Düsseldorf citizens' jury wants open opera for all
In the discussion about the future of the Düsseldorf Opera, randomly selected citizens presented their ideas on 25 August 2021. A central location, easily accessible and out of its niche existence. These are the central wishes of the Citizens' Jury members for the future opera. The dilapidated opera house is to be either renovated or rebuilt.
The guidelines of the Citizens' Jury, the results of the accompanying other participation formats as well as the examinations and studies of the administration were bundled into the decision-making process: Thus, all aspects were brought together clearly in a draft resolution for the fundamental decision "Opera House of the Future" to be presented to the political bodies at the end of 2021.
Website for public participation
A website for public participation has been online since 18 May 2021. It had received around 8,300 visits by 25 August 2021. 191 people had registered on the website and left 181 ideas and 116 comments.
Citizens were informed about the possibility of participation through a social media campaign by Düsseldorf Marketing GmbH via Facebook and Instagram. Unlike the other participation formats, comments reflecting a critical attitude towards the project were also received via these channels. These mainly relate to the cost level for a new opera building. The justification for public funding was also questioned.
Three dialogue forums
Three dialogue forums have been held since May 2021. Here, interested citizens could not only inform themselves about various aspects of the opera, but also share their opinions and suggestions and join in the discussion. The format was complemented by various expert presentations, such as the contribution of David Staples, a renowned consultant in the opera and theatre scene, or Marc Grandmontagne, the Executive Director of the German Stage Association.
In addition, 15 key interviews were conducted with actors from urban society. The results of the individually conducted interviews are available on the website as approx. 5-minute videos. All the actors present their suggestions for the opera house of the future here in response to three questions. What constitutes the opera house of the future? What criteria are important for the location? How can it become a meeting place for all Düsseldorfers?
30 jury participants
Around 1,000 people randomly selected from the population register were contacted by the city for the Citizens' Jury. From the positive responses, the Office for Statistics and Elections compiled three representative groups of people in terms of gender, age and district, each with six members, in several stages. Three members each were drawn from the youth council, the opera's subscribers, the staff and the ensemble.
14 men and 19 women from all Düsseldorf districts took part in the mini-public. The participants were between 17 and 84 years old. Their connection to opera varied from ‘I work in opera’ to ‘I've never been to the opera’.
On 12, 26 June and 21 August 2021, the three groups of 10 had intensive discussions on the three above-mentioned questions about the opera house of the future in four-hour sessions each. Two professional moderators for each group documented the course of the exchange of opinions.
City wants to take up suggestions
'I can very well imagine that many of the citizens' wishes will also be reflected in our plans,' said Lord Mayor Stephan Keller (CDU), welcoming many of the suggestions. Düsseldorf's city leaders favour a new building, as does a large part of the political community. The costs for this were estimated at at least 736 million euros.
'We want the future opera house to offer much more than just opera performances, so that many people feel addressed,' said Katharina Ringwelski, one of the spokespersons for the Citizens' Jury. Cafés, restaurants or additional rooms for external artists are conceivable, as well as offers for schools and young people in general.
Citizens want a central city centre location
Various locations were on the shortlist for the future opera house. In addition to the current location at Hofgarten, there were also designs by architectural firms for the Kaufhof site at Wehrhahn, at the southern end of Königsallee, in Rheinpark or in Medienhafen.
In the opinion of the citizens, the locations Hafen and Rheinpark were rather unsuitable because of their poor connections. The citizens saw much more potential for the Wehrhahn option. Using parts of the Hofgarten for a new building at the current location, on the other hand, was taboo for many.
Opera as a lighthouse project?
The citizens disagree about the dimensions of the future opera house. While some are in favour of a visible architectural landmark, others are in favour of a smaller opera house that would fit better into the cityscape.
The listed opera house from the post-war period has been in need of renovation for years. The fire protection and stage equipment are in a state of disrepair, and there is a lack of space. The city has already had to invest tens of millions of euros to keep it running at all. At the end of 2021, the city council is to make a fundamental decision on whether to build or renovate.
Decision on new building
In December 2021, the city administration recommended the new construction of the opera house in a submission for a decision in principle. On 16 December 2021, the city council decided by a majority to build a new opera house in Düsseldorf. On 7 April 2022, the City Council had decided that the state capital would initiate an urban planning competition for the "Opera House of the Future" project. The international competition is to be held jointly for the sites Heinrich-Heine-Allee 16a and Am Wehrhahn 1 in order to obtain concrete planning designs for both sites.
On the basis of these ideas and the interaction of all important factors, a decision will then be made on a location for the opera house of the future. In this process, urban society will again be involved through accompanying public participation. Various information and dialogue formats are planned in order to involve as many Düsseldorfers as possible.
International competition
On 8 September 2022, the city council set the exact parameters and procedure for the ideas competition. It has also been decided to set up a project advisory board which - in addition to the political bodies and committees - will serve as a public voice for the implementation of the results from the public participation. It is envisaged as a stakeholder dialogue based on the principle of representation. The members were appointed according to suggestions from the Small Commission Opera House of the Future. The public participation will start in October 2022 and be completed by the end of the first quarter of 2023.
After a two-day meeting, the jury of the competition for the Opera House of the Future has awarded prizes to seven urban planning projects. The 40 designs submitted at the end of 2022 and pre-reviewed by experts at the beginning of January 2023 were evaluated by an independent jury on 9 and 10 February 2023. For the two possible locations - Heinrich-Heine-Allee and Am Wehrhahn - the best four and three designs respectively were awarded prizes, which later served as an important basis for the location decision. The competition examined the urban integration of the opera house of the future at both locations and showed the effects on the respective surroundings.
Location decision in June 2024
Immediately after the competition was completed, the Düsseldorf administration began to formulate a site recommendation. On 27 June 2024, the city council decided on the Am Wehrhahn 1 and Oststraße 15 site as the new location for the construction of the opera house of the future. The council resolution of 15 June 2023, which envisaged the new building on Heinrich-Heine-Allee, was revoked. Instead, the council decided to purchase the property at Am Wehrhahn 1 and Oststraße 15 and use it for the construction of the new opera house. The administration was also instructed to prepare an architectural and engineering competition for the new location.
‘A new building at Wehrhahn is a significant urban development upgrade for the neighbourhood,’ explained Lord Mayor Keller at the council meeting. The large-scale project would be much more economical there because the city would be investing in its own assets. Synergies with other facilities, such as the Clara Schumann Music School, are also possible there.
The insolvency of the controversial Signa owner René Benko, who owns the Wehrhahn site, was decisive for the change of course. This enabled the city to acquire the site at a comparatively favourable price. ‘This is a unique opportunity that we must seize,’ emphasised CDU planning expert Alexander Fils.
Greens criticise lack of funding
Criticism came from the Greens. ‘They have not said anything about how this billion-euro project is to be financed,’ said Mayor Clara Gerlach. The city would also have to renovate bridges, expand public transport and secure the energy supply. ‘Approval at this point in time is irresponsible for us.’
The Left Party also criticised the large-scale project. Parliamentary group spokesperson Julia Marmulla doubted whether a new opera house would even be the right thing for the neighbourhood. The party cited a representative survey carried out on its behalf, according to which two thirds of Düsseldorf residents were opposed to a new opera house. The Left Party therefore called for a referendum on the issue in 2025.
Left party takes legal action against decision
In the opinion of the Left Party parliamentary group, the decision to rebuild the Düsseldorf Opera House was unlawful. It has therefore filed a complaint with the Düsseldorf Administrative Court to clarify the matter. The Left Party argues that the leaders of the CDU, SPD and FDP parliamentary groups on Düsseldorf City Council were informed two months in advance about the plans to purchase land for the new building, while the rest of the council was only informed three days before the resolution was passed. Non-public information was only received two days beforehand.
The Left Party faction sees this as a violation of the principle of equal treatment of all council members and a breach of the local constitution. From the Left's point of view, the city council was taken by surprise.
Criticism of secrecy
Mayor Keller had justified the secrecy with the intention that this was the only way to achieve a favourable price for the land. The opposition faction doubts this: The stated price of 133 million euros for the properties is likely to be above the market value and therefore above the price that the city would have had to pay with its right of first refusal.
The secrecy was presumably intended to push through the controversial project against the broad majority of the population. In addition, a dubious sense of urgency had been used. While it was said that the old opera house at the Hofgarten could only be used until 2027 and could not be renovated, it could now suddenly be used until 2032 and there were also renovation concepts.
Decision on architectural and engineering competition
On 12 December 2024, Düsseldorf City Council decided to launch the architectural and engineering competition for the realisation of the opera house of the future on the site of the former ‘Am Wehrhahn’ department store. The content of the so-called award decision is the start of the architectural and engineering competition with the aim of finding a general planner for the new construction of the opera house of the future.
The spatial and functional programme, which is described in detail in the invitation to tender, comprises a total of around 38,000 square metres of usable space at the Am Wehrhahn 1 and Oststraße 15 site, where the Clara Schumann Music School and the Music Library are to be given a new home in addition to the Deutsche Oper am Rhein. The shared use of areas - such as rehearsal rooms or the canteen - will result in synergies in terms of space and content.
Opening up to a broader target group
Options for a restaurant, brasserie or other catering options will open up the opera house of the future to a broad target group. Other actors from the arts and culture will also be given space to present their work to the public and exchange ideas. Together with the combination of the opera house, music school and music library, various interests, offers and groups of people will be brought together under one roof - creating a meeting place for art, media and urban life.
In preparation for the shared location, various forms of co-operation between the opera house, music school and music library will be intensified. In addition, groups with a history of migration will be actively addressed and integrated. An important building block in this context is a planned collaboration with the ‘Haus der Kulturen’ association in Düsseldorf.
City council must continue to be involved
The city council also voted in favour of an amendment tabled by the CDU, Greens, SPD and FDP. According to this amendment, a new draft resolution confirming the winning design and providing further funding is to be submitted to the council once the architectural and engineering competition has been completed. The general planner will then be commissioned.
The preliminary design and draft planning will then begin until the implementation and financing decision, which is scheduled for the end of 2028. In addition, the amendment provides €1 million for the development and implementation of a concept to turn the opera house into a so-called ‘third venue’.
Left party wants to apply for referendum
The Left Party faction in the city council is planning a motion for the council meeting on 10 July 2025, which involves a council referendum on the contentious issue. Specifically, the parliamentary group wants to ensure that all citizens of the city can cast their vote on the opera at the same time as voting in the local elections on 14 September 2025. ‘It's a question of whether or not to build a new opera house,’ explains parliamentary group leader Julia Marmulla. ‘We live in times of upheaval and crisis. People are looking for stability and security, but also for participation. If you want to spend 1.56 billion on a new opera house, you have to ask the people.’
The total costs of 1.56 billion euros for a new opera house that the Left Party cites originate from a city submission from 2021. ‘We have added the sum stated there for a new building to the current property values at Wehrhahn,’ explains parliamentary group leader Christian Jäger.
What is a council referendum?
Unlike a referendum, which is initiated by a citizens' initiative with a minimum number of signatures specified in the municipal code, a council referendum is decided by the city council. A two-thirds majority of all council members is required for such a referendum to be held.
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