For the triple bill titled CREATIONS IV – VI, Artistic Director Tamas Detrich has commissioned world premieres from Douglas Lee, Louis Stiens and Martin Schläpfer, three choreographers from three different generations, each of whom the description “contemporary” most aptly fits.
Douglas Lee, former Principal Dancer of the Stuttgart Ballet, created eleven works for the company from 1999 to 2011 before pursuing a successful career as a free-lance choreographer for companies such as Nederlands Dans Theatre, Zurich Ballet, the Norwegian National Ballet and the Perm Opera Ballet Theatre. Known for his highly aesthetic, futuristic creations which utilized the physical capabilities of his dancers to the utmost, Lee returns to his artistic roots upon the invitation of Tamas Detrich.
Louis Stiens, Demi-Soloist with the Stuttgart Ballet, is creating his first world premiere for the Opera House stage following three successful creations for the smaller Play House. He is – in the most positive sense – an entirely unpredictable choreographer. With his finger on the pulse of his under-30 generation, his choreography is adventurous and raw and defies characterisation in terms of musical choice, movement vocabulary or the stage designs in which his works take place.
The evening will close with a world premiere by the highly acclaimed Swiss choreographer Martin Schläpfer, currently Artistic Director of the Ballett am Rhein. For his creation Schläpfer, known for his distinctive, deeply human and highly musical choreographies, will use Franz Schubert’s Third Symphony juxtaposed with Toshio Hosokawa’s Ferne Landschaft III, “Seascapes of Fukuyama”. Schläpfer intends a work for 19 dancers. Speaking of his choice of Schubert’s music, Schläpfer has said: “I hear and experience Schubert ‘s music as a contemporary choreographer. Just as I consider the pertinent question to be not whether the use of pointe shoes is contemporary, but only whether the choreographer using them is.”
Douglas Lee, former Principal Dancer of the Stuttgart Ballet, created eleven works for the company from 1999 to 2011 before pursuing a successful career as a free-lance choreographer for companies such as Nederlands Dans Theatre, Zurich Ballet, the Norwegian National Ballet and the Perm Opera Ballet Theatre. Known for his highly aesthetic, futuristic creations which utilized the physical capabilities of his dancers to the utmost, Lee returns to his artistic roots upon the invitation of Tamas Detrich.
Louis Stiens, Demi-Soloist with the Stuttgart Ballet, is creating his first world premiere for the Opera House stage following three successful creations for the smaller Play House. He is – in the most positive sense – an entirely unpredictable choreographer. With his finger on the pulse of his under-30 generation, his choreography is adventurous and raw and defies characterisation in terms of musical choice, movement vocabulary or the stage designs in which his works take place.
The evening will close with a world premiere by the highly acclaimed Swiss choreographer Martin Schläpfer, currently Artistic Director of the Ballett am Rhein. For his creation Schläpfer, known for his distinctive, deeply human and highly musical choreographies, will use Franz Schubert’s Third Symphony juxtaposed with Toshio Hosokawa’s Ferne Landschaft III, “Seascapes of Fukuyama”. Schläpfer intends a work for 19 dancers. Speaking of his choice of Schubert’s music, Schläpfer has said: “I hear and experience Schubert ‘s music as a contemporary choreographer. Just as I consider the pertinent question to be not whether the use of pointe shoes is contemporary, but only whether the choreographer using them is.”

