Munich theater defends subsidy as key to musical variety

The Deutsches Theater in Munich says its annual city subsidy of about 2 million euros allows it to stage a wider range of musicals than a commercial operator would. BR reports that the theater’s public funding has prompted calls from some politicians to privatise the venue.

Intendant Thomas Linsmayer argues that a private company would need to make substantial investments and focus on commercially successful shows. Without public support, he said, the theatre could not offer the same variety and might run a hit such as The Lion King for years, as happens in Hamburg.

The Deutsches Theater changes its programme every few weeks and presents up to 15 musicals a year, including new productions. Less commercially popular shows may run for only a few days. Its smaller Silbersaal hosts emerging performers, cabaret and artistic experiments.

The venue is Germany’s largest guest-performance theater without its own ensemble, Linsmayer said. That allows it to host large US productions and dance shows, as well as children’s and youth programmes and projects made with other theaters. It also holds balls during Munich’s carnival season, a tradition it says dates back 130 years.

Munich Deputy Mayor Mona Fuchs, who chairs the theater’s supervisory board, said the city intends to maintain and continue running it, with clear support for that position in the city council.

The theater opened its anniversary season with Disney’s The Hunchback of Notre Dame, a German-language production brought from the Budapest Operetta Theatre. BR said the performers were not always easy to understand. Disney first staged the musical in Berlin in 1999, where it received a mixed response and ran for three years.