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WORLD PREMIERE OF THE NEWEST CREATION ‘GISELLE’ BY RESIDENT CHOREPGRAPHER DAVID DAWSON

In performance with the German premiere of ‘A Million Kisses to my Skin’

Dresden SemperOper Ballett will proudly present the world premiere of ‘Giselle’, the newest creation by Resident Choreographer David Dawson. Mr Dawson's recent works for Dresden SemperOper Ballett and companies around the world have been met with great acclaim from the audience and outstanding reviews of critics. The Opening Night will take place on Sunday, 9th March, 2008, at 18:00 under the musical direction of David Coleman.

‘Giselle’ - the major production and the highlight of 2007|2008 season - is the first full-length creation of the new company and second work David Dawson has choreographed especially for and on the dancers of Dresden SemperOper Ballett.

‘Giselle or Les Wilis’ was first performed at the Paris Opéra Monday, 28th June, 1841. During the first half of the 19th century the "Romantic Movement" dominated the arts of Europe. Ballet, mysterious and magical for its lack of the spoken word, proved to be an ideal vehicle for the romantic pursuit of the unattainable, questioning the academic rules of the past, stressing individual expression and experimentation, and moving away from classic themes to the inclusion of more local colour, supernatural beings and melodrama. ‘Giselle’ set a new course to romantic ballets offering audiences an escape to a world of mystery, beauty, danger, and death, a vision that stirred the blood of the poetic, as well as the prosaic imaginations. What secures its place as the apex of romantic ballet is that in place of the usual happy ending, in which virtue is rewarded, a tragic death followed by a ghostly resurrection is substituted. For more than 160 years this work is viewed as the undisputed masterpiece of classical romantic ballet and has entered the repertoire of world leading ballet companies, having lost none of its fascination to the present day.

Real love is not ambivalent and it overcomes the limits of time. Uniqueness of ‘Giselle’ has determined this special choice for David Dawson. Both dance and dancers have developed further since the very first creation and the choreographer has set a task to re-experience the magic of emotions of the classical ballet and the real story of pure love through contemporary means of the modern language of dance.

The notions of love, betrayal, forgiveness and sacrifice are eternal, hence David Dawson challenged himself to detach the theme from the conditions of the 19th century and from the behaviour required or expected in the society at that time, and explore the development of the classical story within the frames of its timelessness, watching how the characters would progress from one emotional state to the next. Detailed acting and character building are of paramount importance for this piece.

‘Until now I have always approached my work from an emotional point of view,’ says the choreographer, ‘but never really talked so clearly about love in any of my ballets. Nothing so clear, or so defined. This creation made this possible for me. ... It is a work that tries to explore the idea of love as both the ordinary and the extra-ordinary, and the loss of which remains unforgettable. But this is love that comes with sacrifice and responsibility. As if repeating a belief passed down through the generations, the consequences of the betrayal in Act I are no longer just personal and temporal, but universal and eternal - there will be consequences to the men that human society doesn't enforce and to the female spirits who prey upon them. ... At the end of Gluck's "Iphigenia in Tauris", Iphigenia must choose between revenge and forgiveness. At the beginning of Act II, Giselle faces an afterlife of vengeance and has a similar choice to make that is rooted in a timeless question of classical literature: justice or mercy? Key to any interpretation of one of the greatest female roles of the classical canon is how Giselle makes this choice. For me, she may have become a wili in form, but not in heart. And Albrecht has found his heart by sacrificing hers, Giselle must convince with her total generosity of spirit. She doesn't just save him. By refusing vengeance and remaining true to herself, she saves herself. ... Only in Giselle's death did Albrecht ever feel the emotions of life so purely and passionately. In that single moment, life and death balanced each other, becoming the same thing wrapped in one.’

Over his career as a choreographer, David Dawson increasingly developed his interest in narrative and with this newest work he makes his professional debut in re-creating this story ballet. For Dawson, Giselle and other characters are more young people beautiful in their youthfulness, who live through realities that are comparable with those of the dancers that play them. But not only the story and personalities are taken out of time frames, also the choreographic language of the new creation has its own new stylistics. Exploring the coexistence of the past and present dance techniques, the choreographer suggests his own interpretation of the principles of classical dance within his unique style of movement, in which precision and refinement of classical ballet are woven into the tapestry of unbroken sequence of exquisite combinations in boundless space. The ballet offers great opportunities for the dancers, demanding strong technique and pushing them to their physical limits. It also challenges them to fully reveal their personalities through dramatic artistry, when each of them becomes a mirror of themselves, recognizing the beauty of their own inner truth.

The idea of universality and timelessness has found its reflection and further development on all levels of the new production. During each stage of the creative process David Dawson has been intensely and fruitfully collaborating with his team: conductor David Coleman who has completely re-orchestrated and fully rearranged the original music by Adolphe Adam breathing in fresh sound, thus giving new life to the famous score; set designer Arne Walther, who has created a new, pure and timeless look for the performing space; costume designer Yumiko Takeshima, who has erased class distinctions and accentuated the everlasting simplicity of form and shape; light designer and production manager Bert Dalhuysen, whose concept of contrast has made the space alive and developed the idea of eternal through the mood of the ever-changing sky; and dramaturgical consultant Freya Vass-Rhee, who has elaborated the story line.

For David Dawson, one of today’s most exciting young choreographers, this new work is the highlight of his career up to date. Creating a unique piece with an innovative approach while remaining true to himself in style, nevertheless David Dawson pays his homage to the original choreography displaying the roots of his inspiration.

A Million Kisses to my Skin

The German premiere and new production for Dresden SemperOper Ballett of 'A Million Kisses to my Skin' is at its heart a celebration of dance and the dancer. Created by David Dawson in 2000 for Het Nationale Ballet (Dutch National Ballet), this is a post-classical pure dance work that aims to visualize the baroque style patterns of the Piano Concerto No 1 by J. S. Bach. The stage is full of expansive, extravagantly free-flowing movement that is introduced within tight asymmetric structures that constantly emerge and dissolve, employing a virtuosic vocabulary of movement that displays a dynamic classical action. 'A Million Kisses to my Skin' is elegant and refined, with inventive and fast-moving dance in which classical form and contemporary ambiance become one.

Dresden SemperOper Ballet gratefully acknowledges Stiftung zur Förderung der Semperoper (Foundation for Support of the Semperoper) which provides support for the new work and ballet development.

http://www.semperoper.de/en/ballett/premie...08/giselle.html

Dresden SemperOper Ballett to Support Living with HIV

With thousands of events around the world marking World AIDS Day, December 1st, Yumiko Takeshima and Raphael Coumes-Marquet presented a duet especially created by David Dawson for the First AIDS Dance Gala in Munich.

The newest creation ‘On the Nature of Daylight’ by David Dawson to music by Max Richter saw its world première in Staatstheater am Gärtnerplatz.

' 'On the Nature of Daylight' is a work that tries to explore the idea of love as both the ordinary and the extra-ordinary. I first thought about the many possibilities of finding pure love. A task that binds us as human beings, and a search that happens continually around the world on a daily basis. The need to find the 'Other'. I asked myself the question, 'does this happen so easily?', or 'what if I were passing my soul mate right now on my journey home and never even knew about it?’ It was this randomness that intrigued me. The idea of 'chance', or 'luck' at finding the one person in this world who would be meant for me. It seemed to be so ordinary, so simple, yet completely beyond my control. Yet I knew it did happen. I looked around my own reality, and saw evidence of this in all its many forms.'

David Dawson

'... man was left breathless by the premiere of the pas de deux 'On the Nature of Daylight' by David Dawson - ascending star-choreographer of the Dresden SemperOper. The way Yumiko Takeshima - light and fragile like breeze dancer - hovered between heaven and earth in the arms of her partner - supernatural...'

http://www.tanznetz.de/kritiken.phtml?page...6&tid=11289

http://www.semperoper.de/en/ballett/detail...cle/226/42.html

DREAMLANDS

Principal Casting for The Second Detail by William Forsythe (Dresden SemperOper Ballett Première)

11, 14e November 2007: Takeshima*, Vostrotina*, Doepker*, Juleen*, Parkyn*, Kerr*, Asami*, Genow*, Coumes-Marquet*, Hill*, Voranger*, Cangialosi*, Vallejo*, Kimoto*

12 November 2007: Heylmann*, Carnicer*, Melnikova*, Lo Sardo*, Markowskaya*, Tardaguila*, Presta*, Simon*, Klymyuk*, Vardanyan*, Hildebrandt*, Cangialosi, Vallejo, Moskvito*

14m November 2007: Heylmann, Carnicer, Melnikova, Lo Sardo, Markowskaya, Piqueras*, Presta, Simon, Klymyuk, Vardanyan, Hildebrandt, Cangialosi, Vallejo, Moskvito

Principal Casting for The Grey Area by David Dawson (German Première)

11, 12, 14m, 14e November 2007: Takeshima*, Coumes-Marquet*, Sologub*, Bubenicek*, Melnikova*

Principal Casting for No Thumb by Pascal Touzeau (World Première)

11, 12, 14m, 14e November 2007: Vostrotina*, Asami*, Presta*, Merkulova*, Vallejo*, Voranger*, Cangialosi*, Hill*

Principal Casting for Empty House by Johan Inger (German Première)

11.,12., 14.a November 2007: Markowskaya*, Carnicer*, Martinez*, Asami*, Bubenicek*, Voranger*, Cangialosi*, Kimoto*, Moskvito*, Genow*

14.m November 2007: Markowskaya, Presta*, Merkulova*, Zhu*, Vallejo*, Voranger, Cangialosi, Hildebrandt*, Klymyuk*, Hill*

*Debut in role with Dresden SemperOper Ballet at the Semperoper

**Guest Artist

http://www.semperoper.de/en/ballett/premie...dreamlands.html

A Dreamy Quartet

DREAMLANDS – New Ballet Evening of Dresden SemperOper Ballett

On Sunday, 11th November at 18:00, Dresden SemperOper Ballett will present a première in the Semperoper while the Saxon State Opera (Dresden) is playing guest performances on a long Japan tour. The title DREAMLANDS unites four choreographies, one of which has been created especially for the Dresden company, while two others are having their première in Germany.

All the choreographies of the brilliant programme have one thing in common: they present all the expressions of life. Despite all the differences in the content and form of their works, the choreographers – William Forsythe, David Dawson, Pascal Touzeau and Johan Inger – are united not only by the classic roots of their creations, but also by their search for the new in the traditional and the innovative further development of their classical inheritance. This claim, and its fulfilment, has lifted the creations of these choreographers into the discourse about modern, contemporary dance. Almost incidentally, they define and establish dance as a living form of art in the new millennium.

The four choreographies of this evening are

The Second Detail by William Forsythe (music: Thom Willems) - Dresden Première

The Grey Area by David Dawson (music: Niels Lanz) – German Première

No Thumb by Pascal Touzeau (music: Pÿteris Vasks) – World Première

Empty House by Johan Inger (music: Félix Lajkó) – German Première

After only four performances in the Semperoper on 11th (18:00), 12th (19:00) and 14th (15:00 and 19:00) November, the company will go on the road: from 22nd until 25th November, Dresden SemperOper Ballett will present the première programme in Theater Heilbronn, also with only four shows. In Dresden, DREAMLANDS cannot be experienced again until the next season.

http://www.semperoper.de/en/ballett/premie...dreamlands.html

Final Rehearsals of 'The Second Detail'

William Forsythe visited Dresden for the last touch-ups of his style right before the company's premiere of the famous ballet

Together with William Forsythe dancers of Dresden SemperOper Ballett have a unique opportunity to enjoy and experience both on stage and in the studio pure movement of his choregraphic practice.

Johan Inger in Dresden

A week before the German Première of his creation ‘Empty House’ Swedish choreographer and Artistic Director of Cullberg Ballet is working with the dancers of Dresden SemperOper Ballett on the character of his style.

It is first time that Johan Inger’s work joins the repertoire of the company and the choreographer tries to bring to the dancers the understanding of the intricacy of certain details of his creation.

http://www.semperoper.de/en/ballett/detail...Hash=c42136de44

Empty House with Carolina Armenta

Choreographic Assistant to Johan Inger has come to Dresden to set 'Empty House'

The ballet will see its German première with Dresden SemperOper Ballett on 11th November within Dreamlands première programme.

http://www.semperoper.de/en/ballett/detail...Hash=36c85956e6

Laura Graham in Beijing

Principal Ballet Mistress for Dresden SemperOper Ballett at National Ballet of China

From 26th October Laura Graham is working with Chinese dancers rehearsing William Forsythe's famous 'In the Middle, Somewhat Elevated' which she set there during her summer visit. The following two weeks she will also be coaching the company in the style of the choreographer who will be working with Dresden SemperOper Ballett during the same period. The première will take place on 11th November.

Bouquets and Daggers to European Dance

In October issue of Dance Europe (London) dance critics from around the world recall last season's outstanding performances and award their bouquets and daggers. They have their say to the recent development in European dance. In fact, the name of our Resident Choreographer, David Dawson, is one of the most frequently used in relation to its achievements.

Ali Mahbouba – Rotterdam, Dance Europe

Outstanding Male Dancer: Mikel Jauregui (Royal Ballet of Flanders) for his fluid strength and serenity in Dawson’s A Sweet Spell of Oblivion (2.6.07)

Best Classical Premiere: David Dawson’s A Sweet Spell of Oblivion for the Royal Ballet of Flanders was an absolute delight (14.4.07)

Deborah Weiss – London, Dance Europe

Best Classical Premiere: A Million Kisses to my Skin ch. David Dawson, ENB (Feb/Mar 07)

Emma Manning – London, Dance Europe

Best Classical Premiere: A Million Kisses to my Skin (company premiere ENB) ch. David Dawson at Sadler’s Wells (6.3.07)

Judith Delme – Antwerp, Dance Europe

Outstanding Male Dancer: Alain Honorez (Royal Ballet of Flanders) in David Dawson’s A Sweet Spell of Oblivion (Apr 07)

Best Classical Premiere: David Dawson’s A Sweet Spell of Oblivion – so poetic, a modern Les Sylphides

Maggie Foyer – London, Dance Europe

Best Classical Premiere: A Million Kisses to my Skin (ENB) ch. David Dawson (7.3.07)

Mike Dixon – London, Ballet International / Tanz Aktuell, The Dancer, The Stage, Dance Europe

Best performance (not a premiere): Agnes Oaks and Thomas Edur (ENB) in A Million Kisses to my Skin at Sadler’s Wells

Hans-Theodor Wohlfahrt – London, Dance for You, Germany

Best performance (not a premiere): A Million Kisses to my Skin ch David Dawson for ENB, Richmond Theatre (30.3.07)

Bouquets to:

The development, on an international level, of many first rate choreographers like Alexei Ratmansky (Moscow), Martin Schlaepfer (Mainz), David Dawson (Amsterdam/Dresden), Tomasz Kajdansko (Eisenach), Lightfoot Leon (Den Haag) or Christopher Wheeldon (New York)

The Newest Creation by David Dawson in Japan

Yumiko Takeshima and Raphael Coumes-Marquet have just come back from Japan where they performed ‘On the Nature of Daylight’ at the 10th Anniversary of Soki Ballet School Gala.

The newest creation ‘On the Nature of Daylight’ by David Dawson to music by Max Richter will see its world premiere on 1st December - International AIDS Day - at the International Beneficiary Gala in Munich, Germany, especially for which he has choreographed this work.

Dawson made the piece for two Principal dancers of Dresden SemperOper Ballett - Yumiko Takeshima and Raphael Coumes-Marquet - who are his long term collaborators. It occurred that a private dance school where Yumiko Takeshima sometimes teaches during her rare visits to Japan was celebrating its 10th anniversary and the school management invited her to dance at the school performance which took place on 30th September.

David Dawson decided to make a gift to this school and let them first see the newest creation.

In his interview to Senior Editor of Dance Magazine in Tokyo David Dawson talks about his experience on choreographing 'On the Nature of Daylight':

'' 'On the Nature of Daylight' is a work that tries to explore the idea of love as both the ordinary and the extra-ordinary. I first thought about the many possibilities of finding pure love. A task that binds us as human beings, and a search that happens continually around the world on a daily basis. The need to find the 'Other'. I asked myself the question, 'does this happen so easily?', or 'what if I were passing my soul mate right now on my journey home and never even knew about it?’ It was this randomness that intrigued me. The idea of 'chance', or 'luck' at finding the one person in this world who would be meant for me. It seemed to be so ordinary, so simple, yet completely beyond my control. Yet I knew it did happen. I looked around my own reality, and saw evidence of this in all its many forms.

This wonderful emotion was what I had to try and capture, so I started working in the studio with Yumiko and Raphael, both dancers who I have worked with closely for many years, and began to devise a series of scenes that would show this. The first scene depicts two people, separate and alone, experiencing themselves at the same time and in the same way but still differently. Different in time, different in personality. Unaware of what is waiting around the corner for them. They pass or miss each other the first time and this act of missing and passing represents a habit of the unaware. When they meet, it is as if we have 'lost time' and missed the moment of meeting, finding them in a more private yet rapturous moment. A moment where they let go of who they are and show only their essential feelings. Their charisma becoming a kind of magic. Showing us parts or pieces from the puzzle of life. Many still miss these pieces, but theirs making a big part of the painting visible. In the end we find that it does end. One does leave the other and this mystery closes as one is left running backwards and lost in circles serving as a metaphor for the search that continues like the rising of the sun every day, but also of the love lost that remains unforgotten.''

http://www.semperoper.de/en/ballett/detail...cle/190/42.html

Jiri Bubenicek in New York

Dresden SemperOper Ballett Principal was one of the five young choreographers to be chosen for the current autumn session of the annual choreographic workshop at The New York Choreographic Institute which will take place October 1-12, 2007.

During the workshop young choreographers are provided with uninterrupted time and studio space. The Institute allows dancers to experiment with different ideas, approaches, choreographic techniques, and music. They have a chance to work with dancers of New York City Ballet and advanced students from the School of American Ballet.

New Choreography from Jiří Bubeníček in Zurich

On 1st September Zurich Ballet celebrated its first première of the season in the Zurich Opera House. The mixed bill included the choreography "Le souffle de l'esprit" from Jiří Bubeníček, Principal of Dresden SemperOper Ballett.

The artist, who has been given many awards for his choreography work, introduced himself for the first time in Zurich and, with music from Johann Sebastian Bach and stage design by his brother Otto Bubeníček, he created something which received a great response from both, the public and the press.

The Neue Zürcher Zeitung in its online edition wrote:

Jiří Bubeníček, Principal of the Dresden Semperoper, is introducing himself with "Le souffle de l'esprit" as a choreographer committed to elegance and beauty. (…) Bubeníček’s "Le souffle de l'esprit" captivates with the suppleness of the movements.

The Zürcher Oberländer:

For the piece created specially for Zurich Ballet “Le souffle de l'esprit”, he (the choreographer) was on the one hand inspired by the work of Leonardo da Vinci and on the other hand he dedicated the ballet to his two grandmothers Olga and Maria – “Ballet is woman”. The music follows these wide-reaching guidelines and ranges from Bach to the composition of his twin brother Otto. Da Vinci’s universal visual language, in which the dream of flying, the beauty and charm of humankind is contained along with the destructive power of war machinery, is translated into dance in front of sepia coloured, quietly smiling pictures of the Virgin Mary with a precision beyond comparison, with wit and ironic references to the classic language of ballet. With “Le souffle de l'esprit” Bubenicek has created a ballet which captivates with its power, its soulfulness and its intensity.

LES BALLETS RUSSES

Principal Casting for Chopiniana by Mikhail Fokine

4, 6 October 2007: Sologub, Coumes-Marquet, Juleen*, Heylmann

8, 12 October 2007: Melnikova, Mateos-Arellano, Carnicer, Parkyn*

10, 13 October 2007: Markowskaya*, Genow*, Kerr*, De Cussac*

Principal Casting for Petruschka by Mikhail Fokine

4, 6 October 2007: Voranger, Markowskaya, Arndt, Mateos-Arellano, Bondarenko**

8 October 2007: Voranger, De Cussac, Arndt, Mateos-Arellano, Bondarenko**

10 October 2007: Hildebrandt*, De Cussac, Klymyuk, Moskvito*, Cangialosi*

12 October 2007: Voranger, Heylmann*, Arndt, Mateos-Arellano, Bondarenko**

13 October 2007: Hildebrandt, Heylmann, Klymyuk, Moskvito, Cangialosi

Principal Casting for The Firebirdby Mikhail Fokine

4, 6, 8 October 2007: Melnikova, Klymyuk*, De Cussac, Boermans

10, 12, 13 October 2007: Vostrotina*, Hill*, Parkyn*, Boermans

*Debut in role with Dresden SemperOper Ballett at the Semperoper

**Guest Artist

http://www.semperoper.de/de/ballett/repert...ets_russes.html

Principal casting for the opening programme of the season 2007|2008

Principal Casting for Theme and Variations by George Balanchine

7., 14.e, 21. September 2007: Takeshima, Bubenicek

14.m, 19. September 2007: Sologub, Semionov**

29. September 2007: Markowskaya, Vallejo*

Principal Casting for Enemy in the Figure by William Forsythe

7., 14.e September 2007: Presta, Merkulova, Heylmann, Asami, Parkyn, Martinez, Cangialosi, Hill, Genow, Voranger, Vallejo

14.m September 2007: Markowskaya, Presta, Carnicer, Vostrotina, Gladstone, Merkulova, Oratynski, Mateos-Arellano, Kimoto, Coumes-Marquet, Hildebrandt*

19. September 2007: Markowskaya, Presta, Carnicer, Vostrotina, Gladstone, Merkulova, Oratynski, Mateos-Arellano, Kimoto, Coumes-Marquet, Bubenicek

21. September 2007: Presta, Merkulova, Heylmann, Asami, Parkyn, Martinez, Cangialosi, Hill, Genow, Voranger, Bubenicek

29. September 2007: Presta, Merkulova, Heylmann, Asami, Parkyn, Martinez, Cangialosi, Hill, Genow, Voranger, Hildebrandt

Principal Casting for Das Verschwundene | The Disappeared by Resident Choreographer David Dawson

7., 19 September 2007: Takeshima, Parkyn*, Sologub, Carnicer, Juleen, Melnikova*, Coumes-Marquet, Bubenicek, Mateos-Arellano

14.m, 29 September 2007: Sologub*, Melnikova*, Zhu*, Lo Sardo, Presta*, Merkulova*, Hill*, Voranger*, Cangialosi*

14.e, 21 September 2007: Takeshima, Parkyn, Vostrotina, Carnicer, Juleen, Melnikova, Coumes-Marquet, Bubenicek, Mateos-Arellano

* Debut in this role with Dresden SemperOper Ballett in the Semperoper

**Guest Artist

http://www.semperoper.de/en/ballett/repert...enaissance.html

Costin Radu has produced new images for the upcoming major ballet event of the 2007|2008 season – Giselle – a full length world premiere from Resident Choreographer David Dawson, who is creating this new work especially for Dresden SemperOper Ballett.

http://www.semperoper.de/en/ballett/premie...08/giselle.html

The Dresden SemperOper Ballett programme for 2007|2008 season was announced on March 6, 2007 at a press conference held in the round foyer of the Dresden Semperoper. It will be director Aaron S. Watkin's second season and the programming reflects his artistic vision that he is building for the future of the company.

In order of appearance, with dates for the opening night of each programme given:

7 - 29 September 2007

WIEDERGEBURT UND AUFERSTEHUNG - REBIRTH AND RENAISSANCE

(A repeat of the triple bill which had its premiere on 12 November 2006)

Theme and Variations

Choreography: George Balanchine

Music: Peter I. Tchaikovsky

Staged by: Patricia Neary

Set design: Aaron S. Watkin, Arne Walther

Lighting design: Jan Seeger

Costume design: Frauke Schernau

Enemy in the Figure

Choreography, set, costume and lighting design: William Forsythe

Music: Thom Willems

Staged by: Ana Catalina-Roman, Alan Barnes, Ayman Harper, Timothy Couchman

Das Verschwundene | The Disappeared

(World premiered on 12 November 2006)

Choreography: David Dawson

Music: Arvo Pärt

Set design: John Otto

Lighting design: Bert Dalhuysen

Costume design: Yumiko Takeshima

Assistant to the Choreographer: Laura Graham

4 - 13 October 2007

LES BALLETS RUSSES

Chopiniana

Choreography: Mikhail Fokine

Production: Yelena Evteeva, Aaron S. Watkin

Music: Frederic Chopin orchestrated by Alexander Glasunov and others

Staged by: Yelena Evteeva

Set design: Arne Walther

Costume design: Frauke Schernau

Lighting design: Jan Seeger

Petrushka

Choreography: Mikhail Fokine

Music: Igor Stravinsky

Choreographic reconstruction: Andris Liepa

Staged by: Andris Leipa, Nina Bortschenko, Igor Pivorovich

Set and costume design: Anna and Anatoly Nezhny based on original drawing by Alexander Benois

Lighting design: Jannis Valle

The Firebird

Choreography: Mikhail Fokine

Music: Igor Stravinsky

Choreographic reconstruction: Andris Liepa

Staged by: Andris Leipa, Nina Bortschenko, Igor Pivorovich

Set and costume design: Anna and Anatoly Nezhny based on original drawing by Alexander Golovin and Leon Bakst

Lighting design: Jannis Valle

11 - 14 November 2007

Premiere Programme

DREAMLANDS

The Second Detail

Choreography, set and lighting design: William Forsythe

Music: Thom Willems

Staged by: Aaron S. Watkin, Laura Graham, Timothy Couchman

Costume design: Yumiko Takeshima

White Dress: Issey Miyake

The Grey Area - German Premiere by Resident Choreographer

Choreography and set design: David Dawson

Music: Niels Lanz

Staged by: Timothy Couchman

Lighting design: Bert Dalhuysen

Costume design: Yumiko Takeshima

No Thumb

(New creation)

Choreography, set, costume and lighting design: Pascal Touzeau

Music: Alfred Schnittke

Empty House

Choreography and set design: Johan Inger

Music: Felix Lajko

Staged by: Carolina Armenta

Lighting design: Erik Berglund

Costume design: Mylla Ek

3 - 30 December 2007

DER NUSSKNACKER - THE NUTCRACKER

A ballet in two acts (three tableau)

Choreography: John Neumeier

Music: Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

Staged by: Giselle Roberge

Set and costume design: Jürgen Rose

3 - 19 February, 4 - 14 May 2008

DORNRÖSCHEN - THE SLEEPING BEAUTY

A ballet in three acts, with prologue

Choreography: Aaron S. Watkin after Marius Petipa

Production: Aaron S. Watkin and Francine Watson-Coleman

Music: Peter I. Tchaikovsky

Musical arrangement: David Coleman

Narrative and Action: Francine Watson-Coleman

Set design: Arne Walther

Costume design: Erik Västhed

Lighting design: Jan Seeger

9 March - 3 April 2008

Premiere Programme

GISELLE

A Million Kisses to my Skin - German Premiere by Resident Choreographer

Choreography and set design: David Dawson

Music: J. S. Bach

Staged by: Timothy Couchman

Lighting design: Bert Dalhuysen

Costume design: Yumiko Takeshima

Giselle - World Premiere by Resident Choreographer

A ballet in two acts

Choreography: David Dawson

Music: Adolph Adam

Musical arrangement: David Coleman

Set design: Arne Walther

Lighting design: Bert Dalhuysen

Costume design: Yumiko Takeshima

19 - 25 April, 29 May - 7 June 2008

ZWISCHENLICHT - AFTERLIGHT

Steptext

Choreography, set, costume and lighting design: William Forsythe

Music: J. S. Bach

Staged by: Aaron S. Watkin

Morning Ground - German Premiere by Resident Choreographer

Choreography: David Dawson

Music: Frederic Chopin

Staged by: Alan Barnes

Set design: Georg Reischl

Lighting design: Bert Dalhuysen

Costume design: Yumiko Takeshima

Sinfonietta

Choreography: Jiri Kylian

Music: Leos Janacek

Staged by: Roslyn Anderson

Set and costume design: Walter Nobbe

Lighting design: Kees Tjebbes

14 June - 1 July 2008

DER WIDERSPENSTIGEN ZÄMUNG - THE TAMING OF THE SHREW

A ballet in three acts

Choreography: John Cranko

Music: Domenico Scarlatti

Musical arrangement: Kurt-Heinz Stolze

Staged by: Georgette Tsinguirides

Set and costume design: Roberta Guidi di Bagno

DRESDEN SEMPEROPER BALLETT

Company News - August 2007

Dresden SemperOper Ballett is pleased to announce the following promotions which take effect from the start of the 2007|2008 season.

Olga Melnikova is promoted to Principal from First Soloist

Raphaël Coumes-Marquet is promoted to Principal from First Soloist

Elena Vostrotina is promoted to First Soloist from Second Soloist

Andrea Parkyn is promoted to Second Soloist from Coryphée

Victor Mateos-Arellano is promoted to Second Soloist from Coryphée

Giselle Doepker is promoted to Coryphée from Corps de Ballet

Rebecca Gladstone is promoted to Coryphée from Corps de Ballet

Claudio Cangialosi is promoted to Coryphée from Corps de Ballet

George Hill is promoted to Coryphée from Corps de Ballet

Pavel Moskvito is promoted to Coryphée from Corps de Ballet

Joining the Company as members of the Corps de Ballet at the beginning of the 2007|2008 Season will be:

Chantelle Kerr - from The Sunshine Coast, Australia, she studied with both the Christine Walsh Dance Centre in Melbourne and the Queensland Ballet. In 2003, she joined the Queensland Ballet performing in a variety of both classical contemporary works. Chantelle joined the RNZB in 2004 and has performed a number of featured roles including the Dawn solo in Coppelia where she was praised for her pure unaffected classicism. Chantelle has danced in Kenneth Macmillan’s Concerto, Angie the Bride in The Wedding and in the title role of Giselle. Her duet with Craig Lord in A Million Kisses to My Skin was described as sublime, and her performance as the young nurse “a stunningly beautiful highlight” in The Nutcracker.

Duosi Zhu – was born and got her first dance training in Henan, China, followed later by Beijing Dance Academy (China) and Schweizerische Ballettberufsschule (Switzerland). She danced with Zurich Junior Ballet and in 2003 joined Zurich Ballet where she performed works by Heinz Spoerli together with other choreographies.

Istvan Simon - from Hungary, completed his training at Hungarian Dance Art Academy (HDAA) in 1999. He is prize winner of international ballet competitions, like: first prize at III International Ballet Competition in St. Pölten (2002), first prize at I International Ballet Competition in Brno (2003), finalist of Prix de Lausanne Concours International Pour Jeunes Danseurs (2004), grand prix at VIII Internal Competition of HDAA (2005), first prize in male junior category at Helsinki International Ballet Competition (2005), as well as other awards.

Davit Vardanyan - was born in Yerevan, Armenia, and trained with Hovanes Divanyan at National Academy of Ballet. In 2002 he worked at The Armenian National Theatre, but decided to continue his training with Pioter Pestov at John Cranko School in Stuttgart (2003-2005) and with Oliver Matz at Zurich School (Switzerland). In 2005 he was invited to join Ballet Company Schleswig-Holstein Landes Theater (Germany). Performed with Stuttgart Ballet.

Dancers leaving Dresden SemperOper Ballett are:

Principal Dmitry Semionov is going to Berlin to dance with Staatsballett Berlin, continuing however for season 2007|2008 with Dresden SemperOper Ballet as Resident Guest Artist. Second Soloist Raphael Saada, who is returning to Spain to work on several projects of his own and Coryphée Randy Castillo, who will be re-joining La Compania Nacional de Danza (Artistic Director Nacho Duato) in Madrid. Members of the Corps de Ballet Sonoya Mizuno and Pattra Sarikaputra have both stopped dancing to pursue new careers and studies. Olga Shalaevskaya is joining Leipziger Ballett at the start of the season and Pietro Zambello will be working at the newly created Ballet Company of Angel Corella.