The internationally renowned choreographer Cathy Marston holds both British and Swiss citizenship. Since August 2023, she is the director of the Ballett Zürich. She received her dance training in Cambridge and at the Royal Ballet School in London. Between 1994 and 1999, she danced with Ballett Zürich, the Luzerner Theater Ballet, and Konzert Theater Bern. From 2002 to 2006, she was an Associate Artist at the Royal Opera House in London, and from 2007 to 2013, she served as ballet director at Konzert Theater Bern. Cathy Marston has been working as a highly successful freelance choreographer for many years and has been invited to work with numerous renowned international companies and institutions. She has created works, among others, for The Royal Ballet, Hamburg Ballet, The Royal Danish Ballet, English National Ballet, Northern Ballet, Finnish National Ballet, Ballet Black, the National Ballet of Cuba, as well as Opera Australia and the Hong Kong Academy of Performing Arts. In recent years, she has increasingly worked in the United States, with commissions for San Francisco Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, Houston Ballet, and Joffrey Ballet Chicago. In her choreographic works, she brings major literary classics to life through dance, and approaches significant historical figures in unexpected and original ways. She achieved great success with her ballet adaptations "Mrs. Robinson" (Charles Webb), "Snowblind" (Ethan Frome), "Jane Eyre" (Charlotte Brontë), and "Of Mice and Men" (John Steinbeck). Unconventional perspectives also shape her biographically inspired works "The Cellist", "Victoria", and "Witch-Hunt". Cathy Marston has received multiple awards for her choreographic work, including a South Bank Sky Arts Award and the British National Dance Award. In 2020, the International Institute for Dance and Theatre honored her with an award for excellence in international dance. The highlight of her first season as director of Ballett Zürich was the 2024 world premiere of "Atonement", based on the novel of the same name by Ian McEwan (a co-production with Joffrey Ballet). In addition, her pieces "The Cellist" and "Snowblind" were performed in Zurich. In the previous season, her Clara Schumann ballet "Clara" premiered. In 2026, she will choreograph "Romeo and Juliet" for Ballett Zürich.
Ballet by Cathy Marston
Music by Clara Schumann, Robert Schumann,
Johannes Brahms, and Philip Feeney
From 11. October 2024 until 15. November 2024
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Duration :
2 H. 45 Min. Inkl. Pausen after 1st part after approx. 45 Min. and after 2nd part after approx. 1 H. 45 Min. -
More information:
Introduction 45 min before the performance.
Cathy Marston
Daniel Capps
Daniel Capps ist vor allem als Ballettdirigent weltweit gefragt. Er studierte am Royal College of Music und an der Royal Academy of Music in London und verfeinerte seine Fähigkeiten im Dirigieren unter Anleitung namhafter Mentoren wie Colin Metters, Sir Colin Davis, Sir Charles Mackerras, Mark Wigglesworth, Peter Eötvös und Thomas Adès. U. a. wurde er mit dem Ernest Read Conducting Prize und den Fred Southhall Memorial Prize for conducting ausgezeichnet. Ab 2003 assistierte er Sir John Eliot Gardiner beim Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique, u. a. bei Berlioz’ Les Troyens am Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris. 2008 gab er sein Debüt beim Royal Ballet am Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, und war dort seitdem regelmässig als Gastdirigent tätig. Seit 2011 ist Daniel Capps dem New York City Ballet verbunden, 2012 wurde er zum Resident Conductor ernannt. Ebenfalls 2011 gab Capps sein Debüt beim National Ballet of Canada, wo er Christopher Wheeldons Ballett Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland dirigierte. In den letzten Spielzeiten gab er sein Debüt beim Ballett Zürich (Walkways), dem Australian Ballet und der spanischen Compañía Nacional de Danza, die ihn alle mehrfach wieder einluden. Tourneen führten ihn u. a. nach China, Japan, Hongkong, Taiwan, Kuba, Frankreich, Spanien, Mexiko, Dänemark, Australien, Kolumbien und durch die USA.
Cathy Marston
The internationally renowned choreographer Cathy Marston holds both British and Swiss citizenship. Since August 2023, she is the director of the Ballett Zürich. She received her dance training in Cambridge and at the Royal Ballet School in London. Between 1994 and 1999, she danced with Ballett Zürich, the Luzerner Theater Ballet, and Konzert Theater Bern. From 2002 to 2006, she was an Associate Artist at the Royal Opera House in London, and from 2007 to 2013, she served as ballet director at Konzert Theater Bern. Cathy Marston has been working as a highly successful freelance choreographer for many years and has been invited to work with numerous renowned international companies and institutions. She has created works, among others, for The Royal Ballet, Hamburg Ballet, The Royal Danish Ballet, English National Ballet, Northern Ballet, Finnish National Ballet, Ballet Black, the National Ballet of Cuba, as well as Opera Australia and the Hong Kong Academy of Performing Arts. In recent years, she has increasingly worked in the United States, with commissions for San Francisco Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, Houston Ballet, and Joffrey Ballet Chicago. In her choreographic works, she brings major literary classics to life through dance, and approaches significant historical figures in unexpected and original ways. She achieved great success with her ballet adaptations "Mrs. Robinson" (Charles Webb), "Snowblind" (Ethan Frome), "Jane Eyre" (Charlotte Brontë), and "Of Mice and Men" (John Steinbeck). Unconventional perspectives also shape her biographically inspired works "The Cellist", "Victoria", and "Witch-Hunt". Cathy Marston has received multiple awards for her choreographic work, including a South Bank Sky Arts Award and the British National Dance Award. In 2020, the International Institute for Dance and Theatre honored her with an award for excellence in international dance. The highlight of her first season as director of Ballett Zürich was the 2024 world premiere of "Atonement", based on the novel of the same name by Ian McEwan (a co-production with Joffrey Ballet). In addition, her pieces "The Cellist" and "Snowblind" were performed in Zurich. In the previous season, her Clara Schumann ballet "Clara" premiered. In 2026, she will choreograph "Romeo and Juliet" for Ballett Zürich.
Edward Kemp
Edward Kemp hat mit Cathy Marston bei über zwanzig Balletten zusammengearbeitet, darunter sieben für das Bern Ballett. Zu den jüngsten Kooperationen gehören Summer & Smoke (Houston/American Ballet Theatre), Of Mice and Men (Joffrey), Mrs. Robinson (San Francisco), The Cellist (Royal Ballet), The Suit (Ballet Black), Lady Chatterley’s Lover (Les Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montréal), Liaisons Dangereuses (Royal Danish Ballet) und ein Drehbuch für Disney +. Er hat Texte für Komponisten wie Sally Beamish, Victoria Borisova Ollas, Jason Carr, Tansy Davies, Terry Davies, Peter Eötvös, Stuart MacRae, Julian Philips und Gary Yershon verfasst. Für die Bühne entstanden u. a. King James Bible (National Theatre), The Mysteries (Royal Shakespeare Company) sowie Dramatisierungen von Bulgakows Meister und Margarita (Chichester/Complicite/Avignon), Lessings Nathan der Weise (Chichester/Off-Broadway/Shaw Festival) und Faulkners As I Lay Dying (Baton Rouge). Ausserdem übertrug er Werke von Brecht, Goldoni, Kleist, Lorca, Prokofjew, Molière, Racine und Sibelius und übersetzte Romane von Paul Auster, Eca De Queiros, Charles Dickens, Knut Hamsun, Ted Hughes, Salman Rushdie und WG Sebald. Er schrieb Dramen und Komödien für BBC Radio und führte Regie bei Theaterstücken und Musicals in Grossbritannien und in den USA, u. a. am National Theatre, Royal Court und Chichester, von Autoren von Gertrude Stein bis Shakespeare, Alan Bennett bis Stephen Sondheim. Von 2008 bis 2021 war er Direktor und Chief Executive der Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA). Heute ist er Chief Executive des Royal Literary Fund, der ältesten literarischen Wohltätigkeitsorganisation Grossbritannien.
Hildegard Bechtler
Die international tätige Bühnenbildnerin Hildegard Bechtler lebt in London. Ihre Arbeit in den Bereichen Oper und Ballett umfasst Produktionen für die Metropolitan Opera, die Santa Fe Opera, die Canadian Opera Company, das Sydney Opera House, die Opera National de Paris, die Mailänder Scala, das Glyndebourne Festival, das Edinburgh International Festival, die Staatsoper München und das Amsterdamer Muziektheater. Dazu gehören die Uraufführungen von Cathy Marstons The Cellist für das Royal Ballet und Thomas Adès’ Oper The Exterminating Angel, die bei den Salzburger Festspielen, an der Metropolitan Opera und am Royal Opera House aufgeführt wurde. Weitere Arbeiten sind La Damnation de Faust (Regie: Terry Gilliam) am Schillertheater Berlin, eine Wiederaufnahme der preisgekrönten ENO-Produktion, sowie Dido and Aeneas und Acis and Galatea, choreografiert und inszeniert von Wayne McGregor, für das Royal Opera House und die Mailänder Scala. Hildegard Bechtler gewann den australischen Green Room Award für das beste Operndesign für Lady Macbeth von Mzensk am Sydney Opera House. Ausserdem arbeitete sie für die Royal Shakespeare Company, das Old Vic, das Donmar Warehouse, am Broadway und im Londoner West End. Top Hat und Oresteia waren für den Olivier Award nominiert. Für das Royal National Theatre entstanden Antony and Cleopatra, Hansard, After the Dance (Olivier Award) und Iphigenia at Aulis (Evening Standard Award-Nominierung). Zu ihren jüngsten Arbeiten gehören: Hamlet, Oresteia und Enemy of the People in der Park Avenue Armory, New York, Four Quartets mit Ralph Fiennes im West End, Judas, Nora und Oedipus für das International Theatre Amsterdam, The Doctor im West End, am Wiener Burgtheater und beim Adelaide Festival sowie Iwanow am Staatstheater Stuttgart. Geplant sind Oedipus und Dr Strangelove im Londoner West End.
Bregje van Balen
Bregje van Balen wurde im niederländischen Haarlem geboren und an der Nationalen Ballettakademie in Amsterdam zur Tänzerin ausgebildet. Achtzehn Jahre war sie Mitglied des Nederlands Dans Theaters. Schon während ihrer aktiven Zeit als Tänzerin war sie wiederholt als Kostümbildnerin tätig und absolvierte nach ihrem Abschied von der Bühne die Amsterdamer Baruch Fashion Academy. Sie entwarf Kostümbilder für Tanz und Theater, so u.a. für das Nederlands Dans Theater, das Norwegische Nationalballett, das Gothenburg Ballet, das Hamburg Ballett, Introdans, Aterballetto, das Győr Ballett, das Royal Swedish Ballet, das Royal Danish Ballet , das Bolschoitheater, das Stanislavski-Theater Moskau, die Opéra de Lyon, Les Grands Ballets Canadiennes, das Alvin Ailey Dance Theatre, das Staatstheater Mainz, das Theater am Gärtnerplatz und das Nationaltheater Mannheim. Dabei arbeitete sie mit Choreografen wie Patrick Delcroix, Jorma Elo, Medhi Walerski, Cathy Marston, Alexander Ekman, Johan Inger und Jo Strømgren zusammen.
Martin Gebhardt
Martin Gebhardt was a lighting designer and lighting master at John Neumeier’s Hamburg Ballet. From 2002, he worked with Heinz Spoerli and the Zurich Ballet. Ballet productions of both companies took him to renowned theaters in Europe, Asia, and America. At the Zurich Opera House, he created the lighting design for productions by Jürgen Flimm, David Alden, Jan Philipp Gloger, Grischa Asagaroff, Matthias Hartmann, David Pountney, Moshe Leiser/Patrice Caurier, Damiano Michieletto, and Achim Freyer. At the Salzburg Festival, he designed the lighting for La bohème and a new version of Spoerli’s Death and the Maiden. Since the 2012/13 season, Martin Gebhardt has been head of lighting at the Zurich Opera House. Today, he maintains a close collaboration with choreographer Christian Spuck (including Winterreise, The Nutcracker and the Mouse King, Messa da Requiem, Anna Karenina, Woyzeck, The Sandman, Leonce and Lena, The Little Match Girl). He was also the lighting designer for choreographers Edward Clug (including Strings, Le Sacre du printemps, and Faust in Zurich), Alexei Ratmansky, Wayne McGregor, Marco Goecke, and Douglas Lee. He collaborated with Christoph Marthaler and Anna Viebrock on Handel’s evening Sale and Rossini’s Il viaggio a Reims in Zurich, as well as on Lulu at the Hamburg State Opera, and with Jossi Wieler and Sergio Morabito at the Geneva Opera for Les Huguenots. In 2023, he designed the lighting for Spuck’s ballet Bovary at the Berlin State Ballet and in 2024 Rossini’s Tancredi at the Bregenz Festival. Additionally, he was the lighting designer for Atonement by Cathy Marston at the Zurich Opera House.
Edward Kemp
Edward Kemp hat mit Cathy Marston bei über zwanzig Balletten zusammengearbeitet, darunter sieben für das Bern Ballett. Zu den jüngsten Kooperationen gehören Summer & Smoke (Houston/American Ballet Theatre), Of Mice and Men (Joffrey), Mrs. Robinson (San Francisco), The Cellist (Royal Ballet), The Suit (Ballet Black), Lady Chatterley’s Lover (Les Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montréal), Liaisons Dangereuses (Royal Danish Ballet) und ein Drehbuch für Disney +. Er hat Texte für Komponisten wie Sally Beamish, Victoria Borisova Ollas, Jason Carr, Tansy Davies, Terry Davies, Peter Eötvös, Stuart MacRae, Julian Philips und Gary Yershon verfasst. Für die Bühne entstanden u. a. King James Bible (National Theatre), The Mysteries (Royal Shakespeare Company) sowie Dramatisierungen von Bulgakows Meister und Margarita (Chichester/Complicite/Avignon), Lessings Nathan der Weise (Chichester/Off-Broadway/Shaw Festival) und Faulkners As I Lay Dying (Baton Rouge). Ausserdem übertrug er Werke von Brecht, Goldoni, Kleist, Lorca, Prokofjew, Molière, Racine und Sibelius und übersetzte Romane von Paul Auster, Eca De Queiros, Charles Dickens, Knut Hamsun, Ted Hughes, Salman Rushdie und WG Sebald. Er schrieb Dramen und Komödien für BBC Radio und führte Regie bei Theaterstücken und Musicals in Grossbritannien und in den USA, u. a. am National Theatre, Royal Court und Chichester, von Autoren von Gertrude Stein bis Shakespeare, Alan Bennett bis Stephen Sondheim. Von 2008 bis 2021 war er Direktor und Chief Executive der Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA). Heute ist er Chief Executive des Royal Literary Fund, der ältesten literarischen Wohltätigkeitsorganisation Grossbritannien.
Michael Küster
Michael Küster is from Germany. After studying German studies, art, and speech science at the University of Halle, he worked as a presenter, author, and speaker at various broadcasting stations in Germany. There, he hosted numerous classical music programs and live broadcasts of major concert events, including those from the Metropolitan Opera New York, the Semperoper Dresden, and the Leipzig Gewandhaus.
Since 2002, he has been a dramaturg at the Zurich Opera House, working with directors such as Matthias Hartmann, David Alden, Robert Carsen, Moshe Leiser/Patrice Caurier, Damiano Michieletto, David Pountney, Johannes Schaaf, and Graham Vick.
As dramaturg of Ballett Zürich, Michael Küster has collaborated since 2012 with Cathy Marston, Marco Goecke, Marcos Morau, Kim Brandstrup, Edward Clug, Alexei Ratmansky, William Forsythe, Jiří Kylián, and Hans van Manen. Together with Christian Spuck, he worked on productions including «Winterreise» («Prix Benois de la Danse»), «Romeo and Juliet», «Messa da Requiem», and «The Sleeping Beauty».
At La Scala in Milan, Michael Küster was dramaturg for Matthias Hartmann’s opera productions of «Der Freischütz», «Idomeneo», and «The Queen of Spades».
Cast
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Giorgia Giani
Giorgia Giani is Italian. She completed her ballet training at the Hamburg Ballet School. After her first engagement with the Federal Youth Ballet, she was with the Hamburg Ballet John Neumeier from 2016 to 2023, gaining extensive stage experience. Since the 2023/24 season, Giorgia Giani has been a member of the Ballett Zürich. Here, she has appeared in numerous ballets by Cathy Marston (including as Clara in «Clara» and as Briony Tallis in «Atonement»). She also danced in Patrice Bart’s «Giselle» (Peasants’ Pas de Deux), Kenneth MacMillan’s «Concerto», Wayne McGregor’s «Infra», and William Forsythe’s «In the Middle, Somewhat Elevated».
Ruka Nakagawa
Ruka Nakagawa is from Japan. She received her ballet training at the Shimoda Harumi Ballet in Japan, at the Benedict Manniegel Ballet Academy in Munich, and at the Royal Ballet School in Antwerp. From 2017 to 2023, she danced with Opera Ballet Vlaanderen in Belgium. Among others, she performed as Giselle in Akram Khan’s «Giselle», as the Chosen One in Pina Bausch’s «Le Sacre du printemps», and in choreographies by Ohad Naharin and Johan Inger. Since the 2023/24 season, she has been a member of the Ballett Zürich. Here, she danced leading roles in choreographies by Cathy Marston («Clara», Mattie in «Snow Blind», and Lola in «Atonement») and appeared in works by Christian Spuck, William Forsythe, Marco Goecke, and Marcos Morau.
Nancy Osbaldeston
Nancy Osbaldeston holds both Belgian and British citizenship. She completed her dance training at the English National Ballet School in London. In 2008, she joined the English National Ballet, where she was awarded the «Emerging Dance Award» in 2013. In 2014, she moved to the Royal Ballet of Flanders, where she was promoted to principal dancer. She was regularly a guest performer with the Bavarian State Ballet in Munich and later danced at the Ballet du Capitole de Toulouse.
Her repertoire includes leading roles in choreographies by Yuri Grigorovich (Aegina in «Spartacus»), John Neumeier (Marie in «The Nutcracker»), Akram Khan («Giselle»), Kader Belarbi (Kitri in «Don Quixote»), and Pina Bausch («Café Müller»). Additionally, she has appeared in works by George Balanchine, Ohad Naharin, Jiří Kylián, Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, and Andonis Foniadakis.
Since the 2024/25 season, she has been principal dancer at Ballett Zürich. Here, she danced leading roles in choreographies by Cathy Marston («Clara», Cecilia in «Atonement», «Mrs. Robinson»), Patrice Bart («Giselle»), William Forsythe («In the Middle, Somewhat Elevated»), Kenneth MacMillan («Concerto»), and Bryan Arias («Colorful Darkness»).
Daniela Gómez Pérez
Daniela Gómez Pérez is from Cuba. She studied at the Fernando Alonso National Ballet School and the Instituto Superior de Arte de Cuba. From 2015 to 2023, she was Principal Dancer at the Cuban National Ballet. Under Alicia Alonso’s direction, she danced leading roles in «Coppélia», «Giselle», «Swan Lake», and «The Nutcracker». She also appeared in choreographies by Peter Quanz, Brian McDonald, George Balanchine, Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, Cathy Marston, Ricardo Amarante, Alexei Ratmansky, Uwe Scholz, Ben Stevenson, Mikhail Fokine, and Gemma Bond. For her interpretation of Daniel Proietto’s «Cigne», she was entered into the Golden Book of the Gran Teatro de La Habana. Since the 2023/24 season, she has been a member of Ballett Zürich.
Sujung Lim
Sujung Lim is from South Korea. She trained at Yewon Arts High School and the Mannheim University of Music and Performing Arts. She won gold medals at the Tanzolymp Berlin in 2008 and 2011. From 2011 to 2018, she danced as a soloist with Ballett Karlsruhe, performing in Kenneth MacMillan’s «Romeo and Juliet», John Cranko’s «The Taming of the Shrew», Peter Wright’s «Giselle», and Christopher Wheeldon’s «Swan Lake». Since the 2018/19 season, she has been a member of Ballett Zürich, appearing in many choreographies by Cathy Marston, Christian Spuck, Wayne McGregor, Patrice Bart, William Forsythe, Johan Inger, Jiří Kylián, Marcos Morau, and Crystal Pite. In 2025, she was awarded the «Dance Prize of the Friends of Ballett Zürich».
Mélanie Borel
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.
Inna Bilash
Inna Bilash is from Ukraine. She completed her ballet training at Kharkov Choreographic School, Perm State Choreographic College, and Perm State Academy of Arts and Culture. She was a soloist with Ballet Perm, where she danced Julia in Kenneth MacMillan’s «Romeo and Juliet», Odette/Odile in Natalia Makrova’s «Swan Lake», Giselle in the choreography by Perrot/Coralli/Petipa, the Bride in Jiří Kylián’s «Les Noces», and Masha in MacMillan’s «Winter Dreams». She also performed solo roles in choreographies by Jerome Robbins, George Balanchine, and Douglas Lee. She won the Arabesque competition in Perm and the Bolshoi Ballet TV competition. In 2017, she received the «Soul of Dance» award from the ballet magazine. Since the 2018/19 season, Inna Bilash has been a member of Ballett Zürich and appeared as Briony in Cathy Marston’s «Atonement» and in the title role of Patrice Bart’s «Giselle». In 2024, she received the «Dance Prize of the Friends of Ballett Zürich».
McKhayla Pettingill
McKhayla Pettingill is Filipino-American. She trained at Houston Ballet Academy. At Houston Ballet, she danced in choreographies by Jerome Robbins, Stanton Welch, James Kudelka, Disha Zang, John Neumeier, and George Balanchine. At the National Ballet of Canada, she appeared in works by Crystal Pite, David Dawson, and Kenneth MacMillan. Since the 2023/24 season, she has been a member of Ballett Zürich, performing as Clara in Cathy Marston’s «Clara», in the Peasant Pas de Deux in Patrice Bart’s «Giselle», and solo in choreographies by Wayne McGregor, Christian Spuck, Kenneth MacMillan, and William Forsythe.
Max Richter
Max Richter is from the USA and trained at the International City School of Ballet and Houston Ballet II. Important choreographies during her engagement at Houston Ballet included Cathy Marston’s «Summer and Smoke», Ben Stevenson’s «Sleeping Beauty», and Balanchine’s «Diamonds». Since the 2023/24 season, Max Richter has been a member of Ballett Zürich. Here, she danced leading roles in Cathy Marston’s ballets «Atonement» and «Clara». She also appeared in the title role of Patrice Bart’s «Giselle», as the Bride in Bronislava Nijinska’s «Les Noces», and in choreographies by Wayne McGregor, Jerome Robbins, Marcos Morau, Meryl Tankard, Christian Spuck, Marco Goecke, William Forsythe, Kim Brandstrup, and Kenneth MacMillan.
Sujung Lim
Sujung Lim is from South Korea. She trained at Yewon Arts High School and the Mannheim University of Music and Performing Arts. She won gold medals at the Tanzolymp Berlin in 2008 and 2011. From 2011 to 2018, she danced as a soloist with Ballett Karlsruhe, performing in Kenneth MacMillan’s «Romeo and Juliet», John Cranko’s «The Taming of the Shrew», Peter Wright’s «Giselle», and Christopher Wheeldon’s «Swan Lake». Since the 2018/19 season, she has been a member of Ballett Zürich, appearing in many choreographies by Cathy Marston, Christian Spuck, Wayne McGregor, Patrice Bart, William Forsythe, Johan Inger, Jiří Kylián, Marcos Morau, and Crystal Pite. In 2025, she was awarded the «Dance Prize of the Friends of Ballett Zürich».
Francesca Dell'Aria
Francesca Dell’Aria is from Italy. She received her training at the Elmhurst School and with Birmingham Royal Ballet. After engagements with the Slovak National Ballet and the Bavarian State Ballet, she has been a member of Ballett Zürich since the 2014/15 season.
She has performed in choreographies by William Forsythe, Jiří Kylián, George Balanchine, Hans van Manen, Jacopo Godani, Douglas Lee, Edward Clug («Peer Gynt»), Marco Goecke («Nijinski»), Crystal Pite, and Marcos Morau.
She has also danced title roles in Cathy Marston’s «The Cellist» and Christian Spuck’s «Anna Karenina», as well as Myrtha in Patrice Bart’s «Giselle». In 2019, she was awarded the «Tanzpreis der Freunde des Balletts Zürich».
Karen Azatyan
Karen Azatyan is originally from Armenia. Trained at the Yerevan Dancing Art State College and the Dance Academy Zurich, he won the Prix de Lausanne in 2005. From 2007 to 2014, he was a member of the Bavarian State Ballet in Munich (promoted to soloist in 2012). In 2014, he joined the Hamburg Ballet as a principal dancer, where he maintained a close collaboration with John Neumeier until the latter’s departure in 2024. He danced leading roles and solos in many of Neumeier’s ballets, including: «Illusions» – like «Swan Lake», «The Nutcracker», «A Midsummer Night’s Dream», «A Streetcar Named Desire», «Death in Venice», «Peer Gynt», «Romeo and Juliet», «Nijinsky», «Liliom», «The Seagull», «Winterreise», «St. Matthew Passion», «The Song of the Earth» and Mahler’s «Third Symphony».
His repertoire also includes works by Frederick Ashton, Nacho Duato, Mats Ek, William Forsythe, Jiří Kylián, Marius Petipa, Jerome Robbins, and Christopher Wheeldon.
Since the 2024/25 season, Karen Azatyan has been a principal dancer with Ballett Zürich. Here, he has appeared as Robert Schumann in Cathy Marston’s «Clara», Hilarion in Patrice Bart’s «Giselle», and as the Shadow in Kim Brandstrup’s «Of Light, Wind and Waters».
Brandon Lawrence
Brandon Lawrence is from Great Britain. He received his ballet training at the Royal Ballet School. From 2011 to 2023, he danced with Birmingham Royal Ballet, serving as Principal Dancer since 2019. Important roles included the Prince («The Nutcracker»), Franz («Coppélia»), Prince Florimund («The Sleeping Beauty»), Prince Siegfried («Swan Lake») in choreographies by Peter Wright; Romeo in Kenneth MacMillan’s «Romeo and Juliet»; Colas in Frederick Ashton’s «La Fille mal gardée»; the Prince («Cinderella»), Beast («The Beauty and the Beast»), Albrecht («Giselle») and Otello («Shakespeare Suite») in choreographies by David Bintley.
He also performed in works by Carlos Acosta, Edward Clug, Jiří Kylián, Juliano Nunes, Twyla Tharp, and Uwe Scholz. Since the 2023/24 season, Brandon Lawrence has been Principal Dancer at Ballett Zürich and has danced leading roles in choreographies by Cathy Marston («Atonement», «The Cellist», «Snowblind», «Clara»), Marco Goecke, Wayne McGregor, Bronislava Nijinska, Mthuthuzeli November, Jerome Robbins, Christian Spuck, Kenneth MacMillan, Bryan Arias, William Forsythe, Crystal Pite, and Kim Brandstrup.
In 2025, he received the «Dance Prize of the Friends of Ballett Zürich».
Charles-Louis Yoshiyama
Charles-Louis Yoshiyama holds Japanese and French citizenship. He received his dance training at Trinity College London and the English Ballet School. In 2007, he joined Houston Ballet and was promoted to Principal Dancer in 2016. Important roles included Crown Prince Rudolf in Kenneth MacMillan’s «Mayerling» and De Grieux in «Manon», as well as Oberon in John Neumeier’s «A Midsummer Night’s Dream». He also danced in Roland Petit’s «L’Arlésienne» and numerous works by George Balanchine. In choreographies by Ben Stevenson, he portrayed Basilio («Don Quixote»), Prince Florimund («Sleeping Beauty»), Franz («Coppélia»), Mercutio («Romeo and Juliet»), and the Prince («The Nutcracker»). In Stanton Welch’s works, he was Siegfried («Swan Lake»), Solor («La Bayadère»), and Albrecht («Giselle»). In John Cranko’s «The Taming of the Shrew», he danced Lucentio and Hortensio. In 2023, Charles-Louis Yoshiyama was Principal Dancer at Oregon Ballet Theatre. Since the 2023/24 season, he has been Principal Dancer at Ballett Zürich.
Chandler Dalton
Chandler Dalton is American. He received his training at the School of Richmond Ballet and the Houston Ballet Academy. At Houston Ballet, he was promoted to Principal and danced roles such as James in Bournonville’s «La Sylphide», Bluebird and Pas de Quatre in Ben Stevenson’s «Sleeping Beauty», the Pas de trois in George Balanchine’s «Emeralds», and leading roles in ballets by John Neumeier, Jerome Robbins, Christopher Bruce, and Justin Peck.
Since the 2023/24 season, Chandler Dalton has been a member of Ballett Zürich, where he has appeared in the title role of Marco Goecke’s «Nijinski» and as Johannes Brahms in Cathy Marston’s «Clara». He has also performed in Patrice Bart’s «Giselle» (Peasant Pas de deux), William Forsythe’s «In the Middle, Somewhat Elevated», and in ballets by Crystal Pite, Christian Spuck, Wayne McGregor, Kenneth MacMillan, and Marcos Morau.
Joel Woellner
Joel Woellner is Australian. He completed his training at the Ben Stevenson Academy of Houston Ballet and with Houston Ballet II. In 2013, he was a two-time prize winner at the Prix de Lausanne. After performing with Houston Ballet, he was a Principal Artist with Queensland Ballet from 2015 to 2024.
Joel Woellner danced Des Grieux in «Manon» by Kenneth MacMillan, Valmont in «Dangerous Liaisons» by Liam Scarlett, Oberon in Scarlett’s «A Midsummer Night’s Dream», Prince Ivan in Scarlett’s «The Firebird», and Prince Siegfried in «Swan Lake» by Ben Stevenson, as well as in choreographies by Greg Horsman, Christopher Bruce, and Jiří Kylián.
Since the 2024/25 season, he has been a member of Ballett Zürich. Here, he has appeared as Johannes Brahms in Cathy Marston’s «Clara», as Albrecht in Patrice Bart’s «Giselle», and in choreographies by Wayne McGregor, Kenneth MacMillan, Crystal Pite, Bryan Arias, and Kim Brandstrup.
Marià Huguet
Marià Huguet is from Spain. He received his dance training at the Classical Ballet School in Girona, the Royal Ballet School, and the Hamburg Ballet School. From 2016 to 2023, he danced with the Hamburg Ballet John Neumeier, performing in Neumeier’s productions of «Anna Karenina», «Ghost Light», «Dona Nobis Pacem», «Nijinsky», «The Lady of the Camellias», and «A Midsummer Night’s Dream». Since the 2023/24 season, Marià Huguet has been a member of the Ballett Zürich. Here, he performed as Johannes Brahms in Cathy Marston’s «Clara», Kai in Kim Brandstrup’s «Of Light, Wind and Waters», Wilfried in Patrice Bart’s «Giselle», as well as in choreographies by Marcos Morau, Christian Spuck, Wayne McGregor, William Forsythe, Crystal Pite, and Bryan Arias.
Esteban Berlanga
Esteban Berlanga is from Spain. After his training at the Royal Conservatory of Albacete and the Professional Dance Conservatory of Madrid, he danced with the English National Ballet from 2006 to 2013. There, he was promoted to principal dancer in 2012. Among other roles, he danced Prince Siegfried in Derek Dean’s «Swan Lake», the prince in Kenneth MacMillan’s «The Sleeping Beauty», Albrecht in Mary Skeaping’s «Giselle», the Nutcracker in Wayne Eagling’s choreography, and Frédéric in Roland Petit’s «L’Arlésienne». For David Dawson’s «Faun(e)», he was nominated for the «Benois de la Danse». From 2013 to 2018, he was principal dancer at the Compañia Nacional de Danza de España. Since the 2018/19 season, he has been a member of Ballett Zürich, and since 2022, a principal dancer. He appeared in the title role of Marco Goecke’s «Nijinski» and danced leading roles in choreographies by Christian Spuck (including «The Sleeping Beauty»; «Anna Karenina») and Cathy Marston («The Cellist»; «Snowblind»).
In 2024, he received the «Dance Prize of the Friends of Ballett Zürich».
Mlindi Kulashe
Mlindi Kulashe is from South Africa. He trained at the English National Ballet School. From 2013 to 2022, he danced with Northern Ballet in Leeds, performing many leading roles. Since early 2023, he has been a member of Ballett Zürich. Here, he appeared in choreographies by Cathy Marston, including as Cello («The Cellist»), Officer («Atonement»), and Wieck («Clara»). As part of the «Next Generation» series, he choreographed his own piece titled «Molo».
Pablo Octávio
Pablo Octávio is Brazilian. He studied at Mannheim University of Music and Performing Arts. He was a finalist at the Prix de Lausanne in 2011. From 2012 to 2023, he danced at Badisches Staatsballett Karlsruhe. Important roles there included Romeo, Mercutio, and Benvolio in Kenneth MacMillan’s «Romeo and Juliet», Prince in Youri Vamos’ «The Nutcracker», Lucentio in John Cranko’s «The Taming of the Shrew», and Albrecht in David Dawson’s «Giselle». Since the 2023/24 season, he has been a member of Ballett Zürich, performing the title role in Marco Goecke’s «Nijinski», Joseph Joachim in Cathy Marston’s «Clara», the Peasant Pas de Deux in Patrice Bart’s «Giselle», and in choreographies by Jerome Robbins, Marcos Morau, Wayne McGregor, and Crystal Pite.
Wei Chen
Wei Chen is from the USA and trained at Boston Ballet School, Margo Marshall’s School of Ballet, Walnut Hill School, and Houston Ballet’s Ben Stevenson Academy. At the Royal Ballet of Flanders, he danced Siegfried in Marcia Haydée’s «Swan Lake» and Prince Désiré in «The Sleeping Beauty», as well as Lenski in Cranko’s «Onegin». He has also performed in choreographies by Balanchine, Bournonville, Dawson, Forsythe, Godani, McGregor, Nureyev, Pite, Stevenson, and Wheeldon. Since the 2013/14 season, he has been a member of Ballett Zürich, performing in works by Douglas Lee, Jiří Kylián, Marco Goecke, Edward Clug, William Forsythe, and Crystal Pite. He also danced Romeo and Mercutio in Christian Spuck’s «Romeo and Juliet», Benno in Ratmansky’s «Swan Lake», Coppelius in Spuck’s «Sandmann», Albrecht in Patrice Bart’s «Giselle», and the Cello in Cathy Marston’s «The Cellist». In 2023, he received the «Dance Prize of the Friends of Ballett Zürich».
Shelby Williams
Shelby Williams holds American and Italian citizenship. She studied at Houston Ballet Academy, Washington School of Ballet, and Dancer’s Workshop Baton Rouge (Louisiana, USA). After engagements with Semperoper Ballet, Corella Ballet, and Ballet d’Europe, she was a soloist at Ballett Mainz, Hessisches Staatsballett Wiesbaden, and from 2016 to 2023 at Royal Ballet of Flanders. In 2017 and 2018, she was nominated for «Best Performance by a Female Dancer» and «Best News» in the «Critic’s Choice Awards» by Dance Europe Magazine. She danced Pina/Malou in Pina Bausch’s «Café Müller», Rusalka in the choreography by Alan Lucien Øyen, Myrtha in Akram Khan’s «Giselle», as well as leading roles in choreographies by Martha Graham, Johan Inger, Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, Andonis Foniadakis, William Forsythe, Ohad Naharin, Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker, Édouard Lock, and Jermaine Spivey. Since the 2023/24 season, Shelby Williams has been a member of Ballett Zürich, where she has danced leading roles in creations by Meryl Tankard, Bryan Arias, and Cathy Marston, and important roles in the repertoire of Marcos Morau, Marco Goecke, William Forsythe, and Mats Ek.
Elena Vostrotina
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.
Mélanie Borel
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.
Joel Woellner
Joel Woellner is Australian. He completed his training at the Ben Stevenson Academy of Houston Ballet and with Houston Ballet II. In 2013, he was a two-time prize winner at the Prix de Lausanne. After performing with Houston Ballet, he was a Principal Artist with Queensland Ballet from 2015 to 2024.
Joel Woellner danced Des Grieux in «Manon» by Kenneth MacMillan, Valmont in «Dangerous Liaisons» by Liam Scarlett, Oberon in Scarlett’s «A Midsummer Night’s Dream», Prince Ivan in Scarlett’s «The Firebird», and Prince Siegfried in «Swan Lake» by Ben Stevenson, as well as in choreographies by Greg Horsman, Christopher Bruce, and Jiří Kylián.
Since the 2024/25 season, he has been a member of Ballett Zürich. Here, he has appeared as Johannes Brahms in Cathy Marston’s «Clara», as Albrecht in Patrice Bart’s «Giselle», and in choreographies by Wayne McGregor, Kenneth MacMillan, Crystal Pite, Bryan Arias, and Kim Brandstrup.
Sean Bates
Sean Bates is from the United Kingdom and studied at the Royal Ballet School. He danced with Northern Ballet under the direction of David Nixon and performed in numerous leading roles, including Jay Gatsby in «The Great Gatsby», Romeo in «Romeo and Juliet», and Puck in «A Midsummer Night’s Dream».
After working with Cathy Marston on «Jane Eyre» and «Victoria», he joined Ballett Zürich at the beginning of the 2023/24 season. Here, he has appeared in soloist roles including Marco Goecke’s «Nijinski», Kenneth MacMillan’s «Concerto», as Denis in Cathy Marston’s «Snowblind», and as Bargiel in «Clara».
He has taught at Cape Town City Ballet as well as at various summer schools in the UK, and continues to coach dancers in his free time.
Francesca Dell'Aria
Francesca Dell’Aria is from Italy. She received her training at the Elmhurst School and with Birmingham Royal Ballet. After engagements with the Slovak National Ballet and the Bavarian State Ballet, she has been a member of Ballett Zürich since the 2014/15 season.
She has performed in choreographies by William Forsythe, Jiří Kylián, George Balanchine, Hans van Manen, Jacopo Godani, Douglas Lee, Edward Clug («Peer Gynt»), Marco Goecke («Nijinski»), Crystal Pite, and Marcos Morau.
She has also danced title roles in Cathy Marston’s «The Cellist» and Christian Spuck’s «Anna Karenina», as well as Myrtha in Patrice Bart’s «Giselle». In 2019, she was awarded the «Tanzpreis der Freunde des Balletts Zürich».
Nancy Osbaldeston
Nancy Osbaldeston holds both Belgian and British citizenship. She completed her dance training at the English National Ballet School in London. In 2008, she joined the English National Ballet, where she was awarded the «Emerging Dance Award» in 2013. In 2014, she moved to the Royal Ballet of Flanders, where she was promoted to principal dancer. She was regularly a guest performer with the Bavarian State Ballet in Munich and later danced at the Ballet du Capitole de Toulouse.
Her repertoire includes leading roles in choreographies by Yuri Grigorovich (Aegina in «Spartacus»), John Neumeier (Marie in «The Nutcracker»), Akram Khan («Giselle»), Kader Belarbi (Kitri in «Don Quixote»), and Pina Bausch («Café Müller»). Additionally, she has appeared in works by George Balanchine, Ohad Naharin, Jiří Kylián, Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, and Andonis Foniadakis.
Since the 2024/25 season, she has been principal dancer at Ballett Zürich. Here, she danced leading roles in choreographies by Cathy Marston («Clara», Cecilia in «Atonement», «Mrs. Robinson»), Patrice Bart («Giselle»), William Forsythe («In the Middle, Somewhat Elevated»), Kenneth MacMillan («Concerto»), and Bryan Arias («Colorful Darkness»).
Ragna Schirmer
Die Pianistin Ragna Schirmer konzertiert weltweit in den wichtigsten Sälen mit bedeutenden Dirigent:innen und Kammermusikpartner:innen. Ihre Interpretationen zeichnen sich durch die Kunst der Nuance sowie die Liebe zum Detail auf der Suche nach verborgenen historischen und zeitgenössischen Bezügen aus. Zu Beginn ihrer Karriere sorgte die mit zahlreichen Preisen ausgezeichnete Künstlerin mit ihrer Einspielung von Bachs Goldbergvariationen für ein aufsehenerregendes CD-Debüt. Für die Gesamtaufnahme der Klaviersuiten von Georg Friedrich Händel wurde sie mit dem Händel-Preis der Stadt Halle geehrt. 2003 und 2009 erhielt sie den ECHO Klassik. Ihre Diskographie umfasst derzeit 18 CDs, 2 DVDs sowie eine Vinyl-Einspielung. Neben moderierten Klavierabenden ist sie in genreübergreifenden Theaterproduktionen zu erleben, die eigens für sie geschrieben und inszeniert werden: u.a. das 2012 uraufgeführte Blendwerk mit Christian Brückner sowie die Inszenierung Ich könnte lachen vor Todesschmerz mit Dominique Horwitz. Ein Schwerpunkt ihrer künstlerischen Arbeit ist die Beschäftigung mit dem Leben und Werk von Clara Wieck-Schumann. 2015 erschien die CD Liebe in Variationen über die Beziehungen zwischen Clara und Robert Schumann sowie Johannes Brahms; 2017 folgte ein Album mit dem Klavierkonzert op. 7 der Komponistin. Im Clara Schumann-Jahr 2019 feierte Schirmer die Pianistin und Komponistin mit der Einspielung Madame Schumann sowie in über 100 Konzerten, wofür sie den Schumann-Preis der Stadt Zwickau erhielt. 2023 war sie «Artiste étoile» beim MozartFest Würzburg.
Photo Gallery «Clara»
