• Sanguinic: con brio | Choreografie: Demis Volpi | Tänzer*innen: Paula Alves, Niklas Jendrics, Rose Nougué-Cazenave | © Bettina Stöß

Ballett am Rhein Düsseldorf Duisburg

Portrait

Since the beginning of the 2020/21 season, the German-Argentinian Demis Volpi has been Ballet Director and Principal Choreographer of the Ballett am Rhein. Along with him, 45 international dancers from a broad range of artistic backgrounds make up a team devoted to dialogue between equals and have given the company a new profile with a strong commitment to communication with the audience. The Ballett am Rhein has a long history of intense creativity in dance and powerful artistic signatures. For a new directorate, engaging with this is both an opportunity and a challenge. Demis Volpi’s team is keen to acknowledge these traditions, forge links with them, extend their thinking and add fresh impulses in order to give the Ballett am Rhein a strong, new direction of movement.

In addition to preserving and developing existing works and established artists, the Ballett am Rhein should also be a nucleus of new ideas. A place where bold experiments can turn into innovation. In 2020 Ballet Director Demis Volpi set up a new department for outreach: “Tanz mit!” wishes to promote dance in all its forms, to fill more people with a passion for dance and also to increase opportunities within the Ballett am Rhein.

History and biography

Demis Volpi

The new directorate is underpinned by three core concepts. A lively engagement with tradition nourishes innovation. Maintaining and evolving the traditional repertoire and illuminating it from a contemporary perspective is an important constant in the Ballett am Rhein’s work. Choreographers such as Hans van Manen, who have had a formative influence over the company’s dance language for a long period, will continue to remain significant elements of a programme that will also be enriched by other influential styles such as those of Twyla Tharp and Roland Petit. At the same time, these established artistic positions will be juxtaposed with contemporary choreographic vocabularies such as those of Sharon Eyal, Andrey Kaydanovskiy and Aszure Barton, in order to examine their similarities and differences. The second core concept is based on storytelling. Demis Volpi is well known for his new vision of narrative ballet and also looks for passionate stories among the younger generation of choreographers. Turning works from the theatre, from literature and poetry into dance will occupy a new, central position in the Ballett am Rhein’s programme. The third core concept looks to the future. Within the company but also beyond it, among the independent dance scene and in other institutions, a new generation of artists is waiting to play its part in shaping the future of dance. This ambition should not be a peripheral phenomenon limited to its own format, but an integral part of the programme. So, for example, for his production of ‘The Nutcracker’, Demis Volpi invited both dancers from the company and two choreographers from the urban dance collective nutrospektif to choreograph their own scenes.

Images

Baal | Choreografie: Aszure Barton | Tänzer*innen: Miquel Martínez Pedro (Baal), Rose Nougué-Cazenave (Johanna) | © Ingo Schäfer
Baal | Choreografie: Aszure Barton | Tänzer*innen: Julio Morel (Ekart), Miquel Martínez Pedro (Baal) | © Ingo Schäfer
Die vier Temperamente | Choreografie: George Balanchine | Tänzer*innen: Svetlana Bednenko, Norma Magalhães, Gustavo Carvalho, Courtney Skalnik, Rose Nougué-Cazenave | © Bettina Stöß
from time to time | Choreografie: John Neumeier | Tänzer*innen: Julio Morel, Rashaen Arts, Simone Messmer | © Bettina Stöß
Geschlossene Spiele | Choreografie: Demis Volpi | Tänzer*in: Orazio Di Bella (Der Mann in Weiß) | © Ingo Schäfer
Geschlossene Spiele | Choreografie: Demis Volpi | Tänzer*innen: Norma Magalhães (Frau Lopez), Niklas Jendrics (Der Richter), Ensemble | © Ingo Schäfer
one and others | Choreografie: Demis Volpi | Tänzer*innen: Lara Delfino, Ensemble Ballett am Rhein | © Bettina Stöß
one and others | Choreografie: Demis Volpi | Tänzer*innen: Courtney Skalnik, Damián Torío | © Bettina Stöß
Phlegmatic Summer | Choreografie: Michèle Anne de Mey | Tänzer*innen: Ensemble Ballett am Rhein | © Bettina Stöß
Polyphonia | Choreografie: Christopher Wheeldon | Tänzer*innen: Marié Shimada, Orazio Di Bella | © Bettina Stöß
Polyphonia | Choreografie: Christopher Wheeldon | Tänzer*innen: Simone Messmer, Daniele Bonelli | © Bettina Stöß
Salt Womb | Choreografie: Sharon Eyal | Tänzer*innen: Gustavo Carvalho, Miquel Martínez Pedro, Ensemble Ballett am Rhein | © Bettina Stöß
Salt Womb | Choreografie: Sharon Eyal | Tänzer*innen: Ensemble Ballett am Rhein | © Bettina Stöß
Sanguinic: con brio | Choreografie: Demis Volpi | Tänzer*innen: Paula Alves, Niklas Jendrics, Rose Nougué-Cazenave | © Bettina Stöß

Productions

  • previous seasons

    previous seasons

    Expected touring program 2017/2018

    Ein Deutsches Requiem
    Choreography: Martin Schläpfer
    45 dancers, stage 19 x 23 m, 70 min

    7
    Choreography: Martin Schläpfer
    45 dancers, stage 16 x 20 m, 90 min

    Petite Messe solennelle
    Choreography: Martin Schläpfer
    45 dancers,stage 17 x 16 m, 110 min

     

    Productions from the 2015/2016 season

    b.25
    workwithinwork (1998)
    Choreography: William Forsythe, music: Luciano Berio
    16 dancers, stage 16 x 16 m, 30 min


    Symphonic Variations (1946)
    Choreography: Frederick Ashton, music: César Franck
    6 dancers, stage 15 x 17 m, 17 min


    Two Gold Variations (1999)
    Choreography: Hans van Manen, music: Jacob ter Veldhuis
    14 dancers, stage 15 x 18 m, 20 min

    b.26
    Bournonville Divertissement (1842/1858)
    Choreography: August Bournonville in einer Zusammenstellung von Johnny Eliasen, music: Edvard Mads Ebbe Helstedt und Holger Simon Paulli
    10 dancers, stage 17 x 18 m, 30 min


    Dark Elegies (1937)
    Choreography: Antony Tudor © The Antony Tudor Ballet Trust, music: Gustav Mahler
    12 dancers, stage 17 x 15 m, 25 min


    ONE (2016)
    Choreography: Terence Kohler, music: Johannes Brahms
    42 dancers, stage 18 x 18 m, 55 min

    b.27
    Duo Concertant (1972)
    Choreography: George Balanchine © The George Balanchine Trust, music: Igor Strawinsky
    2 dancers, stage 17 x 18 m, 17 min


    Variationen und Partiten (2016)
    Choreography: Martin Schläpfer, music: Ludwig van Beethoven, Johann Sebastian Bach
    42 dancers, stage 22 x 18 m, 55 min


    Der Grüne Tisch (1932)
    Choreography: Kurt Jooss © The Jooss Estate, music: Fritz A. Cohen
    16 dancers, stage 17 x 18 m, 35 min

    b.28
    Esplanade (1975)
    Choreography: Paul Taylor, music: Johann Sebastian Bach
    9 dancers, stage 15 x 18 m, 30 min


    Tenebre (2016)
    Choreography: Hubert Essakow, music: Bryce Dessner
    31 dancers, stage 15 x 18 m, 30 min


    Different Dialogues (2016)
    Choreography: Nils Christe, music: Philip Glass
    26 dancers, stage 15 x 18 m, 35 min

    Young Moves
    Plattform Choreographie Ballett am Rhein


    odnalro (2016)
    Choreography: Alban Pinet, music: Hildur Guðnadóttir
    11 dancers, stage 17 x 17 m, 10 min

    It is passing by (2016)
    Choreography: Wun Sze Chan, music: Moondog
    17 dancers, stage 20 x 17 m, 10 min

    FIELDWORK: \ˈFĒLD-ˌWƏRK\ (2016)
    Choreography: Louisa Rachedi, music: Cliff Martinez
    7 dancers, stage 20 x 17 m, 15 min

    Mindrift (2016)
    Choreography: Boris Randzio, music: György Kurtág
    3 dancers, stage 15 x 17 m, 12 min

    Zahir (2016)
    Choreography: So-Yeon Kim, music: Johann Sebastian Bach
    6 dancers, stage 19 x 17 m, 15 min

    Rapture (2016)
    Choreography: Michael Foster, music: Michael Torke
    12 dancers, stage 17 x 17 m, 12 min

     

    Productions from the 2014/2015 season

    b.24
    Illusion (2015)

    Choreography: Young Soon Hue, music: Philip Glass
    stage 17 x 17 m


    Lonesome George (2015)
    Choreography: Marco Goecke, music: Dmitri Schostakowitsch
    stage 20 x 16 m


    Voices Borrowed (2015)
    Choreography: Amanda Miller, music: G. F. Händel, Arnold Schönberg
    stage 17 x 17 m

    b.23
    Symphonie g-Moll (2015) 

    Choreography: Martin Schläpfer, music: W. A. Mozart
    stage 19 x 18 m


    „… adónde vas, Siguiriya?“ – Capricho Flamenco (2015)
    Choreography: Brigitta Luisa Merki, music: Musikensemble Flamencos en route
    stage 11 x 13 m


    Rättika (2008)
    Choreography: Mats Ek, music: J. Brahms
    17 dancers, stage 20 x 18 m, 43 min

    b.22
    verwundert seyn – zu sehn (2015)

    Choreography: Martin Schläpfer, music: Alexander Skrjabin, Franz Liszt
    15 dancers, stage 23 x 18 m, 25 min


    Moves – A Ballet in Silence (1959)
    Choreography: Jerome Robbins © Robbins Rights Trust
    12 dancers, stage 18 x 18 m, 25 min


    ein Wald, ein See (2006)
    Choreography: Martin Schläpfer, music: Paul Pavey 
    19 dancers, stage: 18 x 18 m, 42 min

    b.21
    Serenade (1934)

    Choreography: George Balanchine © The George Balanchine Trust, music: P. I. Tschaikowsky 
    26 dancers, stage 17 x 18 m, 33 min


    Alltag (2014) 
    Choreography: Hans van Manen, music: Manuel Blasco de Nebra, G. Mahler, F. Schubert, J. S. Bach
    4 dancers, stage 17 x 18 m, 16 min


    Johannes Brahms – Symphonie Nr. 2 (2012) 
    Choreography: Martin Schläpfer, music: J. Brahms
    26 dancers, stage 16 x 18 m, 55 min

    b.17
    7 (2013)

    Choreography: Martin Schläpfer, music: G. Mahler
    45 dancers, stage 16 x 20 m, 90 min


    Productions from the 2013/2014 season

    b.20 
    DEEP FIELD (2014) 

    Choreography: Martin Schläpfer, music: Adriana Hölszky 
    42 dancers, stage 18 x 19 m, 75 min

    b.19 
    Hidden Features (2014) 
    Choreography: Antoine Jully, music: Henryk Mikolaj Górecki, Erwin Schulhoff 
    35 dancers, stage 19 x 19 m, 23 min


    Scenario (1997)
    Choreography: Merce Cunningham © Merce Cunningham Trust, music: Takehisa Kosugi
    15 dancers, stage 17 x 17 m, 40 min


    Große Fuge (1971)
    Choreography: Hans van Manen, music: L. v. Beethoven
    8 dancers, stage 17 x 17 m, 25 min

    b.18 
    Episodes (1959)

    Choreography: George Balanchine © The George Balanchine Trust, music: Anton Webern, J. S. Bach 
    32 dancers, stage 19 x 19 m, 30 min


    Sinfonien (2009)
    Choreography: Martin Schläpfer, music: Wilhelm Killmayer
    9 dancers, stage 17 x 17 m, 25 min


    Sorrowful Songs (2014)
    Choreography: Nils Christe, music: Henryk Mikołaj Górecki
    21 dancers, 1 soprano singer, stage 17 x 17 m, 40 min

    b.17
    7 (2013)

    Choreography: Martin Schläpfer, music: G. Mahler
    45 dancers, stage 16 x 20 m, 90 min

    b.16
    Afternoon of a Faun (1953)

    Choreography: Jerome Robbins © Robbins Rights Trust, music: Claude Debussy
    2 dancers, stage 16 x 19 m, 11 min


    Without Words (2010)
    Choreography: Hans van Manen, music: Hugo Wolf 
    4 dancers, stage 16 x 19 m, 20 min


    Nacht umstellt (2013)
    Choreography: Martin Schläpfer, music: F. Schubert, Salvatore Sciarrino
    30 dancers, stage 16 x 19 m, 75 min

    b.09 
    Ein Deutsches Requiem (2011)

    Choreography: Martin Schläpfer, music: J. Brahms 
    44 dancers, stage 19 x 23 m, 70 min

     

Materials

b.25: workwithinwork / Symphonic Variations / Two Gold Variations

b.26: Bournonville Divertissement / Dark Elegies / ONE

b.27: Duo Concertant / Variationen und Partiten / Der Grüne Tisch

Contact

Opernhaus Düsseldorf
Heinrich-Heine-Allee 16a | 40213 Düsseldorf
Tel 0211 89 25 210 | Fax 0211 32 90 51

Theater Duisburg
Neckarstraße 1 | 47051 Duisburg
Tel 0211 89 25 210 | Fax 0211 32 90 51

Press contact: Monika Doll, Spokesperson Deutsche Oper am Rhein/Ballett am Rhein
Fone +49 (0)211.89 25-208, mobile: +49 (0)172.23 24 192,
m.doll@operamrhein.de


http://www.ballettamrhein.de