News from Germany, Austria, Switzerland

[FionaM]

1 hour ago, Vanartus said:

I was lucky enough to talk to Christian Spuck two weeks ago, and he was clear that he didn’t want to overstock the company with his own work. He really does want to get the full range, and further develop its own identity which I find really good. 

I agree… this does sound good.  A ballet company with its own identity.  Yes please.  

[Don Q Fan]

Thank you Sabine and Vanartus for your informed views. It's good to hear. It sounds like things will develop under Spuck. I'll keep an eye on the offerings. As you say there is a wealth of past works that could be used again in future. I think I felt Swan Lake and Giselle were just a bit tame when there is more exciting rep in the company eg Onegin or their lovely Bayadere. I appreciate that they have to earn a living, so if the contemporary stuff sells, so be it. 

[Sabine0308]

1 hour ago, Don Q Fan said:

Thank you Sabine and Vanartus for your informed views. It's good to hear. It sounds like things will develop under Spuck. I'll keep an eye on the offerings. As you say there is a wealth of past works that could be used again in future. I think I felt Swan Lake and Giselle were just a bit tame when there is more exciting rep in the company eg Onegin or their lovely Bayadere. I appreciate that they have to earn a living, so if the contemporary stuff sells, so be it. 

I do hope that we will get back Onegin as well as the two beloved La Bayadère and Nutcracker (I miss this so much, it was a tradition to see it, and then Christmas time began❤️). It will take time especially because of the "Black face" discussions and fake Indian culture in Bayadère. I'm sure they know how well Munich handles this topic.

[myrtle]

These programs are intriguing but I'm a bit intimidated by the lack of any notation of 'obstructed' views on the seat maps at Berlin especially.    

 

Also, please comment on how far in advance Zurich releases casting information?    Is it not advisable to wait for casting?  

 

Is the rake good in the 'orchestra' level for either Zurich or Berlin?   Or should short people always sit in balcony or rings?  

 

Thank you.

[alison]

I've moved Don Q Fan's comments on German theatres into the specific "German theatres" thread for ease of finding.  No comments on Zurich as yet?

 

 

[Angela]

At Stuttgart Ballet, after the debut of Swedish dancer Henrik Erikson as Siegfried tonight, director Tamas Detrich announced that he will be promoted from soloist to principal dancer next season. It was a nice debut, but I hope he can show in the rest of the season he really deserves this promotion which I find comes surprisingly early.

[Angela]

Hamburg Ballet, casting for Anna Karenina with guest ballerina Olga Smirnova:

Anna Karenina: Anna Laudere (26., 27.4.), Olga Smirnova (8., 10.5.)

Alexei Karenin: debuts for Matias Oberlin (26., 27.4.) and Christopher Evans (8., 10.5.)

Vronsky: Alexandr Trusch (26., 27.4.), Jacopo Bellussi ((8., 10.5.)

[Angela]

Ex-RB-dancer and Best Swan Ever Mr. Adam Cooper will continue to work at the Gärtnerplatztheater at Munich, next season he will direct "The Pirates of Penzance", also with his choreography

https://www.gaertnerplatztheater.de/de/produktionen/die-piraten-von-penzance.html?m=489

[NiniGabriel]

The program for Stuttgart Ballet's 2024/25 season will be announced on Friday, May 17, 2024.

 

(I just received the invitation for the evening before...)

[alison]

Wow.  Even later than the Royal Ballet's!

[Roberta]

1 hour ago, Angela said:

Ex-RB-dancer and Best Swan Ever Mr. Adam Cooper

 

Of The Leather Trousers.   I still dream of him in those.  🦢 *sigh*

[Angela]

Next season at Ballett on the Rhine, with new directors Bridget Breiner and Raphael Coumes-Marquet:

https://www.operamrhein.de/en/schedule/productions/#season-202425

somehow the choice buttons work only on the German website for me, so try this if it doesn't show season 2024/25:

https://www.operamrhein.de/spielplan/produktionen/#ballett/spielzeit-202425

 

Next season at Hannover Ballet

https://staatstheater-hannover.de/en_EN/premieren-24-25-staatsballett

[Angela]

The German Dance Prize 2024 goes to choreographer Sasha Waltz. Dieter Heitkamp, head of the dance department at the Frankfurt University of Music and Performing Arts for 22 years and an important German dance teacher, is honoured with a lifetime achievement award. “explore dance”, a network for the young audiences, is honoured for outstanding development in dance. The main award is endowed with €20,000, the awards for Dieter Heitkamp and explore dance are endowed with a grant of €5,000 each. The prize ceremony will take place on Saturday, 12 October 2024 with a Gala at the Aalto-Theater in Essen.

 

[Angela]

The honorable John Neumeier will say farewell with Heavy Metal: For his definitely last Hamburg Ballet Days he invited Birmingham Royal Ballet with the Black Sabbath Ballet. They'll be guesting at Hamburg in July.  If you can't get the Bolshoi, take Black Sabbath 🙂 

[FionaM]

Hardly comparable!

 

It’s a great poster and idea for BRB and Black Sabbath to collaborate.  I found the actual ballets (there are 3 separate acts) … to be fun but trite.  Think ‘high school musical’.