Prisca Zeisel leaves Bavarian State Ballet

[Angela]

According to a press release from Bavarian State Ballet, principal soloist Prisca Zeisel has left the company at her own request at the beginning of September. This was caused by a guest appearance at a ballet gala in Sevastopol at Crimea during the summer break. Bavarian State Ballet only found out about this planned guest engagement shortly before the start of the theater holidays. The theater management then informed Zeisel that the performance would take place without the consent of the Bavarian State Opera. Zeisel has decided to dance in Sevastopol anyway (the gala was with Sergei Polunin and former Munich principals Jonah Cook and Ksenia Ryshkova, who had left for the Stanislavsky Theatre in 2022). After several exchanges with the management of the Bavarian State Ballet and the Bavarian State Opera, Prisca Zeisel asked for her contract to be terminated at the start of the season. The management of the house complied with this.

And another detail from an article in the Süddeutsche Zeitung yesterday: Zeisel was supposed to dance the Paquita Grand Pas for the opening of the season, an evening called "Blickwechsel".

 

Casting for Christopher Wheeldon’s "Alice" at Munich: Laurretta Summerscales and Madison Young as Alice, with Jakob Feyferlik, Jinhao Zhang and Julian MacKay as Jack. António Casalinho and Shale Wagman will dance the Mad Hatter, Wheeldon will come to Munich to work with the cast.

There is a free live stream on Sunday, October 15th on 19.30 CET, Video-on-Demand for 24h on 28.10.2023 starting 10.00 a.m. CET.

https://www.staatsoper.de/en/productions/alices-adventures-in-wonderland

[Angela]

There's an explanation now for her leaving on the website, with many pictures

https://www.staatsoper.de/en/inhalte-staatsballett-home/translate-to-english-prisca-zeisel-verlaesst-das-bayerische-staatsballett

[Sabine0308]

I am appalled that they didn't have the class to thank her for her years with Bayerisches Staatsballett and to wish her all the best for the future. It's a bit "low".

[FionaM]

And Munich don’t even have the full information … only what they have learnt from an informer about the galas.  The press in Sueddeutsche Zeitung reveal they get their information from Sergei Polunin fan groups on Facebook.  (Graham Watts and other journalists admit to the same sources).  
 

 

Edited September 13, 2023 by FionaE

[capybara]

Prisca is a huge loss to Munich.

 

[I hadn't been to the Company's website for a while and remained puzzled about the nomenclature - until just now. They do distinguish between First Soloists and Principals whereas, previously, the top rank appeared to be described as First Soloist. Just me catching up, I expect.]

[MAB]

23 hours ago, Sabine0308 said:

I am appalled that they didn't have the class to thank her for her years with Bayerisches Staatsballett and to wish her all the best for the future. It's a bit "low".

Surely it's even lower for a European dancer to even consider dancing in Sevastopol.  I'm deeply shocked.

[Lizbie1]

2 hours ago, FionaE said:

And Munich don’t even have the full information … only what they have learnt from an informer about the galas.  The press in Sueddeutsche Zeitung reveal they get their information from Sergei Polunin fan groups on Facebook.  (Graham Watts and other journalists admit to the same sources).  

 

I don't understand this post - are there some extenuating circumstances that we aren't privy to?  Unless she wasn't in fact there I'm struggling to think of something that makes a difference. Surely she'll have known the likely consequences when she decided to do it.

 

[FionaM]

The main point is that freedom in the West is an illusion. 

 

Many dancers from Mariinsky, Bolshoi, Mikhailovsky, Stanislavsky have been free to perform in Europe, China, Taiwan, Japan, Korea, South America and USA in 2023 without being forced to leave their home companies on return.  (I can provide names.  Information is public on their instagrams.).  
 

Only Prisca has been forced to leave.  She is Austrian, trained at Vienna State ballet school and was previously a Soloist at Vienna under Legris.  She joined as a soloists in 2016 and has been a principal in Munich since 2019.  
 

I’ve no doubt she was aware of the possibly consequences of performing alongside longterm friends and colleagues. 
 

You may wish to reset your thinking about freedom and democracy . 

 

 

Edited September 13, 2023 by FionaE

[FionaM]

3 hours ago, capybara said:

Prisca is a huge loss to Munich.

 

[I hadn't been to the Company's website for a while and remained puzzled about the nomenclature - until just now. They do distinguish between First Soloists and Principals whereas, previously, the top rank appeared to be described as First Soloist. Just me catching up, I expect.]

 
Yes she is a huge loss to Munich … who will do the Red Queen in Alice?  She is brilliant in that role.  I see she has already been replaced in Paquita their opening ballet bill in 10 days time.  
 

Strange that she was cast in Paquita if Munich management say they knew about this at the start of the summer.  This press release is not entirely honest.
 

Regarding the nomenclature … at Bayerische Staatsballett’s website in English the top rank is Principal, in German the top rank is Erste Solist.   So you are right to be confused !!!

Edited September 13, 2023 by FionaE

[Angela]

9 minutes ago, FionaE said:

You may wish to reset your thinking about freedom and democracy . 

 

And she may rethink the terms of her employment contract. All guest performances usually have to be approved by the company management, if in Berlin, Tokyo or elsewhere. Which is normally no problem, if it doesn't interfere with the Munich performances. It seems, according to the Süddeutsche Zeitung, that she did not even ask, but they found her name on the affiche for the gala. Then they told her not to go, but she went anyway.  It's not like she didn't know what she was getting into. 

[Angela]

20 minutes ago, FionaE said:

Strange that she was cast in Paquita if Munich management say they knew about this at the start of the summer.  This press release is not entirely honest.

 

I'm sure they rehearsed Paquita before the holidays in June or July, so it may well be she was cast in the role before the gala incident happened at the beginning of August. Maybe they gave her a chance to apologize and stay in the company?

[FionaM]

The galas were 26 and 27 July 2023

https://www.instagram.com/p/CuZWKo5oCAs/?igshid=MWZjMTM2ODFkZg==

[FionaM]

4 minutes ago, Angela said:

 

I'm sure they rehearsed Paquita before the holidays in June or July, so it may well be she was cast in the role before the gala incident happened at the beginning of August. Maybe they gave her a chance to apologize and stay in the company?

 
as you know, in Munich the casting only goes public a few weeks before the shows.  I happened to be looking at their website and saw her name listed.  I can’t remember when … maybe last week?

[Lizbie1]

40 minutes ago, FionaE said:

The main point is that freedom in the West is an illusion. 

 

Many dancers from Mariinsky, Bolshoi, Mikhailovsky, Stanislavsky have been free to perform in Europe, China, Taiwan, Japan, Korea, South America and USA in 2023 without being forced to leave their home companies on return.  (I can provide names.  Information is public on their instagrams.).  
 

Only Prisca has been forced to leave.  She is Austrian, trained at Vienna State ballet school and was previously a Soloist at Vienna under Legris.  She joined as a soloists in 2016 and has been a principal in Munich since 2019.  
 

I’ve no doubt she was aware of the possibly consequences of performing alongside longterm friends and colleagues. 
 

You may wish to reset your thinking about freedom and democracy . 

 

 

 

Is there any talk of her being imprisoned for doing this?

[FionaM]

1 minute ago, Lizbie1 said:

 

Is there any talk of her being imprisoned for doing this?

No one else who has crossed the political divide is being forced to terminate their contract. 

[Guest oncnp]

Just now, FionaE said:

No one else who has crossed the political divide is being forced to terminate their contract. 

Perhaps she was terminated for going without permission?

[FionaM]

1 minute ago, oncnp said:

Perhaps she was terminated for going without permission?

yes that is the most likely.   But ignores the fact of WHY she was not given permission in the first place. 

Edited September 13, 2023 by FionaE

[Lizbie1]

1 minute ago, FionaE said:

No one else who has crossed the political divide is being forced to terminate their contract. 

 

And are those dancers who remain in Russia allowed to speak against the invasion? Some did in the early days but I'm not aware that any have persisted.

[FionaM]

6 minutes ago, Lizbie1 said:

 

And are those dancers who remain in Russia allowed to speak against the invasion? Some did in the early days but I'm not aware that any have persisted.

I am not aware that any spoke against the invasion.  Some spoke of their abhorrence for war.  I think we can all agree with that.  

[Lizbie1]

I'll take that as a no.

[Guest oncnp]

16 minutes ago, FionaE said:

yes that is the most likely.   But ignores the fact of WHY she was not given permission in the first place. 

Which, to my mind, is between her and her now-ex employer and no one else's business. 

[FionaM]

Just now, oncnp said:

Which, to my mind, is between her and her now-ex employer and no one else's business. 

I guess the press beg to differ.  They want to shout it everywhere that it’s a political decision of the ballet management at the Bavarian Opera House.  Which it is.  I’m guessing the UK press will pick it up, probably with a photo of Sergei Polunin. 

[Sabine0308]

A recent decision and remark of Berlin's Senator for Culture Joe Chialo made me scratch my head. He decided he would not attend the upcoming Macbeth performances in Berlin, with Anna Netrebko. But he also said that the Arts are free, so it's up to the theatres to make their own decisions. I know it's not that simple but I like this refreshing and to-be-discussed point of view.

[Guest oncnp]

6 minutes ago, FionaE said:

I guess the press beg to differ.  They want to shout it everywhere that it’s a political decision of the ballet management at the Bavarian Opera House.  Which it is.  I’m guessing the UK press will pick it up, probably with a photo of Sergei Polunin. 

Slow news day?

[Sabine0308]

4 hours ago, MAB said:

Surely it's even lower for a European dancer to even consider dancing in Sevastopol.  I'm deeply shocked.

What about an honest "we strongly disagree with her decision to perform in Sevastopol but thank her for her commitment to Bayerisches Staatsballett for xx years". Nobody is hurt this way.

[annamk]

3 hours ago, FionaE said:

The main point is that freedom in the West is an illusion. 

 

Many dancers from Mariinsky, Bolshoi, Mikhailovsky, Stanislavsky have been free to perform in Europe, China, Taiwan, Japan, Korea, South America and USA in 2023 without being forced to leave their home companies on return.  (I can provide names.  Information is public on their instagrams.).  
 

Only Prisca has been forced to leave.  She is Austrian, trained at Vienna State ballet school and was previously a Soloist at Vienna under Legris.  She joined as a soloists in 2016 and has been a principal in Munich since 2019.  
 

I’ve no doubt she was aware of the possibly consequences of performing alongside longterm friends and colleagues. 
 

You may wish to reset your thinking about freedom and democracy . 

 

 

 

@FionaE I find it hard to believe that someone who has the good fortune to live in a Western European democracy rather than the mafia kleptocracy of Russia can make comments like yours above in all seriousness. 
 

[FionaM]

1 hour ago, annamk said:

 

@FionaE I find it hard to believe that someone who has the good fortune to live in a Western European democracy rather than the mafia kleptocracy of Russia can make comments like yours above in all seriousness. 
 

well then you’ll be delighted to know that I travelled to Russia this summer … to see ballet.  

[zxDaveM]

4 minutes ago, FionaE said:

well then you’ll be delighted to know that I travelled to Russia this summer … to see ballet.  

 

something a Ukranian wouldn't be able to do

I'd rather saw off my leg than set foot in Russia at the moment

[annamk]

21 minutes ago, FionaE said:

well then you’ll be delighted to know that I travelled to Russia this summer … to see ballet.  

No words for that 

[FionaM]

16 minutes ago, zxDaveM said:

 

something a Ukranian wouldn't be able to do

I'd rather saw off my leg than set foot in Russia at the moment

There are many Ukrainians living in Russia and in particular many in the Russian ballet companies … dancers who had excellent training (despite poor facilities) in Kyiv.  

[FionaM]

10 minutes ago, annamk said:

No words for that 

Then you won’t like this post from today either … it’s Ed Watson and Wayne McGregor at the ROH with Ildar Young who is the best contemporary dancer by a mile from Russia.  
 

He won the Dance Revolution 2 series of which Sergei Polunin was 1 of 3 judges.  Ildar has performed with the  Bolshoi and Svetlana Zakharova’s shows … accompanying many principal ballerinas.  Last month he was filming a Hollywood movie in Italy with Anthony Hopkins.  

https://www.instagram.com/reel/CxIkYjEOKGg/?igshid=MWZjMTM2ODFkZg==

 

The dance world is open to collaboration and balletomanes here are behind the curve.   I refer you back to Sabine’s comment about the Minister of Culture in Berlin.  He’s with the new openness for arts.

Edited September 13, 2023 by FionaE

[Sabine0308]

24 minutes ago, zxDaveM said:

 

something a Ukranian wouldn't be able to do

I'd rather saw off my leg than set foot in Russia at the moment

I see your point but there is actually not a problem for Ukrainians to travel to Russia. My colleague did this summer, together with his Russian wife and 2 small children (we tried to talk them out of it but no success). They returned safely to Berlin.

[MAB]

5 hours ago, Lizbie1 said:

And are those dancers who remain in Russia allowed to speak against the invasion? Some did in the early days but I'm not aware that any have persisted.

I know a dancer who has been speaking out against Putin on social media for years.  On the day the war began he was demonstrating in the streets of St Petersburg and posted footage of the demonstration.  He continued posting but has now left Russia for good.  Had he remained his future would have been prison or conscription.  I should add his ambition was to go into opposition politics in his home city, but of course that route now leads inevitably to prison and/or death as Alexei Navalny has learnt to his cost.