Petra Köpping cancels participation in Leipzig Opera Ball - protests against Till Lindemann
Leipzig. Saxony's Minister of Social Affairs, Petra Köpping (SPD), has canceled her participation in the Leipzig Opera Ball on Saturday. She wants to contribute to de-escalation in light of the announced protests, the ministry announced on Thursday.
The reason for the protests is the invitation of Till Lindemann. The "Rammstein" singer is coming at the request of building contractor Torsten Fenger, who is also a sponsor of the Opera Ball. Lindemann is on a list of celebrities that the Opera Ball published in advance for its promotional purposes. After his invitation became known, a demonstration in front of the building on Augustusplatz was reported to the Leipzig city administration.
"Due to the announced protests and the advance reporting on the Leipzig Opera Ball, I, as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Equal Opportunities of the Free State of Saxony, have decided to cancel my participation in this ball," Köpping said in a statement.
With her decision, she also wanted to contribute to de-escalation. "As the minister responsible for social cohesion, peaceful and non-violent coexistence is very important to me. I want to make that clear with my refusal," Köpping continued.
The organizers of the protest welcomed Petra Köpping's cancellation on Thursday. "It clearly shows that civic engagement is seen and heard," said Irena Rudolph-Kokot, demonstratively extending her hand: "We cordially invite Ms. Köpping to join the alliance in the silent protest on Saturday in front of the opera. And perhaps other guests will follow the minister's example."
In addition to people from the music and film industries and entrepreneurs, the “VIP list” of the Leipzig Opera Ball published in advance includes several politicians: the Saxon State Ministers Sebastian Gemkow (Science) and Barbara Klepsch (Culture and Tourism), Leipzig’s Finance Mayor Torsten Bonew (all CDU) and the Swedish Ambassador Veronika Wand-Danielsson.
"I deeply regret that Petra Köpping has canceled," said Opera Ball Managing Director Vivian Honert-Boddin in response to an inquiry from the Leipziger Volkszeitung that evening. "I find it very unfortunate that the actual themes of the evening, which we have been working on for a year, are now increasingly losing focus." She is referring to the charity project, the partner region of Andalusia, and also the 30th anniversary of the Leipzig Opera Ball.
However, there has been no reaction from ball guests regarding Lindemann's appointment so far, and no tickets have been returned. Rather, there has been significant demand for strolling tickets in recent days.
"We truly didn't expect this to have such a big impact," says co-managing director Maxi Fenger, lamenting the escalation of events. "From our perspective, however, nothing will change the planned schedule; our ball will take place on Saturday as planned." Due to the announced demonstration, the security plan will have to be adjusted, "but we are well prepared."
The invitation to Till Lindemann came through Maxi Fenger's father's company. The Fenger Group issued a press release: "Mr. Fenger invited Mr. Lindemann because the two have a long-standing personal friendship. The Fenger Group is a long-standing sponsor of the Leipzig Opera Ball. The Leipzig Opera Ball is a social event where Mr. Fenger enjoys bringing together people from his personal and professional circles." There will be no further public statement.
A total of around 30 Leipzig-based initiatives have called for a silent protest against Till Lindemann and the way the Opera Ball has treated him. These include the "Leipzig Takes a Seat" group, the Leipzig socio-cultural centers Werk II and Conne Island, the Leipzig Women's Culture Association, the Live Komminat Leipzig, the Louise Otto Peters Society, the Peaceful Revolution Leipzig Foundation, the Leipzig Night Council, the SPD Women, and the German Trade Union Confederation Leipzig.
In an open letter to the organizers of the Opera Ball entitled "No Ball for Perpetrators," the alliance appeals to social responsibility. "The fact that an institution like Opernball Production GmbH – together with the Leipzig Opera – provides a platform for a person against whom serious allegations of sexual assault and abuse of power have been publicly made sends a fatal signal," it states.
Around two years ago, several women accused Lindemann of sexual acts without their consent. Even though the criminal investigation and proceedings against Lindemann were discontinued without sufficient suspicion, the question remains, according to the letter, whether the information about the incidents that has come to light is morally unproblematic.
The alliance denies this, arguing that even legal immunity cannot provide moral relief. Even after criminal investigations are concluded, victims of sexual violence must continue to live with the consequences. "A ball that adorns itself with style and charity while knowingly accepting that survivors of sexual violence and abuse feel mocked falls short of its social purpose," the open letter continues.
The Leipzig Opera Ball is an annual event organized externally by a company and held on the premises of the Leipzig Opera. The Leipzig Opera House itself has no involvement with the event. Around 2,000 visitors are expected at the 30th edition, under the motto "Bienvenidos, Andalucía."
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