Expensive tastes

Official estimates put the renovations of the 150-year-old Bolshoi Theater at 500 million euros ($689 million). But some independent observers suggest that the actual figure is around twice as much, as in articles published in Russian daily Kommersant and Germany's Die Welt newspaper. They point out that expensive contracts, bribes, botched work and mismanaged planning made three extra years of work and many additional funds necessary.

Public prosecutors in Russia have investigated numerous cases in conjunction with the Bolshoi renovations, but organizers are determined not to let those overshadow the opening festivities that are set to continue through Christmas.

Nevertheless, the question arises: Are such costs appropriate for a temple of the muses? Bolshoi is certainly not the first scandalous renovation deal to land in the headlines.



Milan's La Scala

That was the case with Milan's Teatro alla Scala - with 2,000 seats it's almost as large and Moscow's Bolshoi, though quite a bit more subdued from the outside.

La Scala was largely destroyed during World War II, but quickly rebuilt - much too quickly, as it turned out. The makeshift job ruined the acoustics within the theater. In 2000, a decision was made to renovate the building, which was then closed for the next three years. The reconstruction cost 60.5 million euros - a trifle compared with Moscow.

From the ashes

The Venetian Teatro la Fenice, known as "The Phoenix," posed significantly more problems. In 1996, the famous institution, for which Verdi composed his "Traviata," went up in flames. Electricians Enrico Carella and Massimiliano Marchetti were convicted of arson for burning the building in an attempt to avoid fines for delays in work they had been contracted to do at the theater.

Voices throughout Italy demanded that the Phoenix rise from the ashes, "where it was and as it was." Originally, the resurrection was supposed to be completed by 1998. But then came a series of scandals and mudslinging as well as a freeze on construction because the German-Italian consortium led by Philipp Holzmann was having financial problems.

The logistical problems were just as weighty. In historical Venice, each crane and steel girder had to be transported through the narrow canals. By the reopening in December 2003, the costs had escalated to 90 million euros - double the original estimate.

Poor, but sexy

Among the German capital's three major opera houses, the Berlin State Opera has set itself apart. And it's now due for renovations. The city - famous for maintaining its sex appeal despite limited funds - began taking concrete action around five years ago.

A first design by Klaus Roth was rejected for interfering too much with the substance of the building, which is protected as a national monument. The work is now being headed by HG Merz's Stuttgart-based architecture firm. The state is covering 200 million of the projected 239-million-euro budget, while the institution's supporters will have to collect the addition 39 million themselves. The reopening is planned for October 3, 2013.

"In general, about 10 to 15 percent of the total projected budget for such a project is reserved for unexpected costs that come up," Hans Günter Merz, the firm's owner and head architect, told Deutsche Welle. He added that such a budget allocation is typical in the architecture branch.

It's all relative

Those are all high sums, but they deserve some context. In Germany, for example, taxpayers foot the bill for each kilometer of public transportation to the tune of 50-60 million euros. The controversial Waldschlösschen Bridge in Dresden was intended to ease inner-city congestion in the city but ended up costing 200 million euros, while depriving the Dresden Elbe Valley of its title as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Annual maintenance costs for the bridge are around 430 million. And finally, the construction of the 70,000-seat Allianz Arena soccer stadium in Munich ate up around 340 million euros.

It's well known that money invested in culture often produces idealistic rather than financial gains. So that explains why opera manager Gerd Froboese said with a wink, "Get your tax money back: go to the theater!"

At least Moscow residents seem thrilled to have a proper opera house once again. The performances sold out fast, even though the ticket prices - at 50 to 200 euros for standard seats - are less than democratic.

Author: Anastassia Boutsko / gsw
Editor: Kate Bowen