opinions he had taken exception to.
Goecke was suspended from his publish as ballet chief this week after the Saturday assault on dance critic Wiebke Huester of German each day newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung. The confrontation happened throughout the interval of a premiere on the opera home.
The theater’s administration had known as on him to apologize “comprehensively” and clarify himself. Goecke later issued a press release describing his conduct as “completely unacceptable” however mentioned he had acted ”within the warmth of the second” and whereas affected by “nervous pressure” ensuing from two premieres in fast succession.
He accused Huester of writing “usually nasty opinions.”
“I apologize for the truth that I lastly blew my high, however I additionally ask for a sure understanding at the very least for the the explanation why this occurred,” he mentioned.
The assault and Goecke’s tepid apology had been extensively criticized. Hannover’s mayor, Belit Onay, mentioned assaults on press freedom ought to have “no place” within the metropolis.
The top of the opera home, Laura Berman, mentioned its contract with Goecke could be dissolved with speedy impact by mutual settlement and that he could be permitted to entry the premises in the intervening time.
