The government accepts what the judiciary decides. Stephane Lissner, who challenged his 70-year “retirement” (as a result of the new rules passed by the Government) ahead of the natural expiry of the contract, and to whom the judge ruled in favour, may be reinstated at the top of the theatre.
This was announced by the head of the Ministry of Culture Gennaro Sangiuliano.
Lissner would therefore be reinstated in his functions which in the meantime had already been entrusted to the former CEO of Rai, Carlo Fuortes, appointed superintendent at the beginning of August.
«An act of justice, after months spent in “limbo” that I didn’t deserve but above all the San Carlo Theater and the city of Naples didn’t deserve. Today, the Court of Naples gave the first fundamental signal of how my dismissal was an illegitimate and ad personam act, devoid of those contents of ‘legal civility’ which must guide every democratic system.” This is how Stephane Lissner comments in a note on the decision of the labor judge Clara Ruggiero, who accepted as a precaution her appeal against the early “retirement”.
«I see in this decision an inseparable link with the European dimension of which Italy, Naples and the San Carlo Theater itself are authentic and constitutive expressions. Now, I am available to carry out my role together with the extraordinary people who work in the Theatre”, concludes Lissner.
The president of the San Carlo Foundation had commented on the judge’s decision thus: «I take note of the order issued by the Court of Naples as a precautionary measure regarding the appeal presented by Stéphane Lissner: the judicial measures are respected. In declaring the dismissal of the outgoing superintendent and appointing Carlo Fuortes – who worked well in this phase -, we applied a state law avoiding a management vacuum. I will shortly meet the Foundation’s Board of Directors to make the reinstatement effective and to evaluate the presentation of the complaint on appeal.”
And he concluded: «Any appeal will be presented through the State Attorney’s Office to which we have entrusted the defense of the Foundation in court. The Theater needs stability and continuity to continue the work started in full legitimation of the roles.”