News from Germany, Austria, Switzerland

[Angela]

Wrong link , this one is better: https://twitter.com/RBraunmueller/status/748168941487403008

[Angela]

Another long interview with Zelensky today, now in Munich’s most important newspaper, the Süddeutsche Zeitung (online only behind paywall).

 

He will stay AD of the Stanislavsky ballet company, but “I have a ballet director there”. The Stanislavsky will guest in the next ballet week at Munich, with Polunin dancing Rudolf in Mayerling. Instead of having 68 dancers as now in Munich, his ideal company would have 100 to 110 dancers, which “at the moment is still a dream”. He plans to have more performances, f.e. in the Prinzregententheater, a smaller venue at Munich (which he will have to share with the Theatre Academy, guest performances and other local productions – I hope he knows that). He says “we have so many invitations” for tours, mentioning the cities London, Stuttgart, Zurich and Paris.

Zelensky talks about Wheeldon’s Alice, saying he wanted a co-production with the Mariinsky because it may be “the most expensive ballet production ever”, but after negotiations of three, four months, the Mariinsky backed out and they will pay for it alone now.

Wayne McGregor will create a three-act ballet in 17/18 for Munich.

Asked about Spartacus, why he will show this outdated ballet, he says he will have “two fantastic casts for the four principal roles”, and that he has to fill the 2100 seats in the Nationaltheater.

Though he would have loved to keep the Pina Bausch piece they premiered this season, he won’t keep it because it costs too much to bring in all the teachers from Wuppertal for a new cast. He needs the money for Alice. As for choreographers he wishes to work with, he mentions Wheeldon, McGregor, Maliphant, Paul Lightfoot (without Sol León??) and Justin Peck.

About the photographer (not choreographer) David LaChapelle, who will be responsible for a Madama Butterfly ballet in 17/18, he says “He is a friend of Polunin. LaChapelle was in Russia and we will manoeuvre him into ballet”.  

Osipova/Polunin will dance Giselle next season.

He says that Lacarra is “my absolute favourite ballerina”, but that the repertory was wrong for her, as she doesn’t dance Giselle and Fille mal gardée anymore, and that “with Spartacus the choreographer has to decide” about the casting.

For the Munich Ballet Academy, he wishes to have a boarding school (as in Stuttgart or Hamburg), which may not be possible due to lack of space.

 

The interview is much more conclusive and convincing than the one before, but towards the end, he still sounds evasive – already musing about a successor after his five year contract, not knowing what to do with the Junior Company, talking about working alone instead of collaborating with the people he found at the office in Munich. His last sentence is “Everything is well prepared.”

[Duck]

Long interview with Reid Anderson in the Stuttgarter Zeitung yesterday (in German only) http://www.stuttgarter-zeitung.de/inhalt.interview-mit-ballettintendant-reid-anderson-kontinuitaet-ist-kein-schmutziges-wort.5c767ef8-a6e2-4bc5-bef9-472b1c4b8b1c.html, looking back at his 20 years in post as Artistic Director with Stuttgart Ballet.

 

An overview of the festive week to celebrate the 20 years here http://www.stuttgart-ballet.de/schedule/festival-20years/.  I'll be there for the open-air broadcasts of the last two performances.

[Angela]

You know that have to be there early to get a good place in front of the screen? Three years ago, they had an estimated 7000 people in the park. Not so many in the last two years, but always several thousands. It has become quite an event

[Duck]

You know that have to be there early to get a good place in front of the screen? Three years ago, they had an estimated 7000 people in the park. Not so many in the last two years, but always several thousands. It has become quite an event

 

Many thanks, Angela, I hadn't realised! Will there be just one screen, or several so the many people in the park can spread out a little?

[toursenlair]

Long interview with Reid Anderson in the Stuttgarter Zeitung yesterday (in German only) http://www.stuttgarter-zeitung.de/inhalt.interview-mit-ballettintendant-reid-anderson-kontinuitaet-ist-kein-schmutziges-wort.5c767ef8-a6e2-4bc5-bef9-472b1c4b8b1c.html, looking back at his 20 years in post as Artistic Director with Stuttgart Ballet.

 

An overview of the festive week to celebrate the 20 years here http://www.stuttgart-ballet.de/schedule/festival-20years/.  I'll be there for the open-air broadcasts of the last two performances.

 

Hi Duck, I'll be there with a small group all week. I have the Sunday morning free. Would be nice to meet up.

[toursenlair]

I am entertained that google translate renders "Christian Spuck" as "Christian spitting"

[Duck]

Hi Duck, I'll be there with a small group all week. I have the Sunday morning free. Would be nice to meet up.

 

Hi Katherine/ toursenlair, this sounds great as the festive week offers so much within such a short time frame. And yes, I'd happy to meet up on Sunday morning    PM for details? Or if you prefer to suggest a location here, that's fine by me as well. Best wishes

[Aruna S]

I'm going to be there for R&J, Taming and Onegin and will be wearing my brand new badge. I would be very happy to meet up - to see Angela again, and perhaps meet toursenlair and anyone else, maybe before a performance or during an interval? A mini-Balletcoforum gettogether :-)

[Estreiiita]

Looking forward to Gala Nijinsky on the 17th of July in Hamburg - here is the programme:

http://www.hamburgballett.de/e/_gala.htm

[Angela]

 

 

Many thanks, Angela, I hadn't realised! Will there be just one screen, or several so the many people in the park can spread out a little?

Just one big screen and a big lawn in front, but there are some trees blocking the sight lines, and the last times people were sitting on the ways too, on the lawn behind the trees and almost in the lake... I think one hour before should be enough, but I'll ask around when people come for the good seats. Since getting very wet on the first Ballet in the park, I've always preferred to be in the opera house on this occasion

[Angela]

I am entertained that google translate renders "Christian Spuck" as "Christian spitting"

"Spuck" means indeed "spit", as "Vogel" means "bird", as the Russin "Filin" means owl - but all this is not as entertaining as the German meaning of the name of the Icelandic soccer player who shot the last goal against England: in German, "Sigthorsson" sounds like something that means "victory-goal-son". I'm not lying, every TV commentator here was joking about it. Sorry for the off-topic.

[Jan McNulty]

Thanks for that Angela!  It may be o/t but it's made my day!

[Duck]

Just one big screen and a big lawn in front, but there are some trees blocking the sight lines, and the last times people were sitting on the ways too, on the lawn behind the trees and almost in the lake... I think one hour before should be enough, but I'll ask around when people come for the good seats. Since getting very wet on the first Ballet in the park, I've always preferred to be in the opera house on this occasion

 

Thank you so much! I'll keep my fingers & toes crossed for the weather

[Angela]

The first excerpts from John Neumeier's new creation "Turangalila" which premiered yesterday to the famous symphony by Olivier Messiaen: 

 

https://www.facebook.com/hamburgballett/videos/vb.79570493811/10154541555393812/

 

https://www.ndr.de/fernsehen/sendungen/hamburg_journal/Turangalila-feiert-Urauffuehrung-in-Hamburg,hamj48994.html

[Angela]

Leavers and joiners at Berlin State Ballet for next season: Principal Beatrice Knop finished her career after 25 years (the last German principal ballerina in Germany at the moment, if I am correct). Also leaving are: Caroline Bird, Lisa Breuker, Stephanie Greenwald, Arman Grigoryan, Sven Seidelmann, David Simic, Martin Szymanski, Michael Wagley and Alice Williamson.

 

The ten new dancers are Ksenia Ovsyanick from ENB, her debut performance will be Nacho Duato's Nutcracker on 19. October. As mentioned above already, Denis Vieira from Zurich Ballet will join as soloist, as will Ekaterina Petina from Bavarian State Ballet, Tatyana Ten from the Ballet du Capitole Toulouse and Julia Weiss from Semperoper Ballett Dresden. New corps de ballet dancers: Cameron Hunter, Joaquin Crespo Lopes, Katherine Rooke, Alicia Ruben and Dori Shahar.

[Bruce Wall]

How lucky Berlin is to have Ksenia Ovsyanick amongst their midst.  She is a lovely artist ... and I very much look forward to seeing her in this company's impressive mix.  

Edited July 7, 2016 by Bruce Wall

[Don Q Fan]

Well done Ksenia getting a place at Berlin - ENBs' loss is definitely SBBerlin's gain I shall miss her at ENB - might be a pull factor to go to Berlin again!

[capybara]

How lucky Berlin is to have Ksenia Ovsyanick amongst their midst.  She is a lovely artist ... and I very much look forward to seeing her in this company's impressive mix.  

 

Not exactly "in their midst" or "in this company's impressive mix" when she is joining as a Principal 

 

Well done Ksenia getting a place at Berlin - ENBs' loss is definitely SBBerlin's gain I shall miss her at ENB - might be a pull factor to go to Berlin again!

 

She has done much, much more than "getting a place" 

 

So delighted for Ksenia. She is a very special artist indeed and she will be sorely missed at ENB.

Edited July 7, 2016 by capybara

[Petunia]

I am delighted to hear she's coming here. I'll keep you up-to-date... even if I'll have to put up with Duato's choreography.

[Angela]

The programme for Stuttgart Ballet's Gala is online - a bit pointless without knowing the guests...

But Neumeier's Liliom is a mighty good hint for Alina

[alison]

That's very noble of you, Petunia.  Thank you

[toursenlair]

just picked up the program for the week in Stuttgart including the gala.

Guests are

Helene Bouchet and Carsten Jung, Hamburg

Elisa Carrillo Cabrera and Mikhail Kaniskin, Berlin

Kathleen Rae Thielhelm and Julien Favreau (Bejart)

Semion Chudin (Bolshoi)

Mathieu Ganio!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (paris opera ballet, ooops my finger seems to have slipped on the exclamation mark key...

Edited July 16, 2016 by toursenlair

[Angela]

Slipping on that key, you forgot Diana Vishneva, Katherine 

[Angela]

Guests for the John Cranko School Gala the day before: Ecole de Danse de l'Opéra national de Paris with Sleeping Beauty pdd, RBS with MacMillan's Concerto pdd, Canada's National Ballet School with Chalkboard Memories, Ballet School of the Hamburg Ballet with - guess what - Yondering.

[Angela]

Company news from Hamburg:

 

Karen Azatyan will be promoted to principal (he was at Munich for a long time before moving to Hamburg), Xue Lin and Marc Jubete will be promoted to soloists from next season. Ivan Urban, still a principal though very rarely on stage because of injuries, will stay as character soloist and assistant ballet master.

 

Leavers after this season: Futaba Ishizaki, Ekaterina Mamrenko, Braulio Álvarez, Emanuel Amuchástegui, Lennart Radtke, Dale Rhodes, Sasha Riva and Luca Andrea Tessarini.

 

Joiners from next season: Daniel Brasil from Finnish National Ballet, Mathieu Rouaux from Czech National Ballet, Illia Zakrevskyi from the Theater at Hof/Bavaria, Giorgia Giani and Pascal Schmidt from the Bundesjugendballett/Federal Youth Ballet, also Georgina Hills, Nako Hiraki, Greta Jörgens and Leeroy Boone who were apprentices until now.

 

The new apprentices are David Rodriguez from Miami City Ballet School and Estelle Sallé, Mengting You, Filip Clefos, Marià Huguet, Pietro Pelleri from the Hamburg Ballet School.

[MAX]

Do you know where Amuchastegui goes ? 

[Angela]

I'm sorry, no - they did not say it in the press release. I'll keep you posted if I find out.

[Angela]

For Duck and everybody who wants to see Stuttgart's Ballet in the park: I've asked the regulars and they said it would be wise to be at the Schlossgarten at least two hours before the screening starts to get a good seat on the lawn. I think it won't be that crowded for the Cranko School on Saturday evening, normally they screen the matinee and it's much easier to find a fine place on Sunday morning. This is the first time with two evening screening, and you never know with the Stuttgart audiences.

The weather reports are not very promising, I fear: http://www.wetter.de/deutschland/wetter-stuttgart-18224193.html

[Duck]

Thanks so much, Angela, for checking. Two hours ... Looking at it with a positive mind set - I am about to start Stendhal's Scarlett and Black, I guess it'll be a good opportunity to read a few of the +600 pages 

[MAX]

Thank you Angela !

[Angela]

I asked my specialist again, and the first thing she said was: Don't you tell so many people to come, it's so crowded!

So: There will be toilets in the park, you can bring food, drinks, plankets or cushions, but not glass bottles and no umbrellas (put small ones in your handbag), just raincoats. And there is an opening programme with interviews behind the scenes, so no need to read the whole Stendhal, I hope. Ask the nice Stuttgarters and they will keep your place for you if you have to leave.

 

Here you can see some pictures of the location, it was in 2013, the one time it did not rain

[Duck]

The full programme for the gala of the John-Cranko School on Saturday is now available online https://www.stuttgart-ballet.de/schedule/jcs-gala-2016/program/.

 

A local television company has produced a documentary about Stuttgart Ballet with the title "Of miracles and superheroes" http://swrmediathek.de/player.htm?show=fa0e44c0-4d8f-11e6-a659-0026b975e0ea. Based on the first ten minutes of the documentary, this is all in German (and any interviews in English are translated into German) however there are lots of beautiful pictures, extracts of rehearsals & performances, etc.