
Ballett Zürich
Ballett Zürich - a portrait
Ballett Zürich is Switzerland’s largest professional ballet company. The ensemble is in residence at the Opernhaus Zürich, where the 36 dancers in the company perform a significant portion of the Opernhaus program. They have also made a name for themselves at international guest performances, including celebrated appearances in Russia, Israel, Mexico, Columbia, Spain, Germany, and at the Edinburgh Festival in Scotland.
The company emerged from the former Ballett des Stadttheaters Zürich and was shaped by its artistic directors Nicholas Beriozoff, Patricia Neary, Uwe Scholz, Bernd Bienert, and Heinz Spoerli.
Christian Spuck has been the Artistic Director of Ballett Zürich since the 2012/13 season. The company has maintained its established ensemble tradition under his direction, while simultaneously setting new artistic goals. Spuck has made certain the entire stylistic range of ballet as an art form is on display in Zurich, and to that end, premiering new works has played a vital role for the company. Wayne McGregor, Edward Clug, Marco Goecke, Douglas Lee, and Filipe Portugal have all created pieces for the company. As a choreographer, Christian Spuck not only explores new avenues for full-length narrative ballet, but he also devotes himself to cross-genre forms of expression. A prime example of this is the Oper and Ballett Zürich co-production of Verdi’s «Requiem». Ballett Zürich repertoire’s stylistic diversity, which features classical repertoire and modern dance, is evidenced by the many internationally renowned choreographers that have choreographed for the company, including William Forsythe, Sol León/Paul Lightfoot, Douglas Lee, Martin Schläpfer, Jiří Kylián, Wayne McGregor, Marco Goecke, Edward Clug, Mats Ek, and Crystal Pite. As of the 2023/24 season, Cathy Marston will be the new director of Ballett Zürich.
In 2016, Alexei Ratmansky’s reconstruction of the original 1895 Petipa/Ivanov «Schwanensee» choreography received enthusiastic international response. Christian Spuck’s ballet «Winterreise» was awarded with the renowned «Prix Benois de la Danse» in 2019. Spuck’s production of Helmut Lachenmann’s «Das Mädchen mit den Schwefelhölzern» was named «Production of the Year» by «tanz» magazine in 2020. That same year, Ballett Zürich was also named «Company of the Year».
The Junior Ballett was established in 2001. It features fourteen young dancers from around the world who train together with the members of the Ballett Zürich, dance with them for select repertoire performances, and regularly perform programs specially put together just for them. Since 2012, the «Junge Choreografen» series has taken place biennially, and focuses on promoting young choreographic talent.
Performances by Ballett Zürich are accompanied by a comprehensive supporting program, which includes exploratory matinees in the run-up to a premiere, pre-performance introductions, ballet talks, and a variety of special children’s, youth, and school projects. In 2014, a project in which secondary school students examined Prokofiev’s «Romeo und Julia» ballet music as dancers and filmmakers was met with an enthusiastic response. A follow-up project in 2017 tackled Stravinsky’s «Le Sacre du printemps».
Partner Ballett Zürich
Ballett Zürich
Ballet director
Christian Spuck
Operation director
Marie Wolfram-Zweig
Assistent Ballet Office
Michèle Alonso
Production manager
Mikel Jauregui
Dramaturgy
Michael Küster
Public relations
Marion Maurer
Ballet masters
Jean-François Boisnon, Eva Dewaele, Daniel Otevrel
Ballet répétiteurs
Christophe Barwinek, Luigi Largo
Ballet and dance education
Bettina Holzhausen
Guest ballet masters
Louise Bennett, Yannick Boquin, Lucia Geppi, Cynthia Harvey, Raffaella Renzi, Jenny Sandler
Teams
Choreographers
Marco Goecke, Shaked Heller, Samantha Lynch, Cathy Marston, Marcos Morau, Crystal Pite, Louis Stiens, Hans van Manen, Christian Spuck
Conductors
Paul Connelly, Alevetina Ioffe, Christoph Koncz
Stage design
Hildegard Bechtler, Keso Dekker, Rufus Didwiszus, Max Glaenzel, Bettina Katja Lange, Thomas Mika, Emma Ryott, Jay Gower Taylor, Jörg Zielinski, Christian Spuck
Costumes
Nancy Bryant, Linda Chow, Keso Dekker, Silvia Delagneau, Thomas Mika, Emma Ryott, Buki Shiff, Louis Stiens, Bregje van Balen
Lighting
Alan Brodie, Joop Caboort, Jan Clark, Martin Gebhardt, Udo Haberland, Tom Visser
Dancers
1. Solist:in
Jan Casier
Jan Casier, 1. Solist:in

Jan Casier was born in Belgium. He studied at the Royal Ballet School in Antwerp. From 2008 to 2012 he was a member of the Royal Ballet of Flanders where he danced in ballets by John Cranko, William Forsythe, David Dawson and Christian Spuck. He appeared in David Dawson’s Faun(e) as a guest at the English National Ballet. From 2012 to 2014 he was a member of Ballett Zürich, where he performed roles in numerous Christian Spuck ballets, including Leonce in Leonce und Lena, Paris in Romeo und Julia and the title role of Woyzeck. He also danced in choreographies by Edward Clug, Sol León/Paul Lightfoot, Marco Goecke and Wayne McGregor. From 2014 to 2016 he was a member of the Semperoper Ballett Dresden. There he performed in choreographies by Aaron Watkins (Prince in The Nutcracker), William Forsythe, Alexei Ratmansky, David Dawson and Alexander Ekman. Jan Casier returned to Ballett Zürich in 2016. Since his return, he has danced in Forsythe’s Quintett, Godani’s rituals from another when and the title role in Edward Clug’s Faust and Marco Goecke’s Nijinski. He also appeared as Drosselmeier in Christian Spuck’s Nussknacker und Mausekönig. In 2019, he was named «Dancer of the Year» by the «tanz» magazine and was awarded the «Tanzpreis der Freunde des Balletts Zürich».
Giulia Tonelli
Giulia Tonelli, 1. Solist:in

Giulia Tonelli comes from Italy. She graduated from the Balletto di Toscana and the Ballet School of the Vienna State Opera. After her first engagement at the Vienna State Opera, she danced from 2002 to 2010 with the Royal Ballet of Flanders in Antwerp and from 2004 as a demi-soloist. There she danced Giselle (Petipa) as well as solo roles in choreographies of Forsythe, Balanchine, Kylián, Haydée and Spuck. She has been a member of Ballett Zürich since the 2010/11 season, where she has performed ballets by Spoerli, Goecke, McGregor, Lee, Forsythe, Kylián and Balanchine. She danced Julia in Christian Spuck’s Romeo und Julia, Lena in Spuck’s Leonce und Lena and Betsy in Anna Karenina. In Alexei Ratmansky’s Schwanensee reconstruction she danced in the Pas de trois and she also performed in Forsythe’s Quintett and Spuck’s Messa da Requiem. Last season’s highlights include Emergence by Crystal Pite and Gretchen in Edward Clug’s Faust. During the «Junge Choreografen» series she presented the works Mind Games and Klastos together with Mélissa Ligurgo. In 2013 she was awarded the Giuliana Penzi Prize. In 2017 she received the «Tanzpreis der Freunde des Balletts Zürich».
Katja Wünsche
Katja Wünsche, 1. Solist:in

Katja Wünsche comes from Dresden and was trained at the Staatliche Ballettschule Berlin. She has won prizes at numerous ballet competitions. From 1999 to 2012 she danced in the Stuttgart Ballet, including as a principal dance from 2006. She danced leading roles in choreographies by John Cranko (Romeo und Julia, Der Widerspenstigen Zähmung, Onegin), John Neumeier (Endstation Sehnsucht, Die Kameliendame), Marcia Haydée (Dornröschen, La Sylphide, La fille mal gardée) and Christian Spuck (Lulu, Der Sandmann, Leonce und Lena, Das Fräulein von S.) and ballets by Forsythe, Kylián, León/Lightfoot and Goecke. In 2007 she was awarded the German Dance Prize Future (for promising young artists) and the German Theater Prize Der Faust. Katja Wünsche has been a first soloist with Ballett Zürich since the 2012/13 season. She has been seen in Zurich as Julia in Spuck’s Romeo und Julia, Lena in Leonce und Lena, Marie in Woyzeck, Anna Karenina and Kitty in Anna Karenina and Clara in Der Sandmann. She has also performed in choreographies by Sol León/Paul Lightfoot, Douglas Lee, Martin Schläpfer, Wayne McGregor and Marco Goecke. In 2014 she was awarded the «Tanzpreis der Freunde des Balletts Zürich».
Elena Vostrotina
Elena Vostrotina, 1. Solistin

Elena Vostrotina comes from St. Petersburg. She received her ballet education at the Vaganova Academy of Russian Ballet. In 2003 she became a member of the Mariinsky Ballet. There she danced among others Odette/Odile in Schwanensee (Petipa/Ivanov), Myrtha in Giselle (Coralli/Perrot), Queen of the Dryads in Don Quixote (Gorsky) and in Approximate Sonata (Forsythe). In 2006 she was engaged by Aaron S. Watkin at the Semperoper Ballett Dresden. Here she was appointed principal dancer and danced a wide repertoire of classical, neoclassical and modern ballets. She has collaborated with renowned choreographers and performed at the Stanislavsky and Nemirovich-Danchenko Moscow Academic Music Theater in Moscow, at the State Theater Novosibirsk, at the gala «Roberto Bolle and Friends», and at the Ballets Bubeníček. Elena Vostrotina has been a first soloist at Ballett Zürich since the 2017/18 season, where season she has appeared as Odette/Odile in Ratmansky’s Schwanensee reconstruction, as the nursemaid in Christian Spuck’s Romeo und Julia, Myrtha in Patrice Bart’s Giselle as well as in Christian Spuck’s Nussknacker und Mausekönig, Winterreise and Nocturne.
Esteban Berlanga
Esteban Berlanga, 1. Solist:in

Esteban Berlanga comes from Spain. After his training at the Royal Conservatory of Albacete and the Professional Dance Conservatory of Madrid, he danced at the English National Ballet from 2006 to 2013, where he was appointed principal dancer in 2012. Here he appeared as Prince Siegfried in Schwanensee by Derek Dean, the Prince in Kenneth MacMillan’s Dornröschen, Albrecht in Giselle by Mary Skeaping, the Nutcracker in the choreography by Wayne Eagling and Frédéric in L’Arlésienne by Roland Petit, among others. He also appeared in choreographies by Jiří Kylián and Maurice Béjart. He was nominated for the «Prix Benois de la Danse» for Faun(e) by David Dawson. He was principal dancer in the Compañia Nacional de Danza España from 2013-2018. There he performed as a soloist in choreographies by William Forsythe, Itzik Galili, Roland Petit, Aleix Mañé and Kenneth MacMillan. He has appeared with the English National Ballet, the Australian Ballet, the Nariko Kobayashi Ballet, and the Carmen Cortès Flamenco Company. He has been a member of Ballett Zürich since the 2018/19 season, where he has performed in Christian Spuck’s Winterreise and in the title role of Marco Goecke’s Nijinski.
Solo
Wei Chen
Wei Chen, Solo

Wei Chen comes from the USA and received his education at the Boston Ballet School, the Margo Marshall School of Ballet, the Walnut Hill School, and the Houston Ballet’s Ben Stevenson Academy. At the Royal Ballet of Flanders he danced in Marcia Haydées Schwanensee (Siegfried) and Dornröschen (Prince Desiré) as well as in Cranko’s Onegin (Lensky). He has also appeared in choreographies by Balanchine, Bournonville, Dawson, Forsythe, Godani, McGregor, Nureyev, Pite, Stevenson, and Wheeldon. He has been a member of Ballett Zürich since the 2013/14 season and has performed in choreographies by Douglas Lee, Jiří Kylián, Marco Goecke, Edward Clug, William Forsythe, and Crystal Pite, among others. He also danced Romeo and Mercutio in Spuck’s Romeo und Julia, Benno in Ratmansky’s Schwanensee, Coppelius in Spuck’s Der Sandmann, and Albrecht in Patrice Bart’s Giselle.
Matthew Knight
Matthew Knight, Solo

Matthew Knight is British. He completed his training at the Elmhurst School and the Royal Ballet School in London. After a season with the Junior Ballett, he joined Ballett Zürich in the 2014/15 season. He presented Jane Doe and Mocambo as part of the «Junge Choreografen» series. He has danced in choreographies by Mats Ek (Cavalier in Dornröschen), William Forsythe, Marco Goecke (Moor in Petruschka), Jiří Kylián, Douglas Lee, Sol León/Paul Lightfoot, Hans van Manen, Wayne McGregor, Ohad Naharin, Crystal Pite, and Filipe Portugal. He was Leonce in Christian Spuck’s Leonce und Lena, Nathanael in Spuck’s Der Sandmann and the Clown in Spuck’s Nussknacker und Mausekönig. In 2018 he also appeared as the title roles in Edward Clug’s Faust and in Marco Goecke’s Nijinski. In 2016 he was awarded the «Tanzpreis der Freunde des Balletts Zürich».
Michelle Willems
Michelle Willems, Solo

Michelle Willems is French. She studied at the Bolshoi Ballet Academy and at the Atelier Rudra-Béjart in Lausanne. After two seasons with the Junior Ballett, she joined Ballett Zürich in the 2016/17 season. After solo roles in Giselle and Schwanensee, she danced Kitty in Christian Spuck’s Anna Karenina, Marie in Spuck’s Nussknacker und Mausekönig and Gretchen in Edward Clug’s Faust, and in Spuck’s Das Mädchen mit den Schwefelhölzern. She has also appeared in choreographies by William Forsythe, Jiří Kylián, Marco Goecke, Crystal Pite, George Balanchine, Ohad Naharin, Douglas Lee, and Filipe Portugal She was awarded the «Tanzpreis der Freunde des Balletts Zürich» in 2018.
Inna Bilash
Inna Bilash, Solo

Inna Bilash comes from Ukraine. She studied ballet at the Kharkov Choreographic School, the Perm State Choreographic College and the Perm State Academy of Arts and Culture. She was a principal dancer in the Perm Ballet, where she appeared as Julia in Kenneth MacMillan’s Romeo und Julia, Odette/Odile in Natalia Makorova’s Schwanensee, Giselle in the choreography of Perrot/Coralli/Petipa, the Bride in Kylián’s Les Noces and Masha in MacMillan’s Winter Dreams. She has also appeared as a soloist in choreographies by Jerome Robbins, George Balanchine and Douglas Lee. She won the Arabesque Competition in Perm and the Bolshoi Ballet Television Competition. In 2017 she was awarded the prize from the ballet magazine «The Soul of Dance». Inna Bilash has been a member of Ballett Zürich since the 2018/19 season and has appeared in a variety of roles, including as the title role in Patrice Bart’s Giselle.
Rafaelle Queiroz
Rafaelle Queiroz, Solo

Rafaelle Queiroz is from Brazil. She received her training in Rio de Janeiro and, with a stipend from the Tanzstiftung Birgit Keil, at the Akademie des Tanzes in Mannheim. She was a finalist at the «Prix de Lausanne» and won the Langham Award at the Youth American Grand Prix 2009. She was a member of the Badisches Staatsballett Karlsruhe from 2009 to 2019, where roles included Odette/Odile in Schwanensee by Christopher Wheeldon, Myrtha in Giselle by Peter Wright, the title role in La Sylphide by Peter Schaufuss, Katharina/Bianca in Cranko’s Der Widerspenstigen Zähmung, Julia in Kenneth MacMillan’s Romeo und Julia, and the title role in Rusalka von Jiří Bubeníček. In addition, she appeared in choreographies by Hans van Manen, Heinz Spoerli, Davide Bombana and Reginaldo Oliveira. She joined Ballett Zürich with the 2019/20 season.
Solo mit Gruppe
Cohen Aitchison-Dugas
Cohen Aitchison-Dugas, Solo mit Gruppe

Cohen Aitchison-Dugas is Canadian. He studied at the École Supérieure de Ballet du Québec and at the National Ballet School in Canada. In the 2015/16 season he danced in The Nutcracker with the Grands Ballets Canadiens. After two seasons with the Junior Ballett, he joined Ballett Zürich in the 2017/18 season. He has performed in Jacopo Godani’s rituals from another when, in Filipe Portugal’s Behind the mirror and danced the role of the Mouse King in Christian Spuck’s Nussknacker und Mausekönig, among others. He was awarded with the «Tanzpreis der Freunde des Balletts Zürich» in 2018.
Francesca Dell'Aria
Francesca Dell'Aria, Solo mit Gruppe

Francesca Dell’Aria comes from Italy. She received her training at the Elmhurst School and the Birmingham Royal Ballet. After an engagement with the Slovak National Ballet, she was a member of the Bayerisches Staatsballett from 2010 to 2014. She has belonged to Ballett Zürich since the 2014/15 season and has appeared in choreographies by William Forsythe (New Sleep, workwithinwork, In the middle, The Second Detail), Jiří Kylián (Gods and Dogs, Falling Angels), George Balanchine, Hans van Manen (Kammerballett) Jacopo Godani, Douglas Lee, Edward Clug, Marco Goecke (Nijinski), and Crystal Pite. She also appeared in the title role of Christian Spuck’s Anna Karenina and as Myrtha in Patrice Bart’s Giselle. She was awarded with the «Tanzpreis der Freunde des Balletts Zürich» in 2019.
Jesse Fraser
Jesse Fraser, Solo mit Gruppe

Jesse Fraser was born in Saskatoon, Canada. He trained at the Royal Winnipeg Ballet School and became a member of the Stuttgart Ballet with the 2010/11 season. There he danced in choreographies by Cranko, MacMillan, Spuck, Haydée, Neumeier, Béjart, Forsythe, Cherkaoui, Goecke, Clug, Volpi, and Stiens. He created the choreographies Back and Forth and Second Self(ie) as a part of the «Young Choreographers» of the Noverre Society series. He has been a member of Ballett Zürich since the 2015/16 season. He has appeared as Paris in Christian Spuck’s Romeo und Julia, as Levin in Spuck’s Anna Karenina, as Hilarion in Patrice Bart’s Giselle, in Marco Goecke’s Petruschka and in choreographies by Jacopo Godani, Jiří Kylián, Hans van Manen, and Crystal Pite. In the 2019/20 season he appeared in Forsythe’s The Second Detail.
Mark Geilings
Mark Geilings, Solo mit Gruppe

Mark Geilings comes from Australia, where he was trained at the Australian Ballet School. He danced with the Leipzig Ballet from 2012-2015, where he performed in choreographies by Uwe Scholz, Mario Schröder (the title role in Otello), Meryl Tankard (Cinderella), Ohad Naharin, and Cayetano Soto. He was a member of Gauthier Dance in Stuttgart for the 2015/16 season, where he performed in Marco Goecke’s Nijinsky. He has been a member of Ballett Zürich since the 2016/17 season, where he has appeared in Petruschka by Marco Goecke, Kammerballett by Hans van Manen, Gods and Dogs by Jiří Kylián, Lady with a Fan by Douglas Lee, and as Mercutio in Spuck’s Romeo und Julia, among others.
Irmina Kopaczynska
Irmina Kopaczynska, Solo mit Gruppe

Irmina Kopaczynska was born in Poland. She studied at the Polish National Ballet School Poznan. She won several prizes in the Polish National Ballet Competition. She also took part in the «Premio Roma» and the «Prix de Lausanne». After two seasons with the Junior Ballett, she became a member of Ballett Zürich starting with the 2011/12 season. She danced the Silver Fairy in Mats Ek’s Dornröschen, Betsy in Christian Spuck’s Anna Karenina, and the Nursemaid in Spuck’s Romeo und Julia. She has also appeared in choreographies by William Forsythe (In the middle, New Sleep), Hans van Manen (Kammerballett), Jiří Kylián (Gods and Dogs, Bella Figura), Iacopo Godani, Edward Clug, Marco Goecke (including the Mother in Nijinski), Douglas Lee, and Crystal Pite.
Mélissa Ligurgo
Mélissa Ligurgo, Solo mit Gruppe

Mélissa Ligurgo comes from Belgium and studied at the Royal Ballet School in Antwerp. She danced in John Cranko’s Onegin (Tatiana), as well as in ballets by Forsythe, Kylián, Dawson, and Robbins, at the Royal Ballet of Flanders. She appeared in Preljocaj’s Romeo und Julia (Julia) at the Ballett Basel in the 2011/12 season. She has been a member of Ballett Zürich since the 2012/13 season, where has danced Lena in Leonce und Lena by Christian Spuck and Frau Mauserinks in Nussknacker und Mausekönig. She has also appeared in choreographies by Wayne McGregor and Douglas Lee. As part of the «Junge Choreografen» series she presented Mind Games and Klastos together with Giulia Tonelli as well as Individuo.
Meiri Maeda
Meiri Maeda, Solo mit Gruppe

Meiri Maeda is Japanese. She received her training at the Nobuko Okamoto Ballet Academy, at the Kirov Academy of Ballet in Washington and at the Académie Princesse Grace in Monte-Carlo. After two seasons with the Junior Ballett, she joined Ballett Zürich in the 2016/17 season. She has appeared as Marie in Christian Spuck’s Nussknacker und Mausekönig, in Forsythe’s The Second Detail, One Flat thing, reproduced, and In the middle, in Ratmansky’s Schwanensee reconstruction (4 small swans), in Emergence by Crystal Pite, and Bella Figura by Jiří Kylián.
Daniel Mulligan
Daniel Mulligan, Solo mit Gruppe

Daniel Mulligan comes from Great Britain and studied at the Royal Ballet School in London. After two seasons with the Junior Ballett, he joined Ballett Zürich in the 2009/10 season. He has appeared as a soloist in many of Heinz Spoerli’s choreographies. He danced Mercutio/Benvolio in Christian Spuck’s Romeo und Julia as well as in ballets by Mats Ek (Dornröschen), Hans van Manen (Solo, Kammerballett), Edward Clug (Chamber Minds, Le Sacre du printemps), Sol León/Paul Lightfoot (Skew-Whiff, Speak for Yourself), William Forsythe (Quintett), Jiří Kylián (Gods and Dogs, Stepping Stones, Sweet Dreams), Ohad Naharin (Minus 16), Marco Goecke (Petruschka), Filipe Portugal (Corpus), Douglas Lee, and Crystal Pite. Recent leading roles have included Mephisto in Faust by Edward Clug, Fritz and the Clown in Spuck’s Nussknacker und Mausekönig, as well as Stiva in Spuck’s Anna Karenina.
Constanza Perotta Altube
Constanza Perotta Altube, Solo mit Gruppe

Italian-Argentinian dancer Constanza Perotta Altube studied at the Instituto Superior de Arte del Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires and at the La Scala Ballet School in Milan. After her first engagements in the ballet of the Teatro Colón and the Victor Ullate Ballet in Madrid, she joined Ballett Zürich in the 2009/10 season. Here she appeared in choreographies by Christian Spuck (including the Snow Queen in Nussknacker und Mausekönig), Marco Goecke (Nijinski), Patrice Bart (Myrtha in Giselle), Mats Ek, Iacopo Godani, Hans van Manen, Jiří Kylián, Edward Clug, Mats Ek, Crystal Pite, Ohad Naharin, Alexei Ratmansky, and William Forsythe.
Dominik White Slavkovský
Dominik White Slavkovský, Solo mit Gruppe

Dominik White Slavkovský is Slovakian. Trained at the Bratislava Dance Conservatory, he danced for five years in the Ballet of the Slovak National Theater in Bratislava, most recently as a semi-soloist. He has been a member of Ballett Zürich since the 2014/15 season. In choreographies by Christian Spuck he performed the title role of "Woyzeck", as Drosselmeier in "Nutcracker and Mouse King", Coppelius in "The Sandman", Paris in "Romeo and Juliet" and as Death in Edward Clug's "Peer Gynt". He has also danced in choreographies by George Balanchine, Uwe Scholz, Alexei Ratmansky, Jiří Kylián, William Forsythe, Crystal Pite, Hans van Manen, Nacho Duato, Marco Goecke, James Kudelka, Vladimir Malakhov and many others. In the series "Young Choreographers" he showed his pieces "How to save the world", "Conspiracy" and "Boyband"
Lucas Valente
Lucas Valente, Solo mit Gruppe

Lucas Valente comes from Brazil. He studied performing arts and philosophy at the University of São Paulo. His first engagement was with the Ballet Company Laura Alonso in Havana and he was involved in the «Arsenale della Danza» project at the Venice Biennale in 2012. From 2012 to 2016 he danced in the São Paulo Companhia de Dança, where he appeared in choreographies by Edouard Lock, Marco Goecke, William Forsythe, Nacho Duato, and Jiří Kylián, among others. He danced in choreographies by Richard Siegal at the Ballet of Difference in 2017. He has been a member of Ballett Zürich since the 2017/18 season. He presented his choreography Trees Die Standing as a part of the «Junge Choreografen» series. He has appeared as Tybalt/Count Capulet in Christian Spuck’s Romeo und Julia and appeared in Crystal Pite’s Emergence.
Kevin Pouzou
Kevin Pouzou, Solo mit Gruppe

Kevin Pouzou is French. He studied at the École de Danse de l’Opéra de Paris and at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse in Paris. In 2007 he became a member of the Staatsballett Berlin, where he was appointed principal dancer in 2015. He has performed as Benno in Patrice Bart’s Schwanensee, as Paris in John Cranko’s Romeo und Julia, as well as in choreographies by George Balanchine, Nacho Duato, Stanton Welch, Angelin Preljocaj, Alexei Ratmansky, Ohad Nahrin, Vladimir Malakhov, and Jiří Kylián. He has been a member of Ballett Zürich since the 2017/18 season, where he has appeared as Prince Siegfried in Alexei Ratmansky’s Schwanensee, Diaghilev in Marco Goecke’s Nijinski, and Albrecht in Patrice Bart’s Giselle.
Loïck Pireaux
Loïck Pireaux, Solo mit Gruppe

Loïck Pireaux is French. He trained at the École de Danse de l’Opéra de Paris. He danced with the Paris Opera Ballet from 2012-2016 in choreographies by Nureyev, Balanchine, Cranko, Petit, Neumeier, Kylian, and McGregor. After that, he danced with the ballet of the Teatro dell’Opera di Roma for four seasons, where he appeared in choreographies by Forsythe, Robbins, Lifar, McMillan, Bubeniček, and Ekman. He joined Ballett Zürich with this season.
Gruppe mit Solo
Mélanie Borel
Mélanie Borel, Gruppe mit Solo

Mélanie Borel comes from France. She studied at the École Nationale Supérieure de Danse in Marseille and at the École de Danse de l’Opéra de Paris. Engagements have taken her to the Ballet de l’Opéra National de Bordeaux and, from 2005 to 2008, to the Peter Schaufuss Ballet in Denmark. She has been a member of Ballett Zürich since the 2008/09 season and has performed as a soloist in choreographies by Twyla Tharp, Heinz Spoerli, and Mats Ek. She was the Haushofmeister in Spuck’s Leonce und Lena and danced the «Cholerisch» variation in Balanchine’s The Four Temperaments. In addition, she has appeared in choreographies by Marco Goecke, Douglas Lee, Jiří Kylián, Wayne McGregor, Martin Schläpfer, Hans van Manen, Edward Clug and Crystal Pite.
Aurore Aleman Lissitzky
Aurore Aleman Lissitzky, Gruppe mit Solo

Aurore Aleman Lissitzky comes from France. She received her training with Monique Loudières, at the Académie Princesse Grace in Monte-Carlo and at the Hamburg Ballet School. In 2008 she won the gold medal at the Concours International de Grasse. At the age of 16 she became a member of the Hamburg Ballet and danced solos in numerous choreographies by John Neumeier. After half a season in the Junior Ballet, she joined the Ballett Zürich in the 2017/18 season. She danced solos in choreographies by Christian Spuck, Edward Clug, Johann Inger, Jiří Kyliáns (Stepping Stones) as well as in Patrice Bart (Peasant Pas-de-deux in Giselle) and William Forsythe (The Second Detail).
Alba Sempere Torres
Alba Sempere Torres, Gruppe mit Solo

Alba Sempere Torres is Spanish. She trained at the Institut del Teatro in Barcelona and at the John Cranko School in Stuttgart. She won the Castellón Ballet Competition and danced with the Vienna State Opera Ballet, the Staatsballett Berlin and, from 2004 to 2008 with the Bayerisches Staatsballett. She has appeared in choreographies by Jo Strømgren, Peter Wright, Jiří Kylián, Vladimir Malakhov, John Neumeier and Mats Ek, among others. She has belonged to Ballett Zürich since the 2014/15 season, where she has been seen in choreographies by Jiří Kylián, Hans van Manen, George Balanchine, Patrice Bart, Martin Schläpfer, and Christian Spuck.
Emma Antrobus
Emma Antrobus, Gruppe mit Solo

Emma Antrobus comes from Australia. She studied at the Lamont Dance Theatre, at the Conlan College in Sydney and at the Ballett Akademie of the Hochschule für Musik und Theater in Munich. After two seasons with the Junior Ballett, she joined Ballett Zürich with the 2019/20 season. She danced in choreographies by Christian Spuck (including Das Mädchen mit den Schwefelhölzern), Edward Clug, Crystal Pite, and Ohad Naharin. In 2018, she was awarded the «Tanzpreis der Freunde des Balletts Zürich».
Iacopo Arregui
Iacopo Arregui, Gruppe

Iacopo Arregui is from Italy. He trained at the Balletto di Verona and the Académie Princesse Grace in Monte Carlo and he has appeared in various productions of the Ballets de Monte Carlo. After two seasons with the Junior Ballett, he joined Ballett Zürich with the 2019/20 season. He appeared in choreographies by Christian Spuck, Edward Clug, Jiří Kylián, Ohad Naharin and Crystal Pite, among others.
Sujung Lim
Sujung Lim, Gruppe mit Solo

Sujung Lim comes from South Korea. She was educated at the Yewon Arts High School and at the Hochschule für Musik und Darstellende Kunst in Mannheim. She was with the Ballett Karlsruhe from 2011-2018, where she performed in Rusalka by Jiří Bubeníček, La Sylphide by Peter Schaufuss, Der Nussknacker by Youri Vamos, Le Sacre du printemps by Terence Kohler, Giselle by Peter Wright and Anne Frank by Reginaldo Oliveira. She won gold medals at the Tanzolymp Berlin in 2008 and 2011. Sujung Lim has been a member of Ballett Zürich since the 2017/18 season.
Gruppe
Iacopo Arregui
Iacopo Arregui, Gruppe

Iacopo Arregui is from Italy. He trained at the Balletto di Verona and the Académie Princesse Grace in Monte Carlo and he has appeared in various productions of the Ballets de Monte Carlo. After two seasons with the Junior Ballett, he joined Ballett Zürich with the 2019/20 season. He appeared in choreographies by Christian Spuck, Edward Clug, Jiří Kylián, Ohad Naharin and Crystal Pite, among others.
Riccardo Mambelli
Riccardo Mambelli, Gruppe

Riccardo Mambelli was born in Italy. He received his education at the Tanz Akademie Zürich, and while a student there, he performed with Ballett Zürich in Alexei Ratmansky’s Schwanensee. After two seasons with the Junior Ballett, he joined the Ballett Zürich with the 2019/20 season. He has appeared in choreographies by Christian Spuck, Jiří Kylián, Ohad Naharin, Edward Clug, and Crystal Pite.
Jessica Beardsell
Jessica Beardsell, Gruppe

Jessica Beardsell has British and Australian citizenship. She completed her dance training at the Alegria Ballet School in Sydney and at the Royal Ballet School in Antwerp. She was awarded one of the first prizes at the Tanzolymp Berlin in 2018. After two seasons as a member of the Junior Ballett, she joined Ballett Zürich with this season. She has appeared in choreographies by Goyo Montero, Louis Stiens, and Filipe Portugal. She was awarded the «Tanzpreis der Freunde des Balletts Zürich» in 2019.
Chandler Hammond
Chandler Hammond, Gruppe

Chandler Hammond comes from the USA. She was educated at the Patel Conservatory and at the John Cranko School in Stuttgart. She performed in Schwanensee, Jeu de cartes and Dornröschen with the Stuttgart Ballet. In 2014 she won the grand prize at the «Star of the 21st Century» competition. After two seasons as a member of the Junior Ballett, she joined Ballett Zürich with this season. She has appeared in choreographies by William Forsythe, Jiří Kylián, Goyo Montero, Louis Stiens, and Filipe Portugal.
Luca D'Amato
Luca D'Amato, Junior Ballett

Luca D’Amato is from Italy and was trained at the Tanz Akademie Zürich. He was the winner of the Spoleto Competition in 2015 and of the Tanzolymp Berlin in 2018. This is his third season as a member of the Junior Ballett.
Lauren Draper
Lauren Draper, Gruppe

Lauren Draper is Canadian. She received her training at Canada’s National Ballet School, at the School of Cadence Ballet, and at the Kirov Academy of Ballet in Washington. She appeared in James Kudelka’s Nussknacker with the National Ballet of Canada. This year is her third as a member of the Junior Ballett.
Greta Calzuola
Greta Calzuola, Junior Ballett

Greta Calzuola is Italian. She completed her training at the ballet school of the Umbria Ballet in Italy and at the Académie Princesse Grace in Monte Carlo. She won the International Ballet Competition in Longiano in 2014. This is her second season as a member of the Junior Ballett.
Leroy Mokgatle
Leroy Mokgatle, Gruppe

Leroy Mokgatle stammt aus Südafrika und wurde in seiner Heimat bei «Art of Motion» sowie an der European School of Ballet in Amsterdam ausgebildet. Von 2019 bis 2022 tanzte Leroy im Béjart Ballet Lausanne und trat u.a. in Béjarts Feuervogel und La Porte sowie in Choreografien von Gil Roman auf. Leroy gewann eine Bronzemedaille beim Youth America Grand Prix, die Goldmedaille und den Publikumspreis beim Margot Fonteyn Wettbewerb (2015) sowie den Publikumspreis beim Prix de Lausanne (2016). Seit dieser Saison ist Leroy Mitglied des Balletts Zürich.
Junior Ballett
Since its inception in 2001, the Junior Ballet has established itself as the third form of artistic advancement at the Opernhaus Zürich, next to the International Opera Studio and the Orchestra Academy. Young dancers from all over the world are given the opportunity to make the transition from the end of their ballet education to their entry into the full professional life. In the context of an engagement lasting no longer than two years, they work together with the members of the Zurich Ballet to dance with them in selected performances of the repertoire and thus collect the stage experience necessary for a dancer's run. This season, the Junior Ballett will be presenting Horizonte, with choreographies by Vittoria Girelli, Samantha Lynch and Shaked Heller
Supported by patrons and the Friends of Zurich Opera.
Mathilde Allard
Mathilde Allard

Mathilde Allard stammt aus Frankreich. Ihre Ballettausbildung absolvierte sie an der Ballettschule des Theaters Basel. Sie war Finalistin beim Youth America Grand Prix. Seit dieser Saison ist sie Mitglied des Junior Balletts.
Greta Calzuola
Greta Calzuola

Greta Calzuola is Italian. She completed her training at the ballet school of the Umbria Ballet in Italy and at the Académie Princesse Grace in Monte Carlo. She won the International Ballet Competition in Longiano in 2014. This is her second season as a member of the Junior Ballett.
Chloe Capulong
Chloe Capulong

Chloe Capulong ist Amerikanerin. Sie studierte an der Huntington Academy of Dance, der Orange County School of the Arts und als Trainee beim Joffrey Ballet.Sie tanzte in mehreren Produktionen des Joffrey Ballet und war Preisträgerin beim Youth America Grand Prix. Seit dieser Spielzeit gehört sie zum Junior Ballett.
Désirée Guler
Désirée Guler

Désirée Guler is Swiss. She received her training at the Tanz Akademie Zürich and won third prize at the European Ballet Grand Prix in Vienna in 2020. She appeared with Ballet Zürich in 2016 in Schwanensee. This is her second season as a member of the Junior Ballett.
Martí Gutiérrez Rubí
Martí Gutiérrez Rubí

Martí Gutiérrez Rubí kommt aus Mexiko. Seine Ausbildung erhielt er an der Ballettschule Theater Basel. 2021 war er Finalist beim Prix de Lausanne. Seit dieser Saison ist er Mitglied des Junior Balletts.
Timothée Mahut
Timothée Mahut

Timothée Mahut ist Franzose. Er studierte an der Ballettschule des Theaters Basel, war im Nachwuchsprogramm des Northern Ballet und tanzte in der Saison 2021/22 in der Europa Danse Company.
Seit dieser Saison ist er Mitglied des Junior Balletts.
Chloe Muller
Chloe Muller

Chloe Muller ist Amerikanerin. Ihre Tanzausbildung erhielt sie an der Academy of International Ballet (AIB) und an der Ballettschule Theater Basel. Sie war Preisträgerin beim Youth America Grand Prix. Seit dieser Saison ist sie Mitglied des Junior Balletts.
Quentin Nabor
Quentin Nabor

Quentin Nabor ist Kanadier. Er studierte an der Ecole Supérieure de Ballet du Québec und am Cégep du Vieux Montréal. Von 2018 bis 2022 war er Mitglied der Grands Ballets Canadiens. Seit dieser Spielzeit ist er Mitglied des Junior Balletts.
Matthieu Pagés
Matthieu Pagés

Matthieu Pagès ist Franzose. Seine Ausbildung erhielt er an der Ballettschule der Opéra de Paris, am Rambouillet Conservatory, am Geneva Dance Center und an der Tanz Akademie Zürich. Seit dieser Saison ist er Mitglied des Junior Balletts.
Lukas Simonetto
Lukas Simonetto

Lukas Simonetto holds Swiss, French, and Czech citizenship. He trained at the Association pour la Formation de jeunes Danseurs (AFJD) in Lausanne as well as at the Tanz Akademie Zürich. He won the «Prix d’études de danse» of the MIGROS Kulturprozent in 2018 and 2019. This is his second season as a member of the Junior Ballett.
Andreea Tarus
Andreea Tarus

Andreea Tarus stammt aus Rumänien. Sie studierte an der Floria-Capsali-Ballettschule in Bukarest und an der Académie Princesse Grace in Monaco. Sie war Preisträgerin der Romanian National Ballet Olympiad und des Youth America Grand Prix. Seit dieser Saison ist sie Mitglied des Junior Balletts.
Anthony Tette
Anthony Tette

Anthony Tette stammt aus den USA. Seine Ausbildung absolvierte er an der USC Glorya Kaufman School of Dance und tanzte u.a. in Choreografien von George Balanchine, William Forsythe und Justin Peck. Seit dieser Spielzeit gehört er zum Junior Ballett.
Juan Sebastian Valdez
Juan Sebastian Valdez

Juan Sebastian Valdez stammt aus Kolumbien. Seine Ausbildung erhielt er beim Incolballet in Kolumbien, an der Kansas School of Classical Ballet, an der Dutch National Ballett Academy und an der Ballettschule Theater Basel.2022 war er Mitglied des Junior Balletts Dortmund und gehört seit dieser Spielzeit zum Junior Ballett.
Inara Wheeler
Inara Wheeler

Inara Wheeler hat die amerikanische und die lettische Staatsbürgerschaft. Sie wurde am Colorado Conservatory of Dance und an Canada’s National Ballet School ausgebildet. Sie tanzte in verschiedenen Produktionen des National Ballet of Canada und wurde mit dem Peter Dwyer Award ausgezeichnet. Seit dieser Saison ist sie Mitglied des Junior Balletts.
Contact
For ticket requests please contact the ticket office: + 41 44 268 66 66 or buy tickets in our webshop.
Ballet office
Falkenstrasse 1
8008 Zurich
Phone: +41 44 268 64 63
Please direct you requests regarding auditions to: