Stuttgart (dpa/lsw) – The project for the multi-billion dollar renovation of the Stuttgart Opera is taking the next step: on Tuesday, the green-black cabinet approved the establishment of a joint project company by the state capital of Stuttgart and the state. This is to plan and implement the renovation of the Württemberg State Theater. Science Minister Theresia Bauer (Greens) spoke of a “decisive milestone” on the way to a sustainable state theatre. The project company is scheduled to start work on January 1, 2023. Property and construction Baden-Württemberg is preparing the architectural competition. The competition is then to be carried out by the project company.

The state and the city of Stuttgart want to share the costs of the project. Whether the previous budget of more than one billion euros can be maintained is strongly questioned. The State Audit Office had also demanded that the planning be reviewed in view of the crisis. Among other things, a modern so-called cross stage should make it possible to change the stage set faster and easier, more space is needed for rehearsal rooms, for example, the roof from 1911 is dilapidated and the gastronomy is no longer up to date. Most recently, the upcoming billions in costs were discussed. The CDU parliamentary group insists on examining cheaper alternatives.