Duesseldorfer schauspielhaus, Germany
The playhouse imagined by the Düsseldorf architect Bernhard Pfau is one of the greatest theater constructions built after the war. Not only its curved lines and wavy walls, but also the on-going modern and experimental performances that are alive in this playhouse make the theater one the most modern theater institutions in Germany and not only.
Although planning of the playhouse had begun in 1959, the political instability delayed with more than a decade the opening of the new playhouse; in the mean time the public was polarized, and with the final costs amounted to some 40 million DM, the opening on the 16Th of January 1970 turned into a complete scandal. No tickets were sold to the open public, and only guests were permitted to participate at the official opening performance. The demonstrates disputed public rights to take part of the cultural life of the city, but also aimed a general critique to traditional cultural institutions. Twenty people were arrested and several injured
