News from Germany, Austria, Switzerland

[Angela]

Without even having assumed office at the Zurich Opera House, designated Ballet Director Cathy Marston’s contract has been extended beyond 2025. It was supposed to last two seasons only after Christian Spuck’s departure in 2023, so that the next General Director Matthias Schulz could find a ballet director to his taste. Schulz now wants Marston to stay for longer.

[Angela]

Another attack on Igor Zelensky today in the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung

 

[Wanja]

Thank you for this link, Angela.

The last paragraph in this article is almost ridiculous.

[Angela]

The sentence about Polunin's Zelensky tattoo? Yeah, I was laughing there too! 🤣

[BalletcoForum Moderators]

A number of posts have been hidden while they are considered by the Mods.

 

Replies have also had to be hidden.

[BalletcoForum Moderators]

May we please remind everyone to be polite when posting on this forum.  It is fine to disagree with someone else, but we would request that you do it in a way that is not personal to whomever it is that you are disagreeing with.

 

Thank you.

[bangorballetboy]

I understand that Zelensky is stepping down for personal reasons.

[MrsBBB]

2 minutes ago, bangorballetboy said:

I understand that Zelensky is stepping down for personal reasons.

 

[Lizbie1]

6 minutes ago, bangorballetboy said:

I understand that Zelensky is stepping down for personal reasons.

 

You gave me a fright there until I remembered where I was! 

[Angela]

Here is the official press release in English. 

 

It seems they are after Laurent Hilaire now.

[capybara]

So Munich is speaking about a replacement within weeks whereas ENB seems (from the outside at least) to be taking its time to get going on it’s search - unless, of course, potential ADs are being sounded out privately .

[Angela]

16 minutes ago, capybara said:

potential ADs are being sounded out privately .

 

Is there another way?? 🤪

[Sabine0308]

2 hours ago, bangorballetboy said:

I understand that Zelensky is stepping down for personal reasons.

Hahaha "for personal reasons". What times are we living in...

[Sabine0308]

44 minutes ago, Angela said:

Here is the official press release in English. 

 

It seems they are after Laurent Hilaire now.

Hilaire? That's pure speculation.

[FionaM]

Denis Matvienko is free, and Ukrainian  …. 😉

Edited April 3, 2022 by FionaE

[Angela]

I just wondered: the press release doesn't say if his wife Yana Zelensky will stay at Munich, she is a ballet mistress.

[FionaM]

3 minutes ago, Angela said:

I just wondered: the press release doesn't say if his wife Yana Zelensky will stay at Munich, she is a ballet mistress.

and an excellent coach.  Many of the principals/soloists dancers thank her for her work with them

[Jan McNulty]

9 hours ago, capybara said:

So Munich is speaking about a replacement within weeks whereas ENB seems (from the outside at least) to be taking its time to get going on it’s search - unless, of course, potential ADs are being sounded out privately .

 

9 hours ago, Angela said:

 

Is there another way?? 🤪

 

I thought that, under UK employment law, vacancies had to be advertised or has that changed post-Brexit.  If this is European law then surely the Munich job also has to be advertised?

 

Edited to add:  I have just googled and there is no legal obligation to advertise vacancies in the UK.  You live and learn.

Edited April 4, 2022 by Jan McNulty

[Angela]

Janet, there certainly is a legal way to find a new AD in Germany, but that depends on the state, I don't know exactly how they do it in Bavaria. It's just that with artistic staff, since many years I'm used to get new directors presented without hearing much about the way they were chosen. For example, you never hear officially who where the other contenders, only by rumours. So I'm certain they already work on a new AD for Munich, but not publicly.

 

What bothers me about the press release is Bavaria’s minister for the arts who doesn't praise the Munich company, but the guests: “Above all we shall remember the many appearances by world-famous ballet stars whom Igor Zelensky invited to Munich". It seems that was why they hired him in the first place, not to have a home-grown company with young dancers growing to principals, but to see famous guests, like in the opera system. Zelensky did both, to be fair, let's hope they consider this fact when they choose a new AD.

[Jan McNulty]

41 minutes ago, Angela said:

Janet, there certainly is a legal way to find a new AD in Germany, but that depends on the state, I don't know exactly how they do it in Bavaria. It's just that with artistic staff, since many years I'm used to get new directors presented without hearing much about the way they were chosen. For example, you never hear officially who where the other contenders, only by rumours. So I'm certain they already work on a new AD for Munich, but not publicly.

 

What bothers me about the press release is Bavaria’s minister for the arts who doesn't praise the Munich company, but the guests: “Above all we shall remember the many appearances by world-famous ballet stars whom Igor Zelensky invited to Munich". It seems that was why they hired him in the first place, not to have a home-grown company with young dancers growing to principals, but to see famous guests, like in the opera system. Zelensky did both, to be fair, let's hope they consider this fact when they choose a new AD.

 

Thanks Angela.

 

It's interesting you should comment on the minister's comments about the company.  The way certain guest artists were recently lauded by the company at BRB your comment resonates with me.

[Guest oncnp]

7 minutes ago, Jan McNulty said:

 

The way certain guest artists were recently lauded by the company at BRB your comment resonates with me.

 

Any issues with the Cape Town City Ballet "lauding" guest artist Brandon Lawrence over their own dancers? 

[Jan McNulty]

21 minutes ago, oncnp said:

 

Any issues with the Cape Town City Ballet "lauding" guest artist Brandon Lawrence over their own dancers? 

 

They were in no way as laudatory.  And at least Brandon was partnering a company member.

[capybara]

Please can we not appear to criticise individual (international) artists who have, after all, been invited to guest often, seemingly, at the behest of the person whose production it is.

[FionaM]

40 minutes ago, capybara said:

Please can we not appear to criticise individual (international) artists who have, after all, been invited to guest often, seemingly, at the behest of the person whose production it is.

and in the case of Brandon Lawrence his guesting in Cape Town is a super role model for diversity in ballet … much needed there.  They should have more non-white guests in my opinion.  
 

They do run an international ballet competition there which regularly features Cuban dancers, so it’s good to have someone like Brandon from a different background also perform.   I know Precious Adams also guested there …her debut as Aurora.   
 

sorry for the tangent.  We should revert to Igor Zelensky.  

[FionaM]

Munich has had a number of guest artists during Igor Zelensky’s tenure … Osipova, Hallberg, Golding, Bouder, Polunin, Shrinkina, Shklyarov.  No doubt these raised the profile of Munich internationally and proved that ballet can sell out this large theatre.  Igor hired in most of the current principals, plus many soloists too including 2 of the most recent Prix de Lausanne stars.  Over the years, guest performances became rarer as the companies own stars rose, and of course ceased since the pandemic began.  
 

It’s beyond me why there is a different acceptance of guest artists in ballet vs opera.  

[Angela]

31 minutes ago, FionaE said:

It’s beyond me why there is a different acceptance of guest artists in ballet vs opera.  

 

My problem is that the Culture Minister only praises the guests, but not the ensemble that Zelensky has built.

[Angela]

Hamburg Ballet has just held its annual press conference, download the programm for next season - John Neumeier's last as AD - here

Neumeier's new creation will be "Dona Nobis Pacem" to JS Bach's Mass in B minor. The annual "Ballet Week" will last a glorious four weeks, with many of his great works on display and guest performances from the Royal Danish Ballet, the Stuttgart Ballet and - the Bolshoi. Neumeier definitely has hope in the future. But wouldn't it be wonderful if that came true?

 

[Sabine0308]

14 minutes ago, Angela said:

 

My problem is that the Culture Minister only praises the guests, but not the ensemble that Zelensky has built.

Exactly. I find this very insulting for the company, to be honest. Their recent Triple bill "Passagen" showed great technique and artistry. 

[Jan McNulty]

6 minutes ago, Angela said:

Hamburg Ballet has just held its annual press conference, download the programm for next season - John Neumeier's last as AD - here

Neumeier's new creation will be "Dona Nobis Pacem" to JS Bach's Mass in B minor. The annual "Ballet Week" will last a glorious four weeks, with many of his great works on display and guest performances from the Royal Danish Ballet, the Stuttgart Ballet and - the Bolshoi. Neumeier definitely has hope in the future. But wouldn't it be wonderful if that came true?

 

 

Hamburg is sounding very tempting!

[capybara]

2 hours ago, FionaE said:

It’s beyond me why there is a different acceptance of guest artists in ballet vs opera.  

……. because many (most) opera companies are comprised of a chorus with many (most) leading singers being hired per production.

 

I think that ballet dancers guesting is healthy but that Bavarian Culture Minister was tactless in the extreme. Munich now has an array of stars and, while the majority of them cannot exactly be described as home grown, many have been very much nurtured under Zelensky’s leadership.

[Jan McNulty]

1 minute ago, capybara said:

……. because many (most) opera companies are comprised of a chorus with many (most) leading singers being hired per production.

 

I think that ballet dancers guesting is healthy but that Bavarian Culture Minister was tactless in the extreme. Munich now has an array of stars and, while the majority of them cannot exactly be described as home grown, many have been very much nurtured under Zelensky’s leadership.

 

I agree re guesting Capybara but it is how the marketing is sometimes done that galls.

[Sabine0308]

16 hours ago, Angela said:

I just wondered: the press release doesn't say if his wife Yana Zelensky will stay at Munich, she is a ballet mistress.

I hear she stays. New rehearsals for Coppelia begin with her now.

Edited April 4, 2022 by Sabine0308

[Wanja]

37 minutes ago, Sabine0308 said:

I hear she stays. New rehearsals for Coppelia begin with her now.

Well, he moved with his whole family ( 3 children) to Germany. 
That he stepped down doesn't mean that he is leaving Munich or the country.  His wife and his children will surely have a say in this matter.