A Reader Writes #32

From: A Reader (Anonymous)

Inspired by your marvellously helpful analytic of the biometrics of Berlin and Bournemouth, I feel compelled to make a small contribution of my own in the hope that this will add to the precision of the discernment model towards the completion of which you are obviously working patiently and assiduously. I hope that each incremental addition of this sort will fine tune the metrics, resulting in a definitive algorithm of which we can all be justly proud. Please treat my contribution as “open source”: the only reward I seek is the knowledge that I am furthering your endeavours and improving its specificity. Those visiting the two cultural centres will benefit enormously and such is the nature of ripples that will be generated in the process, that the world at large will thank us in the longer term. I tingle at the thought!

My Key contribution (© myself (Hammerstein of Reichstag) in perpetuity) is:

There are several theatres in each city and the finest examples (dare one say pinnacles of achievement) in each share an almost identical architecture. Those with a keen eye, however, will note that the Berlin example (the Staatsoper) has:

• More steps

• A portico

• A pediment

• Better statues

• A different colour (the result of construction from different materials)

• A different roofline

• A different location (tricky one this!)

• A different car parking arrangement

• A different name

• For the record it is also an 18th century building in the neo-classical style rather than a 20th century building in the art indistingué style

In all other respects, however, (save for repertoire, history and reputation) the building are absolutely identical.

I hope this is helpful

Yours sincerely

Lord Rodgers of Hammerstein

aka Lord Hammerstein of Reichstag

Two more striking similarities shared by B&B. The Berlin Staatsoper [BELOW] has parking for two dozen cars whilst the Bournemouth Pavilion Theatre [ABOVE] has limited parking (critical staff only). Lord Rodgers failed to mention in his otherwise excellent letter that the Pavilion Theatre has two flagpoles, whilst the Staatsoper has only one. Architectural historian Archie Textural believes this "unquestionably marks out the former as the "stand out" choice for best theatre in B&B".