On 1 January 2013, the ballet company of Theater&Philharmonie Thüringen was appointed the Thuringian National Ballet thanks to its quality and innovative strength. With 22 dancers, it is currently the largest company in the Free State of Thuringia. Committed to neoclassicism, it impresses with its high technical level and the unity of the young, international ensemble. Under the direction of Silvana Schröder, Thuringian National Ballet has developed its own unmistakable style. With the company, she develops up-to-date, sometimes athletic and circus-like, sometimes humorous movement sequences as well as always emotionally gripping choreographies on themes of her own choice. The most recent premiere, Corpus, for example, deals with both the physical-functional image of the human body and the concept of the 'social corpus', thus taking up an touchy topic of the zeitgeist by translating it into modern dance and moving scenes. Large ensemble choreographies and the drawing of strong personalities are one of the trademarks. Regular matinées, introductions to works and Ballettküchen provide insights into the respective current works and introduce the dancers from a wide range of nations. Studio formats such as Synergien (UA. 2022) also give members of the company the opportunity to present their own choreographies.
On the ensemble’s history
The first independent dance company in Gera was established in 1923. During the 1960s, the dance group gradually became a ballet company. From 1973 onwards, concerted efforts were made to raise the technical and artistic standards of the ensemble and train young dancers to become accomplished soloists. As the company’s ballet work grew more professional, ballet rose to become a respected and popular genre at the theatre. Geraer Balletttage ballet festival, which took place from 1976 until 2009, helped boost the company’s reputation abroad. In 2011/12, Silvana Schröder, who began her career as a dancer in Gera, returned to the theatre as ballet director.
Silvana Schröder
Dance training at the Palucca Hochschule für Tanz Dresden. 1986 first collaboration with Ruth Berghaus. 1987 first engagement in the ballet company of Bühnen der Stadt Gera; from 1988 soloist there. 1989 to 1994 part-time training as a choreographer at Ernst Busch Academy of Dramatic Arts in Berlin. From 1991 engagement under Prof Uwe Scholz at the Leipzig Opera Ballet. 1995 return to Gera as soloist under ballet director Martin Wende. From 2000 to 2003 ballet director and chief choreographer at the Altenburg-Gera Theatre; subsequently freelance choreographer and opera director for eight years. 2011/12 reappointed ballet director and chief choreographer at Theater Altenburg Gera, formerly Theater & Philharmonie Thüringen. Since 2017 also honorary professor at the Ballet Academy of the Shenyang Conservatory of Music in China; also winner of multiple awards and prizes.
„My language of movement is the result of external and internal experiences. I express what speaks inside me. Imagine you couldn't speak - we would be able to communicate without words, but not without gestures. Body language makes you reveals yourself. As long as we move, we exist. Dance is unique and universal.“
Silvana Schröder
Productions from the 2022/2023 season
Coppélia – Das Mädchen mit den Glasaugen
Choreographer: Silvana Schröder
Year of premiere: May 2023
Music by: Léo Delibes
Libretto after: Charles Nuitter, Arthur Saint-Léon
Duration: approx. 150 min. (1 intermission)
Dancers: Thüringer Staatsballett, Eleven of the Thüringer Staatsballett
Stage: Großes Haus Gera (+ Theaterzelt Altenburg, Großes Haus Erfurt)
Corpus
Choreographer: Silvana Schröder
Year of premiere: November 2021
Music by: Frankie Chan, Les Tambours du Bronx, Max Richter a. o.
Duration: 85 min.
Dancers: Thüringer Staatsballett
Stage: Großes Haus Gera
Erzählte Erinnerungen
Choreographer: Yuri Hamano and Fang Yi Liu
Year of premiere: June 2022
Music by: Gustavo Mordente Eda et al.
Duration: 95 min.
Dancers: Eleven of the Thuringian State Ballet
Stage: Bühne am Park Gera; Theaterzelt Altenburg
Forever Lennon
Choreographer: Silvana Schröder
Year of premiere: May 2019
Music by: John Lennon and the Beatles
Duration: 110 min.
Dancers: Thüringer Staatsballett and Eleven of the Thüringer Staatsballett
Stage: Großes Haus Gera; Theaterzelt Altenburg
Giselle
Choreographer: Silvana Schröder
Year of premiere: November 2018 (in Erfurt)
Music by: Adolphe Adam, adaptation by David Garforth (2011).
Duration: 150 min. (1 intermission)
Dancers: Thüringer Staatsballett and Eleven of the Thüringer Staatsballett
Stage: Großes Haus Gera
Synergies - 15 dance reflections
Choreographers: Geovana Peres da Costa, Yuri Hamano, Jéssyca Rett, Milton César Fernandes Oliveira Jr, Rina Hayashi, Vinícius Leme, Hudson Oliveira
Year of premiere: March 2022
Music by: Erik Satie, Max Richter, Oliver Rinn et al.
Duration: 105 min. (1 intermission)
Dancers: Thüringer Staatsballett and Eleven of the Thüringer Staatsballett
Stage: Bühne am Park Gera
Productions from the 2021/2022 season
Corpus (2021)
Ballet by Silvana Schröder
Music by Frankie Chan, Les Tambours du Bronx, Max Richter a.o.
First performance: November 2021
Duration: approx. 85 min.
Dance: Ensemble of the Thüringer Staatsballett (22)
Stage: Großes Haus Gera
Theaterzelt Altenburg: 12 x 12 m
Erzählte Erinnerungen (2022)
Ballet in two parts
Choreography by Yuri Hamano and Fang Yi Liu
Music by Gustavo Mordente Eda and others
First performance: June 2022
Duration: approx. 80 min.
Dance: Eleven of the Thüringer Staatsballett (12)
Stage: Bühne am Park Gera
Theaterzelt Altenburg: 12 x 12 m
Forever Lennon (2019)
Ballet by Silvana Schröder
Music by John Lennon and the Beatles
First performance: May 2019
Duration: approx. 110 min.
Dance: Ensemble & Eleven of the Thüringer Staatsballett (22 + 12)
Live band: 4 people
Stage: Großes Haus Gera
Theaterzelt Altenburg: 12 x 12 m
Impulse (2019)
Zero / Bolero / SYNC
Ballet by Nanine Linning, Ihsan Rustem and Nils Christe
Music by Arvo Pärt, Philip Glass, Ralph Vaughan Williams, Maurice Ravel, Ludovico Einaudi
First performance: March 2019
Duration: approx. 160 min.
Dance: Ensemble of the Thüringer Staatsballett (22)
Stage: Großes Haus Gera
Theaterzelt Altenburg: 12 x 12 m
Synergien - Neun tänzerische Reflexionen (2022)
Choreographies by Geovana Peres da Costa, Yuri Hamano, Stefania Mancini, Jéssyca
Rett, Fabio Boccalatte, Rina Hayashi, Danila Kapustin, Vinícius Leme, Hudson Oliveira
Music by Max Richter, Oliver Rinn and others
First performance: March 2022
Duration: ca. 65 min.
Dance: Ensemble & Eleven of the Thüringer Staatsballett (12)
Stage: Bühne am Park Gera
Theaterzelt Altenburg: 12 x 12 m
Tanz aus der Reihe (2020)
Gala with the ensemble of the Thüringer Staatsballett
Music by Ludwig Minkus, Peter Tschaikowsi, Keimzeit, Daniel Francois-Esprit Auber and others
First performance: October 2020
Duration: approx. 110 min.
Dance: Ensemble of the Thüringer Staatsballett (22)
Stage: Großes Haus Gera
Theaterzelt Altenburg: 12 x 12 m
Tour de Danse (2020)
Gala by the eleven of the Thüringer Staatsballett
Music by Adolphe Adam, John Lennon, Léon Minkus, Peter Tchaikovsky and others
First performance: October 2020
Duration: approx. 100 min.
Dance: Eleven of the Thüringer Staatsballett (12)
Stage: Großes Haus Gera
Theaterzelt Altenburg: 12 x 12 m
Productions from the 2020/2021 season
Tanz aus der Reihe (2020)
Gala with the ensemble of the Thüringer Staatsballett
Music by Ludwig Minkus, Peter Tschaikowsi, Keimzeit, Daniel Francois-Esprit Auber etc.
First performance: October 2020
Duration: approx. 110 min.
Dance: Ensemble of the Thüringer Staatsballett (22)
Stage: Großes Haus Gera
Theaterzelt Altenburg: 12 x 12 m
TanzLust (2021)
Ballet gala by the Thüringer Staatsballett
Choreographies by Silvana Schröder, Nils Christe and Michel Fokine
Music by Keimzeit, John Lennon, Peter Tchaikovsky and others
First performance: June 2021
Duration: approx. 90 min.
Dance: Ensemble of the Thüringer Staatsballett (22)
Stage: Open Air vor der Bühne am Park, Gera: 10 x 14 m
Theaterzelt Altenburg: 12 x 12 m
Tour de Danse (2020)
Gala by the eleven of the Thüringer Staatsballett
Music by Adolphe Adam, John Lennon, Léon Minkus, Peter Tchaikovsky and others.
First performance: October 2020
Duration: approx. 100 min.
Dance: Eleven of the Thüringer Staatsballett (12)
Stage: Großes Haus Gera
Theaterzelt Altenburg: 12 x 12 m
Productions from the 2019/2020 season
Forever Lennon (2019)
Choreography: Silvana Schröder
Composition: John Lennon ,The Beatles
Live-band: Johnny Silver
Dancers/performers: Thüringer Staatsballett (22 dancers), Eleven of the Thüringer Staatsballett (14 dancers)
Duration: ca. 100 min. (exkl. intermission)
Impulse – Tanzvisionen aus den Niederlanden und Großbritannien (2020)
ZERO
Conzept, Choreography and stage: Nanine Linning
Costume: Iris van Herpen
Lighting designer: Ingo Jooß
Video: Roger Muskee
Dramaturgy: Phillip Koban
A production by Theater and Orchestra Heidelberg, premiere: 19.01.2013, production of costumes/decoration by Werkstätten des Theater und Orchesters Heidelberg, ca 46 min.
Bolero
Choreography, lichting designer and stage: Ihsan Rustem
Costume (an idea by Mona Jones Cordell): Ihsan Rustem
Premiere: NW Dance Company, Portland Oregon, USA (2016), ca 16 min.
SYNC
Choreography and stage: Nils Christe
Production and costume: Annegien Sneep
Lighting: Ulf Kupke
Premiere: Washington Ballet, Washingston D.C.,USA (1996); extended version: Ballet du Nord, Roubaix, Frankreich (1997), ca 45 min.
Da Vinci – Der Ewigmorgige (2020)
Choreography: Silvana Schröder
Composition: Jean Sibelius, Arvo Pärt
Dancers/Performers: Thüringer Staatsballett (22 dancers), Eleven of the Thüringer Staatsballett (14 dancers);
Opernchor des Theaters Altenburg Gera, Philharmonisches Orchester Altenburg Gera
Duration: ca. 120 min. (exkl. intermission)
Festhalten! (2019)
Choreography: Hudson Oliveira
Composition: Armand Amar, Ólafur Arnlds, Joep Beving, Ezio Bosso, Alexandre Desplat, Ramin Djawadi, Nils Frahm, Hildur Gudnadóttir, Max Richter
Dancers: Eleven of the Thüringer Staatsballetts (14 dancers)
Duration: ca. 100 min.
Der Nussknacker (2017)
Choreography: Prof. Birgit Scherzer
Composition: P. I. Tschaikowski
Dancers/performers: Thüringer Staatsballett (22 dancers); Kinder- und Jugendballett des Theaters Altenburg Gera; Kinder- und Jugendchor des Theaters Altenburg Gera; Philharmonisches Orchester Altenburg Gera;
Duration: ca. 100 min.
Giselle (2018 (Erfurt)/ 2019 (Gera)*)
Choreography: Silvana Schröder
Composition: Adolphe Adam, Bearbeitung: David Garforth (2011)
Dancers/performers: Thüringer Staatsballett (22 dancers);
Philharmonisches Orchester Erfurt/Philharmonisches Orchester Theater Altenburg Gera
Duration: ca. 150 min.
*A co-production by Theater Erfurt and Thüringer Staatsballett of the Theater Altenburg Gera (formerly Theater & Philharmonie Thüringen)
Productions from the 2017/2018 season
Premiers
Liberace-Glitzer Schampus und Chopin (2018)
Choreography Silvana Schröder, music Frédéric Chopin among others
22 dancers
Der Nussknacker (2017)
Choreography Birgit Scherzer, music Peter Tschaikowski, orchestra
22 dancers
Ballettgala (2018)
Thüringer Staatsballett & Guests
Revivals
Dracula (2018)
Choreography Silvana Schröder, music Wojciech Kilar, Samuel Barber, W.A. Mozart u.
22 dancers
Eine infernalische Reise/Letzte Lieder (2018)
Choreography Silvana Schröder, music Franz Liszt, Richard Strauss, Soprano: Anne Preuß
22 dancers
KeimZeit (2014)
Choreography Silvana Schröder, music live by and with the band Keimzeit
22 dancers
Piaf-La vie en rose (2016)
Choreography Silvana Schröder, music Edith Piaf und Zeitgenossen, singer: Vasiliki Roussi
22 dancers
Junge Choreografen des Thüringer Staatsballetts ( 2018)
Choreography: Fabio Boccalatte, Yuri Hamano, Yi Han, Rina Hayashi, Stefania Mancini, Hudson Oliveira
music Frédéric Chopin, Ólafur Arnalds among others
Guest Performances
Theater Erfurt
Dracula
KeimZeit
Staatsoperette Dresden
27
Theater Eisenach
Thüringen tanzt
Productions from the 2015/2016 season
Piaf- La vie en rose (2016)
Choreography: Silvana Schröder
22 dancers
Anita Berber-Göttin der Nacht (2016)
Choreography: Jiři Bubeníček
Music: Simon Wills
22 dancers
27 (2012)
Choreography: Silvana Schröder
22 Dancers
Productions from the 2014/2015 season
Mercutios Geheimnis (2015)
Choreography: Silvana Schröder, music: S. Prokofjew
22 dancers, stage 14 x 14 m
KeimZeit (2014)
Choreography: Silvana Schröder, music: KeimZeit
22 dancers, stage 14 x 14 m
Productions from the 2013/2014 season
Cinderella (2014)
Choreography: Peter Werner-Ranke, music: S. Prokofjew
22 dancers, stage 7 x 14 m, 100 min
Waiting Room (2014)
Choreography: Silvana Schröder, music: Tom Hodge
22 dancers, stage 14 x 14 m, 90 min
Der Joker (2013)
Choreography: Silvana Schröder
22 dancers, 4 puppeteers, stage 16 x 14 m, 105 min
Schwarzer Schwan (2013)
Choreography: Silvana Schröder, music: P. I. Tschaikowsky
22 dancers, stage 14 x 14 m, 150 min
Nachwuchsförderung
Since the 2018/19 season, the Thüringer Staatsballett has been supporting young dancers from all over the world by offering them one-year scholarships during their dance training to enable them to take their first steps on the professional dance floor. Initially, this programme started with 12 dancers, whose number increased to 14 for the current season. In 2019, Hudson Oliveira, a member of the ensemble and talented young choreographer of the Thüringer Staatsballett, created a piece especially for the eleven in which they can demonstrate their versatile body control. In addition, the young dancers can be admired in interdisciplinary participations in music theatre and drama as well as in joint large-scale productions alongside the permanent members of the State Ballet.
China Tour with Ballet Gala
Date: 07 - 19.11.2019
Locations: Shanghai, Xian
The Thüringer Staatsballett shows itself cosmopolitan and completely in the sign of transcultural encounters through its Far Eastern guest performance tour. At the China Shanghai International Arts Festival, one of the most influential art events in China since its founding in 1999, a lively exchange between different cultures and art forms takes place every year. On this international platform, the Thüringer Staatsballett presents a gala with highlights from the repertoire of past seasons under its artistic director, Silvana Schröder.
Guest performance: Piaf - La vie en rose
Performance dates: 17 - 19.01.2020
Venue: Opéra-Théâtre de Metz (France)
Choreographer: Silvana Schröder
Music: Édith Piaf, Maurice Chevalier, Yves Montand, Charles Aznavour, Eddie Constantine, Gilbert Bécaud, Jacques Pills, Marlene Dietrich, Georges Moustaki, Théo Sarapo, Christopher Gunning
Live band: Vasiliki Roussi, Masako Katano-Dorsch, Peter Nelson, Claudia Buder, Libor Kaltofen;
Arr.: Olav Kröger
Year of premiere: 2016
Duration: approx. 120 min.
As multifaceted and fascinating as Édith Piaf's life and voice still captivate numerous music lovers today, Silvana Schröder's biographically inspired ballet evening captivates with its combination of dance and live music. After the ballet of the Opéra-Théâtre de Metz successfully presented itself to the Thuringian audience during the 2019 Ballet Festival Week, the Thüringer Staatsballett will now return the favour with a multi-layered homage to the chansonette.
Ballet Festival Intermezzo
Biennale series of events
Period: 27.01. - 02.02.2020
Venue: Stage at the Park, Gera
In smaller, varied event formats, the Thüringer Staatsballett - including its eleven dancers - introduces the audience to different aesthetic perceptions and realisations of dance styles, body images and musical genres. In addition to their own productions, (inter)national guest choreographies by renowned artists and up-and-coming choreographers invite the audience to marvel, reflect and participate.
Allgemeine Anfragen:
Theater Altenburg Gera
Theaterplatz 1
07548 Gera
T 0365 82790
info@theater-altenburg-gera.de
Thüringer Staatsballett:
Ansprechpartnerin: Karin Schneider
Tel: 0365-8279-130
ballett@theater-altenburg-gera.de