Opernsanierung: Neuer Geschäftsführer berufen

Christoph Niethammer has been appointed as the new Managing Director of the Project Company Württembergische Staatstheater (ProWST). With his many years of experience, he is a great asset to the opera renovation.

Niethammer will take up his position on September 15, 2023, and his contract will run for five years. He was born in Heilbronn and completed his studies in architecture at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) and the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) Zurich, earning his diploma. He also obtained his Master of Science degree at Columbia University in New York. Afterward, he worked as a project manager on numerous demanding construction projects for renowned architectural firms. His projects include cultural buildings in Basel, Hamburg, and Bremerhaven, as well as residential and commercial buildings in New York City, Berlin, and Hamburg. Over the past ten years, he has been responsible for the development of mixed-use inner-city districts for a well-known project developer in Hamburg.

This appointment marks an important step in the renovation, modernization, and expansion of the Württembergische Staatstheater. Gisela Splett, State Secretary of Finance and Deputy Chair of the Supervisory Board, emphasized the significance of Niethammer’s appointment and wished him success in this important task. Dr. Fabian Mayer, Chairman of the ProWST Supervisory Board and First Mayor of Stuttgart, praised Niethammer’s expertise and abilities, stating that his extensive experience in planning and implementing challenging construction projects, including cultural buildings, makes him a valuable addition to the project.

Arne Braun, State Secretary for Art, emphasized that Niethammer’s appointment marks a significant step forward for the overall project of renovating, modernizing, and expanding the Württembergische Staatstheater Stuttgart. Braun believes that Niethammer’s high affinity for culture, combined with responsible economic management, makes him a suitable candidate for the position. Niethammer expressed his gratitude for the trust placed in him and his excitement about the challenge of realizing this groundbreaking construction project. He highlighted the ambitious architectural projects with great cultural and societal potential, such as the recently awarded creative quarter with the interim facilities at the Wagenhallen, the expansion of the set workshops at the Zuckerfabrik, and the renovation and architectural arrangement of the Littmann building. Niethammer aims to inspire people together with his future team at ProWST.

The renovation, modernization, and expansion of the Württembergische Staatstheater is one of the most important construction projects in the state of Baden-Württemberg and the city of Stuttgart in the coming years. This project holds significant cultural, societal, and urban development importance. To plan and implement this project, the state and the city established the joint project company Württembergische Staatstheater Stuttgart GmbH in January 2023, abbreviated as ProWST. ProWST will assume and continue the ongoing plans of the state and the city as soon as possible.

For further information, the Ministry of Science, Research, and the Arts provides a FAQ on the renovation of the opera house of the Staatstheater Stuttgart.

Source: Ministry of Science, Research, and the Arts: FAQ on the renovation of the opera house of the Staatstheater Stuttgart.