Jump to content

News from Germany, Austria, Switzerland


Recommended Posts

With the news from Berlin classical ballet companies in Europe begin to look like an increasingly endangered species. But I think that we have to acknowledge that classical based companies cannot exist on an exclusive diet of nineteenth and twentieth century classics and that since the deaths of the acknowledged great choreographers of the twentieth century the art form has not been that successful in renewing itself by producing new works which appeal to audiences.There have been plenty of new works but how many have grabbed  you and demanded your full attention in the way that works by Ashton, Balanchine, Tudor or Robbins do? How many have really been anything more than well constructed and competent ?  A great deal of the newly created classically based works which I have seen fit the description given by Luke Jenning's of such works  that they are "like expensively finished pieces of high tech........but also empty"

 

This failure to produce engaging new works has had its effect on the viability of classically based companies as it has had an impact on the willingness of politicians to fund them when there are so many other claims on public funds and other dance forms which are more popular with the dance audience. If politicians still believe in public funding for the arts they only have a limited budget from which to distribute largesse to the arts and are likely to give the money to those arts which attract audiences.This has happened in France where many companies which once had classically based repertories are now contemporary based companies. On the continent local politicians may give money to organisations which they see attract audiences but they are less inclined to support those which they don't perceive as giving them any political benefits in return for the funding.

 

A few weeks ago there were comments on a French website which compared the number of classically based companies in France with those in Britain which were really surprising to me.The writer made the comments in the context of what was happening in Bordeaux where the effects of the need for political benefits in return for funding are being played out. The local authority reduced its grant to the Bordeaux Opera House. Faced with reduced funding the man in charge of the opera house decided that the ballet company should be reduced in size to make more money available for the opera company which is now run by Marc Minkowski. The surprise for me was that the writer pointed out that there are now more classically based companies in Britain than there are in France and we all know how few there are here.

Edited by FLOSS
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 2.4k
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Top Posters In This Topic

There have been plenty of new works but how many have grabbed  you and demanded your full attention in the way that works by Ashton, Balanchine, Tudor or Robbins do?

 

Well, actually I could list many: by Neumeier, Bintley, Dawson, Peck, Ratmansky, Forsythe, and others. I could also list many many Balanchine works that haven't survived. Only about 75 of the over 400 ballets he created are actually in the rep at the moment.

And frankly I am getting a bit tired of every thread (like this one, which is currently about BERLIN) being hijacked with this "It isn't like the golden old days of Ashton, Balanchine, Tudor and Robbins" refrain, much as I love those choreographers.

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well I'm going to add Kenny Tindall to your list Katherine!  I've enjoyed all the works of his I have seen from This Bitter Earth (his first attempt) at a Northern Ballet choreographers performance to Children of the Mantic Stain last year.  And as for the breath-taking experience of Casanova...

 

Kenny has done some work in Spain, Malta and Germany too...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

There have been plenty of new works but how many have grabbed  you and demanded your full attention in the way that works by Ashton, Balanchine, Tudor or Robbins do? How many have really been anything more than well constructed and competent ? 

 

 

 

Think Katherine's point is very apt.  

 

For me Streetcar, Broken Wings and Flight Pattern - all choreographed by women - took the use of ballet - and I don't think you can call that thrilling variation for Sambe at the end of the latter triumph as anything else but ballet; it had, after all, a text book definition amongst all that searingly sorrowful angst - to a new level of original exploration of (i) narrative - for all three of these are narrative works - and (ii) the application of ballet's choreographic language.  I also thought - recently - that McGregor's Woolf Works and Neumeier's Dusa (ironically both created for Ferri) did the same.  I also thought Wink - again choreographed by a woman - had much to offer to a balletic conversation - and again it dealt with the direct interface of a variety of creative languages.  I also thought Jonathan Watkins' 1984 and Chris Wheeldon's The Winter's Tale both intriguing in this respect.  I'd also like to throw into the mix Brandstrup's Ceremony of Innocence.  It has stayed with me long after its final curtain.  

 

Tell me, FLOSS, just curious how many Justin Peck ballets you have seen.  He is - at least for me - prime amongst the world ballet makers (well, male ones) currently - and I think - at least for myself - that it is vital - especially should you or anyone else wish to make sweeping statements - to have as large an overall vision of the current balletic art form as possible.  I ask only to better understand the scope of your own critical criteria.  Much thanks for your kind advice. 

Edited by Bruce Wall
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

As a person who particularly likes the updates and information about the member countries here, particularly helpful and informative by Angela.

 

Could you take this elsewhere please guys? ;)

 

Very true.  I agree it should be moved ... and I am also deeply appreciative of the updates as well.  Always so vital to our greater understanding and focus.  

Edited by Bruce Wall
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

From a German point of view, I don't think we are on the same road as in France, where the Centres Chorégraphiques are turning contemporary one after another. We still have more than five ballet companies that can do a full Swan Lake, if classical or modern/classical (like f.e. Neumeier' "Illusions like Swan Lake). And Berlin will not be lost completely, Öhman is supposed to be the person to guarantee the classical/neoclassical half of the Berlin repertory. Strangely enough, there was a time in Germany when many smaller classical companies turned contemporary, like from the 1970s to the 90s. But somehow the wind has changed, some of them turned classical again - like Karlsruhe, where Birgit Keil does DQ, Giselle, Swan Lake, Nutcracker, Romeo with 30 dancers, like Dortmund where Xin Peng Wang reintroduced pointe shoes. The contemporary repertory just did not sell any more. In many German opera houses, the ballet sells much better than the opera, so theatre directors are careful with abolishing the dance department. On the other hand, important towns like Cologne or Frankfurt do not have dance companies any more. The change in Berlin is very difficult, but it's not like a bad sign for ballet in Germany as a whole.

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think of Berlin audiences (because I think of Berlin as a magnet for creative types and entrepreneurs) as being quite young and more interested in contemporary work than the big classics, hence the current appointments and the previous appointment of Duato. Is that not the case? Vanartus, at least you'll have the pleasure of seeing the lovely Ksenia Ovsyanick (who was featured in a lengthy and quite candid interview in this month's Dance Europe).

 

Aileen, there's a big divide in Berlin between the huge contemporary/performance scene and the classical (and REALLY classical) ballet. There's not much in between. When Malakhov tried to turn a little bit more modern with the modern classics like Forsythe or Kylián, it was already too much for a part of his audience. In other towns like Stuttgart or Düsseldorf, there's a huge audience for modern ballet, they really crave Hans van Manen, Forsythe, Kylián, Schläpfer, Goecke, Bigonzetti etc. etc. The State Ballet at Berlin has a very conservative audience, the contemporary scene has another audience, and I don't think there's an overlap of more than 5 per cent :mellow:

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Aileen, there's a big divide in Berlin between the huge contemporary/performance scene and the classical (and REALLY classical) ballet. There's not much in between. When Malakhov tried to turn a little bit more modern with the modern classics like Forsythe or Kylián, it was already too much for a part of his audience. In other towns like Stuttgart or Düsseldorf, there's a huge audience for modern ballet, they really crave Hans van Manen, Forsythe, Kylián, Schläpfer, Goecke, Bigonzetti etc. etc. The State Ballet at Berlin has a very conservative audience, the contemporary scene has another audience, and I don't think there's an overlap of more than 5 per cent :mellow:

 

Very well said, Angela.

I am part of the "overlap", I think :P !

I believe the Berlin "classical" audience can tolerate Forsythe and Kylian, but Malakhov's choices regarding contemporary ballet had been disputable, to say the least.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Nice to meet the overlap! ;)  Yes, Malakhov's choices were odd sometimes, but on the other hand it is veeery difficult for a director to bring an audience on a road towards modern ballet, if they only "tolerate" Forsythe and Kylián, two modern masters. The rest of Germany (except for Hamburg maybe) is very open for modern ballet - Munich and Dresden had full-length Forsythe evenings, Stuttgart has a huge modern repertoire and keeps finding new choreographers, the Ballet on the Rhine shows nothing but modern classics and new creations. I've been to a triple bill in Berlin where people actually booed after "Herman Schmerman", a 25 year old ballet (and a great work!). Well... Malakhov really tried to find a way, Bigonzetti and Duato were no bad choices in that regard, I think. Maybe the "Paris Way" of mixing the classics with contemporary choreographers (not modern ballet) will be better? If that is what Öhman and Waltz will do?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

After a one year absence and the birth of her child, Polina Semionova will return to the Berlin stage on 26th April as Tatiana in Cranko’s Onegin. Her partner is not confirmed yet, as I hear it might be Jason Reilly from Stuttgart. This could be one of the last Onegin performances at Berlin because I’m pretty sure they will not give the rights to a new director Sasha Waltz. Semionova will also dance in White Darkness by Nacho Duato and in his Sleeping Beauty, in June and July. 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

One week before the official press conference, Igor Zelensky talked to the German Press Agency about the premieres of next season: Bavarian State Ballet will dance Christian Spuck’s Anna Karenina which premiered at Zurich in 2014 (the Norwegian National Ballet and the Stanislavsky Ballet also danced the production). Then there will be a triple bill by Wayne McGregor with a new creation and two older works, Borderlands (San Francisco Ballet 2013, music Joel Cadbury/Paul Stoney) and Kairos (music by Max Richter/Vivaldi, Zurich Ballet 2014). They will also have a Young Choreographers Evening.  A production by photographer David LaChapelle (director of the Polunin Youtube videos), which was announced when Zelensky started last summer, seems to be cancelled. In the interview, Zelensky also said that Munich deserves a bigger ballet company and more than 74 performances a year. So I guess he wants more money for his company, already one year after he started…

Nothing about dancers coming or leaving, we will have to wait until 2. April

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Next season at Bavarian State Ballet is online here

No changes among the dancers, Shklyarov and Shirinkina stay at Munich, Polunin and Osipova remain guests, plus Zakharova who was a frequent guest already before Zelensky.

Edited by Angela
  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

The new seasons at Vienna State Ballet is online here - they have an evening with British choreographers: MacMillan's Concerto, Marguerite et Armand by Ashton and Eden/Eden by Wayne McGregor.

 

New seasons at Ballet on the Rhine at Düsseldorf/Duisburg is online here (go to 17/18) - Martin Schläpfer will do a Swan Lake, his first full-length story ballet

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

20 minutes ago, Bruce Wall said:

Thanks for this and all, Angela.  Interesting to note that the NBoC will be guesting in Hamburg next July.  I couldn't see what they would be dancing - but assume it is most like Neumeier as they have a goodly amount in their rep.  

 

Just going through the programme for next season myself. The information about NBoC's performances is hidden among the narrative in German on page 50 :)

„Dreamers Ever Leave You” by Robert Binet, „Man in Black” by James Kudelka, „Emergence” by Crystal Pite

 

 

 

 

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Have to say I'm a tad disappointed by the rep at Hamburg. I won two free flights there to be used by 31/12/17 but there's only DonQ on worth seeing and then it's at Christmas which clashes with Dutch NB Sleeping Beauty and Paris DonQ (Nureyev's too). I had hoped for Dame aux Camellias this side of Christmas but no luck. Not sure what to do now.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've just realised that this thread has got to 30 pages, which is a reflection largely of Angela's diligence in keeping us posted on events in German-speaking countries.  Thank you very much, Angela, and to everyone else who contributes, too.

  • Like 5
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Dancing Beethoven, the documentary about the preparations for Bejart's 9th Symphony in Tokyo is now shown in cinemas in Germany, and in the German-speaking part of Switzerland from May onwards (I don't know about other places).  It comes with extensive coverage of rehearsals by Bejart Ballet Lausanne, The Tokyo Ballet, the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra and the Ritsuyukai Choir as well as a number of interviews with Gil Roman, soloist dancers from the two companies, Zubin Mehta, and others.  

The documentary is subtitled with interviews in French, English and Japanese. Though language may not be an obstacle as the beautiful pictures and music speak for themselves. I saw this today and truly loved it.

 

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Marcia Haydee's 80th birthday last week is being celebrated through a variety of events in Stuttgart.

In one of these, Marcia Haydee will perform as the nurse in Cranko’s R&J over the coming week (plus, to mark the occasion I guess, Egon Madsen will perform as Friar Laurence and Reid Anderson, in a role debut, as Lord Capulet). Unexpected bonus as when I bought a ticket a few weeks ago for one of these performances, this was predominantly to see the then planned cast for the two leads.

The media joins in, too. A documentary about Marcia Haydee that was shown on television over the weekend comes with a number of rehearsal and performance extracts, pictures from the company in New York, Moscow, etc. No subtitles though unfortunately. If you decide to watch the documentary and, in the absence of any subtitles, wonder about the driving across town … Marcia Haydee is taken to e.g., outside the house that John Cranko lived in, outside the house that she lived in, the street with the restaurant that the company often went to after the performances, etc., and the sight of these places leads the conversation to the respective topics. http://www.swr.de/film/marcia-haydee-ballett-stuttgart-tanz/-/id=5791128/did=19353694/nid=5791128/1nr9eya/index.html

If you happen to be in Stuttgart the coming weekend … there’ll be a ballet talk with Marcia Haydee and Tamas Detrich at the Opera House on Sunday morning, and another documentary about Marcia Haydee will be shown in a local cinema on Sunday evening.

 

  • Like 6
Link to comment
Share on other sites

A press conference was held today at Berlin where Johannes Öhman and Sasha Waltz, the new directors from 2018/19 on, talked about their plans for State Ballet Berlin.  I try to compile from different newspaper articles:

Plans for the first season 2018/19 (which Öhman will direct alone because Nacho Duato leaves one year before his contract terminates) include a new Bayadère by Alexei Ratmansky in November 2018. Berlin State Ballet actually has a not-so-bad Bayadère by Vladimir Malakhov which he had made for Vienna in 1999 and then brought to Berlin, but of course Ratmansky is much more famous. And pricier :P

They also announced an evening by Frank Andersen which includes La Sylphide and maybe the third act of Napoli.

The season brings recent works by Sharon Eyal (Half Life) and Stijn Celis (Your passion is pure joy to me) and a new creation by Richard Siegal (former Forsythe dancer and choreographer of the Forsythe Company, then last competitor to Igor Zelensky for the director’s job a Munich, now director of a small company named Ballet of Difference at Munich).  

Öhman said they are talking to Marcia Haydée about a new production of Giselle (which, as nobody in Berlin seems to know, she already did for Stuttgart in 1989 – it took place on an island of Pre-Raphaelite artists and received very mixed reviews, compared to her gorgeous Sleeping Beauty from 1987).

Öhman is talking to Mats Ek about a new creation, which would be very surprising since Ek just recently withdrew all his works from all companies. And Öhman is talking to William Forythe about a full-length evening. Waltz said they want to keep the Cranko ballets (Onegin and Romeo that would be). Lots of talking to do then until summer 2018.  

Sasha Waltz will create her first new piece for the company in 2020.

No news about future dancers yet, but Öhman said that they want to build an ensemble of their own which could mean they'll stop inviting guests. And they will keep the hierarchy of a classical company. One article says the protests of the dancers were not in vain, because they resulted in more classical pieces than initially planned.

Berliner Zeitung , Tagesspiegel , Die Welt/dpa

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now

×
×
  • Create New...