By Claudia von Duehren
Purple means “the last attempt” – but for the Komische Oper the color clearly represents a new beginning.
“It’s not purple, it’s blackberry,” emphasizes director Philip Bröking (57) as he strokes the new velvet upholstery in the foyer of the Schiller Theater. This is where his stage has found its new home while the house on Behrenstrasse in Mitte is being renovated. On Sunday the Komische Oper welcomed its guests to the season opening party in the Schiller Theater.
“Let’s celebrate the departure. “The Komische Oper consists above all of the people who work for it and not from the building,” says Bröking, who sees the move to the new quarters very pragmatically. In order not to welcome guests “in a hovel,” new carpeting was laid in all foyers and the upholstery was freshly upholstered. “80,000 scrubbing cycles,” says the opera director with a smile, describing his new knowledge about the surface durability of upholstery covers.
Intendant Philip Bröking in the newly upholstered seat Photo: Charles Yunck
The 980 seats in the large hall of the Schiller Theater now also shine in a rich blackberry tone. Filling them doesn’t seem to be difficult for the opera director. “The advance sales figures clearly show that our audience will follow us,” he is confident – especially since the Schiller Theater has a good 200 fewer seats than the Komische Oper in Mitte.
Helga Klitsch (l.) and friend Heidi Volkland from Charlottenburg are looking forward to their new neighbors Photo: Charles Yunck
There are also new guests from the neighborhood on Bismarckstrasse. “We were here when the State Opera performed at the Schiller Theater and also when the comedy played here. “Now we’re getting to know the Komische Oper,” say neighbors Helga Klitsch (84) and Heidi Volkland (77). Both had a letter in their mailbox from the Komische Oper offering the neighborhood a 25 percent discount.
Luisa (6) from Charlottenburg had Fiona Goormann (21) make her up as a butterfly Photo: Charles Yunck
The Herma family would also like to use it. Daughter Mari (10) wants to take advantage of the offers for children with her brother in the winter. On Sunday they first looked around the Schiller Theater. From 11 a.m., the opera house’s 430 employees brought a lavish program for young and old to the stages in the foyer and large hall.
There was also face painting and figurine making. “Children are particularly important to us because they are the audience of tomorrow,” emphasizes director Philip Bröking.