Miss Quellgeflüster: What’s the story behind the name “Valhalla”?
Vanessa: In Norse mythology, the term means “Hall of the Slain.” It was believed that those who fell in battle gathered at this mythical place, which is ruled by Odin, the father of the gods. Around 1900, variety and folk theaters began to be called "Walhalla," partly as a parody alluding to the mythological hall of fame.

Miss Quellgeflüster: Why is it worth renovating the Walhalla?
Vanessa: Architecture shapes the atmosphere and influences the quality of life. Thanks to its exceptionally well-preserved Historicist architecture, Wiesbaden has a style all its own. The Walhalla, a standalone cultural monument, is part of this uniqueness, part of this defining cityscape, and part of the lives of many Wiesbaden residents—and thus part of the ongoing history of the state capital, Wiesbaden. Not every city has such a unique and defining cultural venue. Through this cultural and architectural development project, we are transforming the Walhalla from its historical context of use into a future cultural venue that meets all the requirements our society places on cultural venues and their use today. That is why the renovation is worthwhile in two ways: We are preserving a unique historic building, bringing it up to current technical standards, and thereby enabling its revitalization through a contemporary programmatic approach that will appeal to the entire urban community.

Miss Quellgeflüster: What stage is the restoration at?
Vanessa: A hazardous materials cleanup is currently underway in the Walhalla. All contaminated materials are being removed and disposed of properly. The restorers have mapped out all the damage, and in the Hall of Mirrors they are now beginning to strip away the emulsion paint from the 1970s. This paint seals the walls, which is rather unfavorable for a building in the spa city of Wiesbaden. Moisture must be able to diffuse out of the walls so that the masonry can remain dry. And in July, one of the side aisles along the ballroom will be demolished. The goal is to determine whether, in addition to the historic gables, any other remnants of the historic façade have survived, which could in turn serve as a reference for the design of the new façades. We will celebrate this progress on September 15 at the Walhalla Action Day, which will take place around the Walhalla and in the Mauritius Media Library.

Miss Quellgeflüster: What was an evening at the Walhalla like in the 19th century?
Vanessa: I’ll quote from the article in the Rheinischer Kurier that appeared on the occasion of the opening on September 17, 1897: "As early as yesterday morning, crowds began streaming in to see the newly built marvel. [...] By 8 o’clock, the lower hall was full, and shortly thereafter there wasn’t a single empty seat left—not on the balcony nor in the boxes—it was sold out. [...] A few minutes past 8 o’clock, the house orchestra, conducted by the bandmaster Mr. Zimmer, struck up the Walhalla Festival March [...] The first to appear on stage was Miss Emilie Robert as a concert singer. Encouraged by the lively cheers, the young lady performed three songs with a winning, pleasantly touching voice." The article is much more extensive, and I recommend a visit to the city archives, where further documents detail the program around 1900. By the way, I am still searching for the sheet music for this Walhalla Festmarsch, which Kapellmeister Zimmer composed for the venue. It would be wonderful to be able to play it at the reopening in 2030! I would be grateful for any leads.

Miss Quellgeflüster: How has the building’s use changed over the years?
Vanessa: The first step in developing my concept for the building’s use was to research its various uses from 1897 until its closure in 2017. What was possible to implement in these spaces, and how was the overall concept of use distributed across the building’s various floors and rooms?

• It began with variety shows and theater productions, which also included operetta performances, such as those by the Jewish Wiesbaden composer Heinz Lewin, who was murdered in the Shoah. On April 18, 1946, the Jewish community celebrated Passover at the Walhalla—a story that deeply moved me when Steve Landau submitted it for my project “My Walhalla Story.”
• With the Bambikino, films were no longer shown only in the ballroom but also in the basement.
• In the 1950s, the Walhalla was owned by a chef from Upper Bavaria, so there was a Bavarian restaurant complete with a bowling alley in the basement.
• There’s a record of an Elvis performance, and the jazz scene was a regular fixture here. My uncle DJed at the Big Apple, which opened in 1975, and the State Theater used the venue as an interim performance space—a logistically challenging endeavor, as the Walhalla lacked sufficient space to accommodate an ensemble operation with workshops. There is a lively correspondence between Mr. Janowsky, the then-executive artistic director—who, by the way, also signed my debut contract at the Wiesbaden State Theater back then—and the then-head of the cultural affairs department, Margarete Goldmann, which can also be read in the city archives.
• With Sigrid Skoetz, the Walhalla was revitalized and taken over by the Walhalla Theater Association starting in 2001.
• In 2017, the theater had to close for fire safety reasons.

Miss Quellgeflüster: When is it scheduled to open? What are the main challenges?
Vanessa: The opening is scheduled for 2030. If I take the technical planning for stage and event technology as an example, the task here isn’t simply to hang new spotlights on an existing mount and plug them in—that’s not an option—but rather to work together with technical planners, historic preservation officials, architects, the SEG, and other stakeholders to determine where, in the ballroom despite the wire mesh ceiling and stucco, the technology can be placed so that the audience can see the stage later and the audio equipment can contribute to a good listening experience. And how can the load—that is, the weight of the equipment—be supported? That’s where the structural engineer comes in. Small, incremental steps are worked out by many experts, and thanks to the project structure, which brings relevant stakeholders together in committees and working groups, we are moving forward step by step with careful planning. The goal is for the building to be professionally renovated and, at the same time, fully functional. And then, with a renovation of an existing building, there are always surprises—including good ones! For example, it was just discovered that the historic stage portal has been preserved, at least in part, behind some cladding. Now it is being uncovered piece by piece, and the space is gaining an additional dimension.

Fräulein Quellgeflüster: How is the Walhalla supposed to be used in the future?
Vanessa: In its manifesto, the Cultural Advisory Board explicitly expressed the desire that all art forms be included in the program. Now, the Walhalla offers a wide variety of spaces, both in terms of atmosphere and capacity, and these are ideal conditions for a festival venue that will engage with all genres. Events such as dance, theater, performance, concerts, exhibitions, and readings are planned. The Walhalla will serve both as a home venue with its own festival formats and as one of many venues for existing festivals.

The Walhalla is envisioned as a place of collaboration. For instance, the neighboring Mauritius Media Library will establish a “library of things” on the ground floor, where a restaurant and a “third place” are also planned. The term “third place” comes from sociology and essentially means that one is neither at home (first place), nor at work or school (second place), but rather in a third place of residence—a neighborhood gathering spot, the living room of urban society. Here, one can work on a laptop, read, relax, and charge a cell phone without making a purchase, or meet up with others.

Another fundamental programmatic approach is that of education. Promoting it and offering children, young people, and aspiring artists a place to grow is another mission of the future cultural venue.

And citizens are invited to use it. For example, a dance and movement room can be booked for yoga classes; in collaboration with local restaurants, dance teas or a Riesling wine tasting can take place. And the Walhalla will come right to your doorstep. The steering committee, chaired by the mayor, had once again highlighted this task. This means an open-air cinema or a summer concert can take place on Mauritiusplatz. With this diverse program, the Walhalla will be the answer to the question: How can the necessary transformation, how can the revitalization of our downtown succeed?

Miss Quellgeflüster: What fascinates you personally about this place?
Vanessa: As soon as I step into the Walhalla and the ballroom surrounds me, I can picture in my mind’s eye how this cultural venue will come alive. The director’s desk in the back of the auditorium, the hall lights, a lively buzz of voices as people take their seats, the silence in the darkness before the curtain slides aside and reveals the stage, illuminated in just the right light, the first notes, footsteps, words .... The Walhalla immediately sparks the imagination; as an artist, as a person of culture, you immediately start developing ideas, designing, planning—it’s almost a bit magical and simply enchanting. The fact that I can redevelop a cultural venue as a cultural manager for the state capital of Wiesbaden is a truly wonderful task that fills me with joy and gratitude for the trust placed in me. And the overarching purpose—strengthening democracy through culture, opening a cultural venue to the entire urban community, and driving a transformation of the city center, thereby also contributing to economic development—makes my role both responsible and fulfilling.