»My vision: Breaking down the borders that traditionally exist between classical and contemporary dance and redefining dance as a culmination of both.« Aaron S. Watkin more...
Congratulations to First Soloist Fabien Voranger for winning the prestigious »Dance Open« award for David Dawson’s »A Sweet Spell of Oblivion« at the Gala of Ballet Stars in St. Petersburg, Russia! The jury of choreographers, ballet legends, Artistic Directors and Rectors of major ballet companies and schools, chaired by famous ballerina Natalia Makarova, awarded Fabien and Jurgita Dronina, Principal of the HET Nationale, for »Best Duet« on 22nd of April, 2013. The gala program, part of the renowned Dance Open International Ballet Festival, featured several of the best dancers of today from 20 renowned companies and culminated in the awards ceremony. The Dance Open prize, a crystal replica of the great Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova’s foot, has been awarded in seven categories.
The so-called »classical« choreography of William Forsythe is an integral part of the ballet repertoire of the Semperoper. With »An Evening with the Works of William Forsythe« an entire evening is devoted to this most innovative of living choreographers. »Enemy in the figure«, strikingly lit with only a single moving spotlight, is certainly one of the choreographer’s most visually stunning works. Forsythe’s many years of exploration of the topic »perception« are documented in the work »Artifact Suite«, which features Johann Sebastian Bach’s Chaconne from the D minor Partita for solo violin. more...
Principal Jiří Bubeníček is guesting with Ballett im Revier in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, creating a new piece, to be premiered on 23rd of June 2013. Jiří is working with the 15 dancers of the company on a creation of »Die Geschichte vom Soldaten« (The Story of the Soldier). Die Geschichte vom Soldaten is an old Russian tale, set to music by Igor Stravinsky based on a libretto by Ferdinand Ramuz. Stravinsky’s version for a small travelling theater had its world premiere in 1918. For his version of the story Jiří again worked with his brother Otto Bubeníček for the set as well as with Elsa Pavanel for the costumes.
Wit and poetry are combined with lively imagery in this narrative ballet created by Michael Tucker, experienced choreographer and coryphée of Semperoper Ballett’s ensemble. It tells the story of the relationship between a librarian and his diary, which is stolen and ripped to shreds by some cheeky boys. But are all the memories now lost forever? This is a multifaceted dancework, in which books come to life and where life hangs by a thread. more...
Gina Scott and Saverio Pescucci, young talents from the ranks of our Corps de Ballet, will be guesting on June 1st, 2013 at Staatstheater Darmstadt. The two will present the »Vision Pas de deux« from Semperoper Ballett’s Artistic Director Aaron S. Watkin’s »Sleeping Beauty« at the TRANSITION - Benefit Gala. The gala will feature dancers of the Forsythe Company, the Tanztheater Bielefeld, Ballet Nürnberg, Kevin O’Day Ballet and Tanztheater des Staatstheaters Kassel just to name a few. The net proceeds of the ticket sales for the evening will go into the work of Stiftung TANZ – Transition Centre Germany. Please also visit Stiftung Tanz’ webpage here: www.stiftung-tanz.com.
