The Ohnsorg Theater has been based in Grosse Bleichen, the heart of Hamburg, for 72 years now. Its new address in the Bieberhaus building will provide this theater of nationwide appeal with a new modern stage as well as fundamentally improved technical facilities. A larger seating capacity and the availability of an additional studio stage are further attractive innovations. Other convincing arguments are the building's ideal location for the Ohnsorg visitors, in close proximity to Hamburg's central railway station and to the Deutsche Schauspielhaus. In relocating to its new home within the next three years, the Ohnsorg Theater will give the former cultural center Bieberhaus new life.
Christian Seeler, Director of the Ohnsorg Theater: "By moving to the Bieberhaus, the Ohnsorg Theater secures its existence for the next decades. The new construction of an attractive theater provided with state-of-the-art equipment and an additional studio stage supports the lasting artistic and economic development of Hamburg's unique Low German folk theater."
The corporate philosophy of alstria includes maintaining close, long-term relations with its tenants. Accordingly, the company made an effort from the outset to find an ideal solution within its own property portfolio for such a well-known and important tenant. alstria will be offering the Ohnsorg Theater a long-term lease in the wake of its relocation to the Bieberhaus building. The investment this relocation entails will amount to more than ten million Euros and will be borne by alstria alone. In collaboration with the Ohnsorg Theater, alstria would like to give yet another prominent building in Hamburg a completely new character.
Olivier Elamine, CEO of alstria: "We do not simply want to act as a landlord; instead, we want to create added value for our tenants. This is why we are pleased to be able to offer the Ohnsorg Theater the Bieberhaus building as a new, long-term home. This step means a winwin situation for everyone concerned; the cultural wealth of the city of Hamburg also stands to benefit from this change in location, given that the Ohnsorg Theater will have improved technical equipment at its disposal."
About Ohnsorg Theater:
The Ohnsorg Theater, which is just as famous and popular as St. Michael's Church (known to locals as the "Michel"), the Köhlbrand Bridge or the "Elbtunnel", had its origins in a theater society founded by Dr. Richard Ohnsorg in 1902 known as the "Dramatische Gesellschaft". From 1909 on, the company specialized in performing plays only in a vernacular known as "Plattdeutsch", or Low German. The ensemble, which initially did not have a theater of its own, established itself at its present address in a street named Grosse Bleichen in the heart of Hamburg in 1936, where it has been based for 72 years now.
Regular television broadcasts and stars like Heidi Kabel, Henry Vahl and many others have given the company a reputation on an international scale - and the current ensemble is certainly doing its best to maintain the theater's popularity.
Director Christian Seeler has been in charge of the company since 1996, successfully proving that folk theater definitely need not necessarily be "flat" entertainment [playing on the translation of "platt" (low) German]; The rich variety of plays acted in "Plattdeutsch" - with only the Christmas fairy tale being performed in "High" (standard) German - ranges from character and general comedies, farces, musical plays, operettas, operas and rock revues all the way through to serious drama.
For further information, please see: www.ohnsorg.de
Disclaimer:
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As far as this press release contains forward-looking statements with respect to the business, financial condition and results of operations of alstria office REIT-AG (alstria), these statements are based on current expectations or beliefs of alstria's management. These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results or performance of the Company to differ materially from those reflected in such forward-looking statements. Apart from other factors not mentioned here, differences could occur as a result of changes in the overall economic situation and the competitive environment - especially in the core business segments and markets of alstria. Also, the development of the financial markets and changes in national as well as international provisions particularly in the field of tax legislation and financial reporting standards could have an effect. Terrorist attacks and their consequences could increase the likelihood and the extent of differences.
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