Letters to the Editor: May 15, 2023

State Opera is enough

May 12: “A daring opera idea is taking shape. A famous group meets on Wednesdays at The Fontaine—suddenly it’s about building an opera.”

Hamburg may be in need of another world-class opera house, but personally I think the current building on its program is outstanding and well-suited for the city. Let’s ask ourselves how many of these icons on the banks of the Elbe a city of nearly two million people on a global scale can afford. Aren’t the bridges of the Elbe with the Tower of the Future, the backdrop of the HafenCity, the Elbphilharmonie and the so-called String of Pearls enough? Instead, I would recommend preserving the remains of the architecture of the earlier ports and emphasizing the confluence of the Alster and Elbe in urban planning. And if Mr. Kony can invest a certain amount, perhaps one can limit himself to a part of it, and bring the rest to assimilate into the provinces, the culture of the region, the health centers, eg. Like the Vedel dispensary.

Matthias Frinken, Hamburg

Putty cracked

If only Klaus Michael Kuhn had approached the Free and Hanseatic City ten years ago with his bold and generous idea for a new opera house in the HafenCity. There was still a huge drilling rig in the Überseequartier and there were plans to build a district-related center there with shopping facilities, a science center and areas for entertainment and culture. What now grows out of the ground there is nothing but conducive to the urban fabric of Hamburg. And now another major plot of land in the immediate vicinity of this center will be used for a high-quality cultural project. It is fatal if the city fathers developed a somewhat far-sighted development concept, for example, an elevated U 3 railway branching from Baumwall and Elbphilharmonie and landmark projects now being considered on the drawing board could easily be developed with the most beautiful elevation. railways in the world. Celebrant Norbert Ost was right: art and culture form the cement that holds society together. However, it seems to me that the vaunted cement has cracked due to the hasty and incomplete planning of HafenCity.

Bruno Brandi

Not just hosting concerts

May 12: Letter to the Editor: “No Word on Leaving” Concert at Barclays Arena: “Roger Waters and the Rage of an Old Man”

I can only agree with the opinion of the Kuhls: It was a great concert with a lot of political statements, which also got people thinking a lot. In addition to cute cuddle parties, we desperately need those who deal with the injustices in the world. Everyone has their own choice of where they want to go. It is a pity that Roger Waters’ critique did not fully do this aspect justice.

Martina Ruffo

This is not appropriate

May 8: Schumacher Week: “How people switch to passive goggles”

There are good reasons to criticize the coronation ceremony of King Charles III. But the format and content of Hajo-Schumacher’s column are completely wrong. About the content: It is written that the (Charles) clan did not even block Brexit, immediately after the previous sentence correctly states that the King has nothing to say. How this fits together is a mystery to the reader. There is no doubt about the democratic constitution of a parliamentary monarchy, in addition to the United Kingdom, for example Sweden, Denmark, the Netherlands and Norway. It is not made clear why a king who “has nothing to say” should be the antithesis of every democratic constitution. Regarding the look: calling the head of a friendly and allied country, who spoke before the German Bundestag a few weeks ago, a “little cocky bastard” is an insult. Hajo Schumacher used the term clan rather than family in relation to the king. The word clan comes from Scots/Gaelic and Charles is also the King of Scotland. However, its use is inappropriate. It is known that the Windsors are not from Scotland. Since the word clan is mostly used today in relation to organized crime and in this context the tax exemption of the royal family is also critically emphasized, the author alludes to illegal behaviour. This is also not appropriate in the context of the feudal column.

Reinhard Wagner, Hamburg

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Updated: Monday, 05/15/2023, 00:05