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Stuttgart Puts Opera Renovation Under Review

An expert hearing will reassess costs, examine rebuild versus renovation options, measure political and public support.

Overview

  • State and city leaders agreed Monday to pause the planned Littmann-Bau renovation and to convene an expert hearing to re-evaluate costs and core alternatives.
  • Minister‑President Cem Özdemir said the review is intended to restore trust and will be carried out openly with outside experts and all facts on the table.
  • CDU parliamentary leader Tobias Vogt has sharply criticized the plans, warning that cutting apart the 1912 Littmann building for an interim could create 'unkalkulierbare Risiken' and worsen strained municipal budgets.
  • No current official total for the full renovation exists; a 2019 estimate put the bill at about €1 billion while recent plans sought to cap the interim facility at €289 million.
  • The pause leaves project timing uncertain—the interim had been discussed for a roughly ten‑year role with earlier start dates slipping—and prompted praise from the taxpayers' association, which urged that costs be central to the review.