Ballet

Different Grounds

Stephanie Lake · Shahar Binyamini · Julian Nicosia

This ballet evening showcases three world premieres of innovative dance styles from three continents

Three-part ballet evening

Premiere
31. October 2026

Dates & Cast

There is currently no cast set for this performance.

Premiere
Start of sales on 25 March 2026 at 10 a.m.
Duration
Starting Time: 6 pm
Free introductory talk
held in the Semper Opera House cellar 45 minutes before curtain-up
Dresden Day
Start of sales on 25 March 2026 at 10 a.m.
Duration
Starting Time: 7 pm
Free introductory talk
held in the Semper Opera House cellar 45 minutes before curtain-up
Guided tour through the Semperoper
Matinee Performance
Start of sales on 25 March 2026 at 10 a.m.
Duration
Starting Time: 12 pm
Free introductory talk
held in the Semper Opera House cellar 45 minutes before curtain-up
Start of sales on 25 March 2026 at 10 a.m.
Duration
Starting Time: 7 pm
Free introductory talk
held in the Semper Opera House cellar 45 minutes before curtain-up
Guided tour through the Semperoper
Start of sales on 25 March 2026 at 10 a.m.
Duration
Starting Time: 7 pm
Free introductory talk
held in the Semper Opera House cellar 45 minutes before curtain-up
Guided tour through the Semperoper
Start of sales on 25 March 2026 at 10 a.m.
Duration
Starting Time: 8 pm
Free introductory talk
held in the Semper Opera House cellar 45 minutes before curtain-up
Guided tour through the Semperoper

Related event

In brief

Which language connects every country on Earth? Dance can be found across the globe, yet this language is not “spoken” with the same accent everywhere. The ballet evening Different Grounds brings innovative dance styles from three continents to the Semperoper stage in three world premieres. Stephanie Lake, Artist-in-Residence at the Semperoper Ballett since the 2025/26 season, and whose smash-hit Colossus was first performed in Dresden in November 2025, is creating her first work specifically for the ensemble. One of Australia’s most renowned contemporary choreographers, Lake hails from the independent dance scene. As well as heading her own company, she is also Resident Choreographer of her home country’s largest dance ensemble, The Australian Ballet. In her work with dancers from diverse backgrounds, Lake has created a multitude of dynamic and often humorous pieces that always honour the various creative impulses and idiosyncrasies of the performers.

Shahar Binyamini began his career as a dancer with Tel Aviv’s Batsheva Dance Company, where he performed works by two outstanding Israeli choreographers, Ohad Naharin and Sharon Eyal. Drawing on the aesthetics of the “Gaga” movement founded by Naharin, Binyamini has developed his very own choreographic style, working with organic, intuitive movements and encouraging dancers to sense the flow of energy, to become aware of their own bodies and to explore inner impulses.

Finally, the third choreographer comes from the cradle of classical ballet: France. Julian Nicosia’s work is shaped by his time with the Dresden Frankfurt Dance Company and the legacy of William Forsythe’s intensification and deconstruction of classical dance. Nicosia’s pieces, each strongly influenced by the identity of the company he is working with, span a broad stylistic spectrum encompassing both neoclassical and contemporary aesthetics.

Through this exciting clash of different perspectives, the evening promises to open new horizons for both the performers and the audience.