London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Saturday, Jul 05, 2025

German Ballet Chief 'Smeared Dog Poop' On Critic's Face For Bad Review

German Ballet Chief "Smeared Dog Poop" On Critic's Face For Bad Review

An award-winning German ballet director allegedly smeared dog faeces on the face of a prominent critic at the weekend premiere of a new show, prompting a police investigation.
Marco Goecke confronted journalist Wiebke Huester in the foyer at the Hanover State Opera during an intermission of a performance on Saturday, Huester's employer said, adding he was furious at her review of a previous show.

The ballet chief "pulled a paper bag full of animal excrement out and smeared the contents on the face of our dance critic", according to the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ).

During a break in Saturday's performance of "Belief -- Love -- Hope," Goecke was incensed by Huester's negative review of his show "In the Dutch Mountains", performed in The Hague earlier.

Goecke allegedly threatened to bar the critic from the Hanover State Opera and blamed her for cancelled subscriptions at the theatre.

Huester reported the incident to the police, who said they were investigating the alleged assault.

The public humiliation was also "an attempt to intimidate our free, critical view of art", the FAZ said.

The Hanover State Opera said in a statement it "very much regrets" the incident on Saturday night.

"We contacted the journalist immediately after the incident and apologised to her personally," the opera director Laura Berman said.

The arts institution would examine the disciplinary steps it could take against Goecke "and then act in this internal personnel matter", Berman said.

"We deeply regret that our audience was disturbed by this incident," she added.

Goecke, ballet director at the Hanover theatre since 2019, was the 2022 recipient of the German Dance Prize.

The next performance of his new ballet in Hanover is scheduled for February 24, according to the opera house's website.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
Poland Implements Border Checks Amid Growing Migration Tensions
Political Dispute Escalates Between Trump and Musk
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Amazon Reaches Milestone with Deployment of One Millionth Robot
US Senate Votes to Remove AI Regulation Moratorium from Domestic Policy Bill
Yulia Putintseva Calls for Spectator Ejection at Wimbledon Over Safety Concerns
Jury Deliberations in Diddy Trial Yield Partial Verdict in Serious Criminal Charges
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
King Charles Plans Significant Role for Prince Harry in Coronation
Two Chinese Nationals Arrested for Espionage Activities Against U.S. Navy
Amazon Reaches Major Automation Milestone with Over One Million Robots
Extreme Heat Wave Sweeps Across Europe, Hitting Record Temperatures
Meta Announces Formation of Ambitious AI Unit, Meta Superintelligence Labs
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
Trump Administration Considers Withdrawal of Funding for Hospitals Providing Gender Treatment to Minors
×