Oiseaux Rebelles

Choreographies by
Dani Rowe and Mats Ek

From 12. October 2025 until 9. December 2025

Dates & Tickets
  • Duration :
    approx. 2 H. Inkl. Pause after 1st part after approx. 35 Min.
  • More information:
    Introduction 45 min before the performance.

Vestige

Ballet by Dani Rowe
to Modest Mussorgsky’s “Bilder einer Ausstellung”
(orchestral version by Maurice Ravel)

Choreography and assistant direction:
Dani Rowe

Dani Rowe

Dani Rowe is Australian and the current Artistic Director of the Oregon Ballet Theatre (USA). After a ten-year career as a soloist with The Australian Ballet, she danced with Christopher Wheeldon’s company “Morphoses” and with the Houston Ballet before joining Nederlands Dans Theater (NDT 1). There she worked with, among others, Jiří Kylián, Crystal Pite, Mats Ek, and Sol León/Paul Lightfoot. As a choreographer, she has created numerous works for San Francisco Ballet, Pacific Northwest Ballet, Oregon Ballet Theatre, The Joffrey Ballet, and Royal New Zealand Ballet. Dani Rowe’s full-length ballet “Marilyn,” inspired by the life of Marilyn Monroe, premiered in April 2025. It is the most successful program in the history of the Oregon Ballet Theatre to date and will be performed by major American ballet companies through 2027. Dani Rowe will collaborate with Ballett Zürich for the first time in 2025.

Oiseaux Rebelles12 / 18 / 23 / 25 / 31 Oct / 1 / 9 / 13 Nov / 2 / 5 / 6 / 9 Dec 2025 / 11 / 13 / 16 / 18 / 27 Sept 2026
Musical Director:
Matthew Rowe

Matthew Rowe

The conductor Matthew Rowe is originally from London. Since his debut with the Dutch National Ballet in 2004, he has maintained a close connection with the company and was appointed Music Director and Artistic Director of the Dutch Ballet Orchestra in 2013. In 2024, he stepped down from this dual role and now serves as Principal Guest Conductor. His major ballet productions include Christopher Wheeldon’s «Cinderella», Krzysztof Pastor’s «The Tempest», Shen Wei’s «Sacre du Printemps», and the world premieres of Ted Brandsen’s «Mata Hari», Yuri Possokhov’s «Violin Concerto», and Jorma Elo’s «Sibelius 4th Symphony». His extensive repertoire spans works by many renowned choreographers, including numerous pieces by George Balanchine, Hans van Manen, Alexei Ratmansky, and David Dawson. In addition, Rowe conducts classics such as «Swan Lake», «The Nutcracker», «The Sleeping Beauty», «Romeo and Juliet», «Don Quixote», «Paquita», «Giselle», and «Coppélia». Further productions with the Dutch National Ballet and the Dutch Ballet Orchestra include the European premiere of Alexei Ratmansky’s «The Fairy’s Kiss» and the world premieres of David Dawson’s «Requiem» with music by Gavin Bryars and Annabelle Lopez Ochoa’s «Frida» with music by Peter Salem. Matthew Rowe has also enjoyed a long-standing collaboration with Nederlands Dans Theater, where he has worked with many contemporary choreographers such as Jiří Kylián, Lightfoot/León, Marco Goecke, Alexander Ekman, Hofesh Shechter, and Crystal Pite. Most recently, he conducted «Do Not Run, Do Not Fly», featuring world premieres by Marcos Morau and Yoann Bourgeois. He has also conducted performances with San Francisco Ballet, Vienna State Ballet, the National Ballet of Japan, Hong Kong Ballet, the National Ballet of Canada, Finnish National Ballet, Polish National Ballet, and the Royal Danish Ballet.

Oiseaux Rebelles12 / 18 / 23 / 25 / 31 Oct / 1 / 9 / 13 Nov / 2 / 5 / 6 / 9 Dec 2025 / 11 / 13 / 16 / 18 / 27 Sept 2026
Set Design:
Jörg Zielinski

Jörg Zielinski

Jörg Zielinski comes from Berlin and has been living in Switzerland since 1991. He completed his training and studies in Berlin, Basel, and Zurich. His production management at Theater Basel and his senior role at "The Really Useful Group" gave him experience with international theater productions. He worked at Expo.02 in Yverdon-les-Bains as well as on the spatial installation Hotel Offen in Baden. He gained design experience at Vitra. As head of the props department at the Zurich Opera House, he collaborated with the Shanghai Opera House. This collaboration led to contacts with the National Academy of Chinese Theatre Arts in Beijing and the Zurich University of the Arts, where he was invited to give lectures. As part of a master’s program, Jörg Zielinski gives lectures at the Bern University of the Arts. He designs and realizes stage sets and scenic installations. Designs have been created for the Zurich Opera House, the Zurich Chamber Orchestra, the London studio "United Visual Artists," and various independent projects. His photographs have been published and exhibited internationally.

Oiseaux Rebelles12 / 18 / 23 / 25 / 31 Oct / 1 / 9 / 13 Nov / 2 / 5 / 6 / 9 Dec 2025 / 11 / 13 / 16 / 18 / 27 Sept 2026 The Butterfly Effect4 / 13 / 23 Apr 2026 Art Matters19 / 20 / 23 / 25 Feb / 29 Mar / 4 / 11 Apr 2027
Costumes:
Louise Flanagan

Louise Flanagan

Louise Flanagan is originally from England. After completing her ballet training at the Royal Ballet School, she danced at the Vanemuine Theatre in Estonia. She then shifted her focus to costume design, earning a degree from Middlesex University and completing a professional tailoring apprenticeship. She went on to work as a costume tailor on numerous high-profile films, musicals, and operas in England. Since 2013, she has been working as a freelance costume designer for dance and opera, collaborating with choreographers and directors such as Jörg Mannes, Kinsun Chan, Cathy Marston, Marcel Leemann, Terence Kohler, Sam Brown, Lillian Stillwell, Mauro Astolfi, Yuki Mori, Andreas Heise, Francesca Frassinelli, Peter Leung, Dimo Kirilov Milev, and Ihsan Rustem. Her work has been featured in international companies including the Bavarian State Ballet, Ballett Zürich, Ballett am Rhein, Stanislavsky Ballet Moscow, Theater Magdeburg, Theater Münster, Theater Regensburg, Oper Graz, Theater St. Gallen, Ballet du Capitole Toulouse, and the Origen Cultural Festival. She also assisted costume designer Emma Ryott at Ballett Zürich, the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow, and the Staatsballett Berlin. Louise received a grant from the German Dance Association (Dachverband Tanz Deutschland) to research and develop a database of sustainably produced fabrics for dance costumes. By sharing and implementing her findings, she aims to reduce the environmental impact of new productions— taking a step toward greater ecological sustainability in dance and theatre.

Oiseaux Rebelles12 / 18 / 23 / 25 / 31 Oct / 1 / 9 / 13 Nov / 2 / 5 / 6 / 9 Dec 2025 / 11 / 13 / 16 / 18 / 27 Sept 2026 The Butterfly Effect4 / 13 / 23 Apr 2026 Art Matters19 / 20 / 23 / 25 Feb / 29 Mar / 4 / 11 Apr 2027
Lighting Design:
Martin Gebhardt

Martin Gebhardt

Martin Gebhardt was lighting designer and Head of Lighting for John Neumeier’s Hamburg Ballet. From 2002 onward he collaborated with Heinz Spoerli and the Ballett Zürich. Ballet productions of both companies took him to renowned theatres across Europe, Asia, and the Americas. At 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 for a new version of Spoerli’s "Der Tod und das Mädchen". Since the 2012/13 season Martin Gebhardt has been Head of Lighting at Zurich Opera House. He maintains a close collaboration with choreographer Christian Spuck (including "Winterreise", "Nussknacker und Mausekönig", "Messa da Requiem", "Anna Karenina", "Woyzeck", "Der Sandmann", "Leonce und Lena", "Das Mädchen mit den Schwefelhölzern"). He has also worked as 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 "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 Grand Théâtre de Genève for "Les Huguenots". In 2023 he designed the lighting for Spuck’s ballet "Bovary" at the Staatsballett Berlin and in 2024 for Rossini’s "Tancredi" at the Bregenz Festival. He was also the lighting designer for Cathy Marston’s "Atonement" at Zurich Opera House.

Tannhäuser21 / 24 / 27 Jun / 2 / 5 / 8 / 11 Jul / 26 Sept / 4 / 9 / 13 Oct 2026 Le nozze di Figaro24 / 29 Jan / 1 / 5 / 7 / 10 / 14 Feb 2026 / 2 / 6 / 8 / 15 / 19 May 2027 Oiseaux Rebelles12 / 18 / 23 / 25 / 31 Oct / 1 / 9 / 13 Nov / 2 / 5 / 6 / 9 Dec 2025 / 11 / 13 / 16 / 18 / 27 Sept 2026 Die Fledermaus7 / 10 / 12 / 14 / 18 / 26 / 28 / 31 Dec 2025 / 2 / 4 / 6 / 10 Jan / 29 Sept / 8 / 17 / 23 / 25 Oct 2026 Clara13 / 14 / 19 / 20 / 26 / 28 Dec 2025 / 11 / 12 / 17 / 19 / 24 Apr 2026 Timeframed17 / 18 / 22 / 25 / 30 Jan / 1 / 4 / 6 / 8 / 11 / 12 Feb 2026 / 27 Feb / 6 / 24 Mar / 1 / 3 / 9 / 18 / 22 / 28 / 30 Apr / 1 May 2027 Scylla et Glaucus27 / 29 / 31 Mar / 2 / 6 / 30 Apr / 2 May 2026 The Butterfly Effect4 / 13 / 23 Apr 2026 Messa da Requiem20 / 22 / 28 Feb / 1 / 5 / 7 Mar / 6 Apr 2026 Romeo und Julia23 / 29 / 30 May / 4 / 6 / 7 / 10 / 12 / 14 / 23 / 26 Jun / 20 / 27 / 29 Nov / 6 / 13 / 19 / 26 / 27 Dec 2026 Nachtträume20 / 25 / 28 / 30 Jun / 4 Jul 2026 Ein Sommernachtstraum26 Sept / 11 / 16 / 18 / 25 / 28 / 29 / 31 Oct / 12 / 13 / 14 Nov 2026 / 19 / 22 / 29 Jun / 3 Jul 2027 Slow Rush16 / 17 / 22 / 28 / 30 Jan / 5 / 10 / 13 / 17 / 21 Feb / 29 / 30 May / 3 Jun 2027 Doctor Atomic7 / 11 / 14 / 20 / 24 / 28 Feb 2027 Samson et Dalila13 / 17 / 20 / 24 / 27 / 30 Jun / 2 / 9 Jul 2027
Dramaturgy:
Michael Küster

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».

Clara13 / 14 / 19 / 20 / 26 / 28 Dec 2025 / 11 / 12 / 17 / 19 / 24 Apr 2026 Countertime5 / 7 / 14 Sept 2025 The Butterfly Effect4 / 13 / 23 Apr 2026 Messa da Requiem20 / 22 / 28 Feb / 1 / 5 / 7 Mar / 6 Apr 2026 Romeo und Julia23 / 29 / 30 May / 4 / 6 / 7 / 10 / 12 / 14 / 23 / 26 Jun / 20 / 27 / 29 Nov / 6 / 13 / 19 / 26 / 27 Dec 2026 Nachtträume20 / 25 / 28 / 30 Jun / 4 Jul 2026 Oiseaux Rebelles12 / 18 / 23 / 25 / 31 Oct / 1 / 9 / 13 Nov / 2 / 5 / 6 / 9 Dec 2025 / 11 / 13 / 16 / 18 / 27 Sept 2026 Timeframed17 / 18 / 22 / 25 / 30 Jan / 1 / 4 / 6 / 8 / 11 / 12 Feb 2026 / 27 Feb / 6 / 24 Mar / 1 / 3 / 9 / 18 / 22 / 28 / 30 Apr / 1 May 2027 Ein Sommernachtstraum26 Sept / 11 / 16 / 18 / 25 / 28 / 29 / 31 Oct / 12 / 13 / 14 Nov 2026 / 19 / 22 / 29 Jun / 3 Jul 2027 Slow Rush16 / 17 / 22 / 28 / 30 Jan / 5 / 10 / 13 / 17 / 21 Feb / 29 / 30 May / 3 Jun 2027 See the music, hear the dance22 / 28 May / 6 / 10 / 12 / 15 / 25 / 26 / 27 Jun 2027 Art Matters19 / 20 / 23 / 25 Feb / 29 Mar / 4 / 11 Apr 2027

Cast


Human Max Richter


Him Karen Azatyan


Human Max Richter


Him Karen Azatyan


Human Ayaha Tsunaki


Him Erik Kim


Human Ayaha Tsunaki


Him Erik Kim


Human Max Richter


Him Karen Azatyan


Human Max Richter


Him Karen Azatyan


Human Max Richter


Him Erik Kim


Human Max Richter


Him Erik Kim


Human Max Richter


Him Erik Kim


Human Max Richter


Him Karen Azatyan


Human Max Richter


Him Karen Azatyan


Human Max Richter


Him Karen Azatyan


Human Max Richter


Him Karen Azatyan

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.

Countertime5 / 7 / 14 Sept 2025 Oiseaux Rebelles12 / 18 / 31 Oct / 1 / 9 / 13 Nov / 2 / 5 / 6 / 9 Dec 2025 Clara13 / 14 / 19 / 20 / 26 / 28 Dec 2025 / 11 / 12 / 17 / 19 / 24 Apr 2026 Timeframed17 / 18 / 22 / 25 / 30 Jan / 1 / 4 / 6 / 8 / 11 / 12 Feb 2026

Ayaha Tsunaki

Ayaha Tsunaki is from Japan. She studied at the Palucca University of Dance Dresden, the Hamburg Ballet School, and the Kyouko Kanda Ballet Academy in Japan. From 2014 to 2025, she danced with the Semperoper Ballet in Dresden, serving as demi-soloist since 2021. Here, she performed as Julia in David Dawson’s «Romeo and Juliet», Odette in Johan Inger’s «Swan Lake», the title role in Inger’s «Carmen», the Sugar Plum Fairy and Snow Queen in Aaron S. Watkin/Jason Beechey’s «The Nutcracker», and Gamzatti in Watkin’s «La Bayadère».
She has also appeared in choreographies by William Forsythe, Jiří Kylián, Stijn Celis, Ohad Naharin, Mats Ek, George Balanchine, Nacho Duato, John Neumeier, and Justin Peck.
Since the 2025/26 season, Ayaha Tsunaki has been principal dancer at Ballett Zürich.

Countertime5 / 7 / 14 Sept 2025 Oiseaux Rebelles18 / 23 / 25 / 31 Oct / 1 Nov 2025 Clara11 / 17 / 19 / 24 Apr 2026 Timeframed17 / 18 / 22 / 25 / 30 Jan / 1 / 4 / 6 / 8 / 11 / 12 Feb 2026

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».

Countertime5 / 7 / 14 Sept 2025 Oiseaux Rebelles12 / 18 / 23 / 25 / 31 Oct / 1 Nov / 2 / 5 / 6 / 9 Dec 2025 Clara13 / 26 / 28 Dec 2025 / 11 / 24 Apr 2026 Timeframed17 / 25 Jan / 6 / 8 / 11 / 12 Feb 2026

Erik Kim

Erik Kim is from the USA. He completed his dance training at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. After his first engagement at Ballet Nacional Sodre in Uruguay, he danced with the Atlanta Ballet from 2021 to 2024. Among others, he performed the title role in Yuri Possokhov’s «The Nutcracker» and appeared in choreographies by August Bournonville, Ben Stevenson, Cathy Marston, Kenneth MacMillan, and Juliano Nunes. Since the 2024/25 season, he has been a member of the Ballett Zürich. Here, he appeared as Benjamin Braddock in Cathy Marston’s «Mrs. Robinson», in Patrice Bart’s «Giselle» (Peasants’ Pas de Deux), and in Crystal Pite’s «Emergence».

Countertime7 / 14 Sept 2025 Oiseaux Rebelles23 / 25 Oct / 9 / 13 Nov 2025 Timeframed22 / 30 Jan / 4 / 6 / 8 Feb 2026
Show full cast Show less
Ballett Zürich
Junior Ballett
Orchester der Oper Zürich

Junior Ballett

Das Junior Ballett ist die Nachwuchscompagnie des Balletts Zürich. Seit seiner Gründung im Jahr 2001 erhalten hier ausgewählte junge Tänzerinnen und Tänzer aus aller Welt die Möglichkeit, nach Ende ihrer Ballettausbildung unter fachkundiger Betreuung in das tänzerische Berufsleben einzusteigen. Im Rahmen eines nicht länger als zwei Jahre währenden Engagements trainieren sie gemeinsam mit den Mitgliedern des Balletts Zürich, tanzen mit ihnen in ausgewählten Vorstellungen des Repertoires und sammeln so die für eine Tänzerlaufbahn notwendige Bühnenerfahrung. Einmal pro Spielzeit stellt das Junior Ballett in einem eigenen Ballettabend mit Werken international renommierter Choreografen seine hohe Leistungsfähigkeit und tänzerische Kreativität unter Beweis. In der Saison 2014/15 vereint das Junior Ballett dreizehn Tänzerinnen und Tänzer aus acht Nationen.

Oiseaux Rebelles12 / 18 / 23 / 25 / 31 Oct / 1 / 9 / 13 Nov / 2 / 5 / 6 / 9 Dec 2025 / 11 / 13 / 16 / 18 / 27 Sept 2026 Clara13 / 14 / 19 / 20 / 26 / 28 Dec 2025 / 11 / 12 / 17 / 19 / 24 Apr 2026 Countertime5 / 7 / 14 Sept 2025 The Butterfly Effect4 / 13 / 23 Apr 2026 Romeo und Julia23 / 29 / 30 May / 4 / 6 / 7 / 10 / 12 / 14 / 23 / 26 Jun / 20 / 27 / 29 Nov / 6 / 13 / 19 / 26 / 27 Dec 2026 Nachtträume20 / 25 / 28 / 30 Jun / 4 Jul 2026 Next Generation1 / 2 / 3 / 4 Jul 2026 Timeframed17 / 18 / 22 / 25 / 30 Jan / 1 / 4 / 6 / 8 / 11 / 12 Feb 2026 Ein Sommernachtstraum11 / 16 / 18 / 25 / 28 / 29 / 31 Oct / 12 / 13 / 14 Nov 2026 / 19 / 22 / 29 Jun / 3 Jul 2027 See the music, hear the dance22 / 28 May / 6 / 10 / 12 / 15 / 25 / 26 / 27 Jun 2027

Orchester der Oper Zürich

Cast

Der Rosenkavalier21 / 26 Sept / 1 / 5 / 14 / 17 / 21 / 26 Oct 2025 Tugan Sokhiev12 Jul 2026 Manon24 / 27 Sept / 3 / 7 / 10 Oct 2025 La scala di seta25 / 28 Sept / 19 / 24 Oct 2025 Tosca28 Sept / 2 / 8 / 11 / 15 / 19 Oct 2025 / 11 / 14 / 17 / 21 / 24 Apr / 13 / 17 May 2027 Capuçon & Heras-Casado4 Oct 2025 Tannhäuser21 / 24 / 27 Jun / 2 / 5 / 8 / 11 Jul / 26 Sept / 4 / 9 / 13 Oct 2026 Cardillac15 / 18 / 21 / 25 Feb / 1 / 6 / 10 Mar 2026 La Damnation de Faust10 / 14 / 17 May 2026 Hänsel und Gretel16 / 20 / 23 / 28 / 30 Nov / 2 / 4 / 11 / 16 / 18 / 21 Dec 2025 / 2 / 24 / 25 / 31 Jan 2026 Carmen18 / 21 / 23 / 27 / 31 Jan 2026 Un ballo in Maschera22 / 28 / 31 May / 7 / 13 Jun 2026 La forza del destino2 / 7 / 12 / 15 / 18 / 21 / 26 / 29 Nov / 17 / 21 Dec 2025 Rigoletto20 / 23 / 27 Dec 2025 / 1 / 4 Jan 2026 Le nozze di Figaro24 / 29 Jan / 1 / 5 / 7 / 10 / 14 Feb 2026 / 2 / 6 / 8 / 15 / 19 May 2027 Fidelio3 / 6 / 10 / 14 / 16 May 2026 Werther14 / 19 Jun / 1 / 4 / 10 Jul 2026 Oiseaux Rebelles12 / 18 / 23 / 25 / 31 Oct / 1 / 9 / 13 Nov / 2 / 5 / 6 / 9 Dec 2025 / 11 / 13 / 16 / 18 / 27 Sept 2026 Macbeth8 / 11 / 14 / 19 / 22 / 30 Nov 2025 Ehnes & Noseda23 Nov 2025 Die Fledermaus7 / 10 / 12 / 14 / 18 / 26 / 28 / 31 Dec 2025 / 2 / 4 / 6 / 10 Jan / 29 Sept / 8 / 17 / 23 / 25 Oct 2026 Clara13 / 14 / 19 / 20 / 26 / 28 Dec 2025 / 11 / 12 / 17 / 19 / 24 Apr 2026 Countertime5 / 7 / 14 Sept 2025 Altstaedt & Chan11 Jan 2026 Jussen & Rustioni8 Feb 2026 Celebratory concert for Ralf Weikert’s 85th birthday22 Feb 2026 Monster's Paradise8 / 14 / 18 Mar / 10 / 12 Apr 2026 Messa da Requiem20 / 22 / 28 Feb / 1 / 5 / 7 Mar / 6 Apr 2026 Arabella14 / 18 / 22 / 25 / 28 Apr 2026 Romeo und Julia23 / 29 / 30 May / 4 / 6 / 7 / 10 / 12 / 14 / 23 / 26 Jun / 20 / 27 / 29 Nov / 6 / 13 / 19 / 26 / 27 Dec 2026 Open-Air-Concert28 Jun 2026 / 4 Jul 2027 Mühlemann & Noseda21 / 28 Mar / 1 Apr 2026 Europa-Tournee 2026 «Messa da Requiem»22 / 23 / 25 / 26 / 29 / 31 Mar 2026 Die Zauberflöte20 / 25 Sept / 6 / 18 / 21 / 24 / 30 Oct 2026 / 2 / 8 / 18 / 20 / 23 Apr 2027 La rondine24 / 27 Sept / 1 / 10 / 15 Oct 2026 Ein Sommernachtstraum26 Sept / 11 / 16 / 18 / 25 / 28 / 29 / 31 Oct / 12 / 13 / 14 Nov 2026 / 19 / 22 / 29 Jun / 3 Jul 2027 1th Philharmonic Concert3 Oct 2026 Alice im Wunderland8 / 15 / 19 / 21 / 26 / 28 Nov / 6 Dec 2026 / 2 / 7 / 8 / 10 / 17 Jan 2027 Elektra22 / 26 Nov / 2 / 5 / 10 / 13 / 16 Dec 2026 Das Rheingold29 Nov / 4 / 12 / 17 Dec 2026 Gabetta & Noseda7 Nov 2026 Manon Lescaut11 / 15 / 18 / 22 / 26 Dec 2026 Fuchs & Jordan1 / 2 Jan 2027 Trifonov & Järvi16 Jan 2027 Die Walküre24 / 31 Jan / 3 / 6 Feb 2027 Doctor Atomic7 / 11 / 14 / 20 / 24 / 28 Feb 2027 Roméo et Juliette12 / 19 / 21 Feb / 2 / 5 Mar 2027 Sorita & Lyniv14 Feb 2027 La fanciulla del west25 / 28 Feb / 3 / 7 Mar / 4 / 7 / 10 / 16 Apr 2027 L'elisir d'amore25 / 27 / 29 Apr / 2 / 6 / 9 / 12 / 14 / 17 / 21 May 2027 Balanas & Peltokoski18 Apr 2027 Requiem pour Ophélie4 / 7 / 9 May 2027 See the music, hear the dance22 / 28 May / 6 / 10 / 12 / 15 / 25 / 26 / 27 Jun 2027 Don Pasquale23 / 27 / 30 May / 4 / 6 / 11 Jun 2027 Samson et Dalila13 / 17 / 20 / 24 / 27 / 30 Jun / 2 / 9 Jul 2027 La bohème16 / 18 / 23 Jun / 4 / 7 / 10 Jul 2027 Don Carlo1 / 6 / 8 / 11 Jul 2027 Viotti29 May 2027 Rachmaninov – Die drei Opern1 / 4 / 8 / 15 / 18 / 21 / 28 Nov 2026 Benefiz «amiamusica»2 Oct 2026

Carmen

Ballet by Mats Ek
to Rodion Schtschedrin’s “Carmen Suite”

Choreographer:
Mats Ek

Mats Ek

Born in Malmö in 1945 and raised in an artistic family, Mats Ek first studied theatre, became an actor, then trained as a dancer and joined the company of his mother Birgit Cullberg, the Cullberg Ballet, which he later temporarily directed. In 1976 he began choreographing, creating socially critical works such as "Soweto" and numerous shorter pieces, adapting literary material such as "Bernarda Albas Haus" and reinterpreting, in his dynamic and expressive movement language, the cornerstones of the ballet repertoire. This led to "Giselle" (1982), "Le sacre du printemps" (1984), "Schwanensee" (1987), "Carmen" (1992), and "Dornröschen" (1996). He is also a guest choreographer for many of the world’s leading companies, working with the Royal Swedish Ballet, the Norwegian National Ballet, Nederlands Dans Theater, Stuttgart Ballet, Hamburg Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, La Scala Ballet, the Metropolitan Opera in New York, and the Paris Opera Ballet, among others. He writes, acts, and directs for numerous theatres. In 2008 he created "Place," a pas de deux for Ana Laguna and Mikhail Baryshnikov. He has also produced two video films with star ballerina Sylvie Guillem, and many of his best-known works have been adapted for television. In 2025 Mats Ek celebrated his 80th birthday. For the Royal Swedish Ballet he created the choreography "A Cup of Coffee" to mark the occasion.

Oiseaux Rebelles12 / 18 / 23 / 25 / 31 Oct / 1 / 9 / 13 Nov / 2 / 5 / 6 / 9 Dec 2025 / 11 / 13 / 16 / 18 / 27 Sept 2026
Musical Director:
Matthew Rowe

Matthew Rowe

The conductor Matthew Rowe is originally from London. Since his debut with the Dutch National Ballet in 2004, he has maintained a close connection with the company and was appointed Music Director and Artistic Director of the Dutch Ballet Orchestra in 2013. In 2024, he stepped down from this dual role and now serves as Principal Guest Conductor. His major ballet productions include Christopher Wheeldon’s «Cinderella», Krzysztof Pastor’s «The Tempest», Shen Wei’s «Sacre du Printemps», and the world premieres of Ted Brandsen’s «Mata Hari», Yuri Possokhov’s «Violin Concerto», and Jorma Elo’s «Sibelius 4th Symphony». His extensive repertoire spans works by many renowned choreographers, including numerous pieces by George Balanchine, Hans van Manen, Alexei Ratmansky, and David Dawson. In addition, Rowe conducts classics such as «Swan Lake», «The Nutcracker», «The Sleeping Beauty», «Romeo and Juliet», «Don Quixote», «Paquita», «Giselle», and «Coppélia». Further productions with the Dutch National Ballet and the Dutch Ballet Orchestra include the European premiere of Alexei Ratmansky’s «The Fairy’s Kiss» and the world premieres of David Dawson’s «Requiem» with music by Gavin Bryars and Annabelle Lopez Ochoa’s «Frida» with music by Peter Salem. Matthew Rowe has also enjoyed a long-standing collaboration with Nederlands Dans Theater, where he has worked with many contemporary choreographers such as Jiří Kylián, Lightfoot/León, Marco Goecke, Alexander Ekman, Hofesh Shechter, and Crystal Pite. Most recently, he conducted «Do Not Run, Do Not Fly», featuring world premieres by Marcos Morau and Yoann Bourgeois. He has also conducted performances with San Francisco Ballet, Vienna State Ballet, the National Ballet of Japan, Hong Kong Ballet, the National Ballet of Canada, Finnish National Ballet, Polish National Ballet, and the Royal Danish Ballet.

Oiseaux Rebelles12 / 18 / 23 / 25 / 31 Oct / 1 / 9 / 13 Nov / 2 / 5 / 6 / 9 Dec 2025 / 11 / 13 / 16 / 18 / 27 Sept 2026
Stage design and costume:
Marie-Louise Ekman

Marie-Louise Ekman

Marie-Louise Ekman (b. 1944) is a Swedish artist, filmmaker, playwright, and cultural leader known for her distinctive and inimitable fusion of visual art, theatre, and film. In the 1960s, she became part of Sweden’s avant-garde and pop art movement. She developed a playful yet pointed visual language through which she explored themes such as gender, identity, and social norms. Over the decades, she directed numerous films and theatre productions and wrote many plays for both stage and screen. Beyond her creative work, Ekman has also held leading positions in the arts sector. In 1999, she became the first female professor and later president of the Royal Institute of Art in Stockholm, and she successfully served as director of Sweden’s Royal Dramatic Theatre for six years. Today, she is considered one of Sweden’s most influential contemporary cultural figures and is celebrated for her innovative, interdisciplinary contributions to the arts. Major exhibitions of her work have been shown in Paris, London, and New York. Her set and costume designs for Mats Ek include «Orpheus and Eurydice», «The House of Bernarda Alba», «Antigone», «Cain and Abel», «Giselle», «The Park», «Swan Lake», «Carmen», «Bolero», and «Le Sacre du printemps» — presented in cities such as London, Milan, Munich, Paris, Lyon, Stockholm, and now also Zurich.

Oiseaux Rebelles12 / 18 / 23 / 25 / 31 Oct / 1 / 9 / 13 Nov / 2 / 5 / 6 / 9 Dec 2025 / 11 / 13 / 16 / 18 / 27 Sept 2026
Lighting Design:
Ellen Ruge

Ellen Ruge

Ellen Ruge was born in Oslo and lives in Stockholm. She has designed lighting for numerous theatre, opera, public building, and ballet productions across Scandinavia, Europe, the USA, Cuba, China, and the United Kingdom — including for La Scala in Milan, the Opéra Garnier in Paris, the Royal Opera House Covent Garden in London, the Bavarian State Ballet, the Hamburg Ballet, the Warsaw Opera, the Semperoper Dresden, Nederlands Dans Theater, Ballet Rambert, Cullberg Ballet, the Norwegian National Opera, the Finnish National Opera, the Icelandic National Opera, the Royal Danish Opera, the Royal Swedish Opera, Teatro Real in Madrid, and Scottish Opera. Further productions have been created at the Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM), the Joyce Theater in New York, the Spoleto Festival, Brown University in the USA, the NCPA in Beijing and Shanghai, and Teatro Marti in Havana. She has been awarded, among others, the Swedish Critics’ Prize and the Swedish King’s Medal.

Oiseaux Rebelles12 / 18 / 23 / 25 / 31 Oct / 1 / 9 / 13 Nov / 2 / 5 / 6 / 9 Dec 2025 / 11 / 13 / 16 / 18 / 27 Sept 2026

Cast


Carmen Nancy Osbaldeston


Don José Esteban Berlanga


Escamillo Brandon Lawrence


M... Shelby Williams


Hauptmann Karen Azatyan


Dancaϊre Pablo Octávio


Carmen Nehanda Péguillan


Don José Wei Chen


Escamillo Joel Woellner


M... Ayaha Tsunaki


Hauptmann Jorge García Pérez


Dancaϊre Kilian Smith


Carmen Nancy Osbaldeston


Don José Esteban Berlanga


Escamillo Brandon Lawrence


M... Shelby Williams


Hauptmann Karen Azatyan


Dancaϊre Pablo Octávio


Carmen Nancy Osbaldeston


Don José Esteban Berlanga


Escamillo Brandon Lawrence


M... Shelby Williams


Hauptmann Karen Azatyan


Dancaϊre Pablo Octávio


Carmen Nehanda Péguillan


Don José Wei Chen


Escamillo Joel Woellner


M... Ayaha Tsunaki


Hauptmann Jorge García Pérez


Dancaϊre Kilian Smith


Carmen Nehanda Péguillan


Don José Wei Chen


Escamillo Joel Woellner


M... Ayaha Tsunaki


Hauptmann Karen Azatyan


Dancaϊre Kilian Smith


Carmen Nancy Osbaldeston


Don José Esteban Berlanga


Escamillo Brandon Lawrence


M... Shelby Williams


Hauptmann Jorge García Pérez


Dancaϊre Pablo Octávio


Carmen Nehanda Péguillan


Don José Wei Chen


Escamillo Joel Woellner


M... Shelby Williams


Hauptmann Jorge García Pérez


Dancaϊre Kilian Smith


Carmen Nancy Osbaldeston


Don José Esteban Berlanga


Escamillo Brandon Lawrence


M... Shelby Williams


Hauptmann Jorge García Pérez


Dancaϊre Pablo Octávio


Carmen Nancy Osbaldeston


Don José Esteban Berlanga


Escamillo Brandon Lawrence


M... Shelby Williams


Hauptmann Karen Azatyan


Dancaϊre Pablo Octávio


Carmen Nehanda Péguillan


Don José Wei Chen


Escamillo Joel Woellner


M... Shelby Williams


Hauptmann Jorge García Pérez


Dancaϊre Kilian Smith


Carmen Nancy Osbaldeston


Don José Esteban Berlanga


Escamillo Brandon Lawrence


M... Shelby Williams


Hauptmann Karen Azatyan


Dancaϊre Pablo Octávio


Carmen Nehanda Péguillan


Don José Wei Chen


Escamillo Joel Woellner


M... Shelby Williams


Hauptmann Jorge García Pérez


Dancaϊre Kilian Smith

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»).

Countertime5 / 7 / 14 Sept 2025 Oiseaux Rebelles12 / 23 / 25 Oct / 9 / 13 Nov / 2 / 6 Dec 2025 Clara13 / 14 / 20 / 26 / 28 Dec 2025 Timeframed17 / 18 / 22 / 25 / 30 Jan / 1 / 4 / 6 / 8 / 11 / 12 Feb 2026

Nehanda Péguillan

Nehanda Péguillan holds French and South African citizenship. She received her dance training in Johannesburg and at the Pôle National Supérieur de Danse Rosella Hightower in Cannes. With Cannes Jeune Ballet, she performed in choreographies by Jean-Christophe Maillot, Carolyn Carlson, and Thierry Malandin. In 2023, she danced in the Dutch company De Theater BV’s production of «Nureyev». After one season in the Junior Ballet, she has been a member of the Ballett Zürich since the 2024/25 season. Here, she has performed in choreographies by Crystal Pite, William Forsythe, Cathy Marston, and Wayne McGregor.

Countertime5 / 7 / 14 Sept 2025 Oiseaux Rebelles18 / 31 Oct / 1 / 9 Nov / 5 / 9 Dec 2025 Clara26 / 28 Dec 2025 Timeframed17 / 18 / 22 / 30 Jan / 1 / 4 / 6 / 8 / 11 Feb 2026

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».

Oiseaux Rebelles12 / 23 / 25 Oct / 9 / 13 Nov / 2 / 6 Dec 2025 Clara13 / 14 / 20 / 26 / 28 Dec 2025 / 11 / 17 / 19 / 24 Apr 2026 Timeframed17 / 22 / 25 / 30 Jan / 1 / 4 / 6 / 8 / 11 / 12 Feb 2026

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».

Oiseaux Rebelles18 / 31 Oct / 1 / 9 Nov / 5 / 9 Dec 2025 Clara19 / 26 / 28 Dec 2025 / 11 / 12 / 19 / 24 Apr 2026 Timeframed17 / 18 / 22 / 25 / 30 Jan / 1 / 6 / 8 / 11 / 12 Feb 2026

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».

Countertime5 Sept 2025 Oiseaux Rebelles12 / 23 / 25 Oct / 9 / 13 Nov / 2 / 6 Dec 2025 Clara19 Dec 2025 / 12 / 19 Apr 2026 Timeframed17 / 18 / 22 / 25 / 30 Jan / 1 / 4 / 6 / 8 / 11 / 12 Feb 2026

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.

Countertime5 / 7 / 14 Sept 2025 Oiseaux Rebelles18 / 31 Oct / 1 / 9 Nov / 5 / 9 Dec 2025 Clara13 / 19 / 26 / 28 Dec 2025 Timeframed17 / 18 / 22 / 25 / 30 Jan / 1 / 8 / 11 / 12 Feb 2026

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.

Countertime5 / 7 / 14 Sept 2025 Oiseaux Rebelles12 / 23 / 25 Oct / 9 / 13 Nov / 2 / 5 / 6 / 9 Dec 2025 Clara13 / 14 / 20 / 26 / 28 Dec 2025 / 11 / 12 / 17 / 19 / 24 Apr 2026 Timeframed17 / 22 / 30 Jan / 1 / 4 / 6 / 8 / 11 / 12 Feb 2026

Ayaha Tsunaki

Ayaha Tsunaki is from Japan. She studied at the Palucca University of Dance Dresden, the Hamburg Ballet School, and the Kyouko Kanda Ballet Academy in Japan. From 2014 to 2025, she danced with the Semperoper Ballet in Dresden, serving as demi-soloist since 2021. Here, she performed as Julia in David Dawson’s «Romeo and Juliet», Odette in Johan Inger’s «Swan Lake», the title role in Inger’s «Carmen», the Sugar Plum Fairy and Snow Queen in Aaron S. Watkin/Jason Beechey’s «The Nutcracker», and Gamzatti in Watkin’s «La Bayadère».
She has also appeared in choreographies by William Forsythe, Jiří Kylián, Stijn Celis, Ohad Naharin, Mats Ek, George Balanchine, Nacho Duato, John Neumeier, and Justin Peck.
Since the 2025/26 season, Ayaha Tsunaki has been principal dancer at Ballett Zürich.

Countertime5 / 7 / 14 Sept 2025 Oiseaux Rebelles18 / 23 / 25 / 31 Oct / 1 Nov 2025 Clara11 / 17 / 19 / 24 Apr 2026 Timeframed17 / 18 / 22 / 25 / 30 Jan / 1 / 4 / 6 / 8 / 11 / 12 Feb 2026

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».

Countertime5 / 7 / 14 Sept 2025 Oiseaux Rebelles12 / 18 / 23 / 25 / 31 Oct / 1 Nov / 2 / 5 / 6 / 9 Dec 2025 Clara13 / 26 / 28 Dec 2025 / 11 / 24 Apr 2026 Timeframed17 / 25 Jan / 6 / 8 / 11 / 12 Feb 2026

Jorge García Pérez

Jorge García Pérez is Spanish. He received his dance training at the Estudio de Danza María de Ávila and became a member of Malandain Ballet Biarritz II at the age of 16. In 2005, he won the gold medal at the Premio Roma competition. Heinz Spoerli then engaged him for the Junior Ballet and shortly thereafter for the Zürich Ballet. In 2008, he became a soloist at Ballett Basel under Richard Wherlock, where he danced numerous leading roles.
In 2011, he made his debut as a choreographer. He has won several awards at prestigious competitions, including the choreography competition in Hannover. In 2024, he was a coach at the «Prix de Lausanne» and co-founder of the charity gala «Strength and Grace». Since the 2023/24 season, Jorge García Pérez has been a member of Ballett Zürich again. Alongside his dancing duties, he has also been working as a rehearsal assistant since last season.

Oiseaux Rebelles18 / 31 Oct / 9 / 13 Nov / 5 / 9 Dec 2025 Timeframed18 / 30 Jan / 4 / 11 / 12 Feb 2026

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.

Oiseaux Rebelles12 / 23 / 25 Oct / 9 / 13 Nov / 2 / 6 Dec 2025 Clara13 Dec 2025

Kilian Smith

Kilian Smith holds British and Irish citizenship. He danced at the National Ballet of Portugal in choreographies by Fernando Duarte and Akram Khan. During his engagement with the Polish National Ballet, he performed in Wayne McGregor’s «Infra» as well as the roles of Mercutio («Romeo and Juliet»), Trinculo («The Tempest»), and Renfield («Dracula») by Krzysztof Pastor. Since the 2023/24 season, Kilian Smith has been a member of the Ballett Zürich.

Oiseaux Rebelles18 / 31 Oct / 1 / 9 Nov / 5 / 9 Dec 2025 Clara14 / 20 Dec 2025 / 17 / 19 Apr 2026 Timeframed17 / 18 / 22 / 30 Jan / 1 / 4 / 6 / 8 / 11 Feb 2026
Show full cast Show less
Ballett Zürich
Junior Ballett
Orchester der Oper Zürich

Junior Ballett

Das Junior Ballett ist die Nachwuchscompagnie des Balletts Zürich. Seit seiner Gründung im Jahr 2001 erhalten hier ausgewählte junge Tänzerinnen und Tänzer aus aller Welt die Möglichkeit, nach Ende ihrer Ballettausbildung unter fachkundiger Betreuung in das tänzerische Berufsleben einzusteigen. Im Rahmen eines nicht länger als zwei Jahre währenden Engagements trainieren sie gemeinsam mit den Mitgliedern des Balletts Zürich, tanzen mit ihnen in ausgewählten Vorstellungen des Repertoires und sammeln so die für eine Tänzerlaufbahn notwendige Bühnenerfahrung. Einmal pro Spielzeit stellt das Junior Ballett in einem eigenen Ballettabend mit Werken international renommierter Choreografen seine hohe Leistungsfähigkeit und tänzerische Kreativität unter Beweis. In der Saison 2014/15 vereint das Junior Ballett dreizehn Tänzerinnen und Tänzer aus acht Nationen.

Oiseaux Rebelles12 / 18 / 23 / 25 / 31 Oct / 1 / 9 / 13 Nov / 2 / 5 / 6 / 9 Dec 2025 / 11 / 13 / 16 / 18 / 27 Sept 2026 Clara13 / 14 / 19 / 20 / 26 / 28 Dec 2025 / 11 / 12 / 17 / 19 / 24 Apr 2026 Countertime5 / 7 / 14 Sept 2025 The Butterfly Effect4 / 13 / 23 Apr 2026 Romeo und Julia23 / 29 / 30 May / 4 / 6 / 7 / 10 / 12 / 14 / 23 / 26 Jun / 20 / 27 / 29 Nov / 6 / 13 / 19 / 26 / 27 Dec 2026 Nachtträume20 / 25 / 28 / 30 Jun / 4 Jul 2026 Next Generation1 / 2 / 3 / 4 Jul 2026 Timeframed17 / 18 / 22 / 25 / 30 Jan / 1 / 4 / 6 / 8 / 11 / 12 Feb 2026 Ein Sommernachtstraum11 / 16 / 18 / 25 / 28 / 29 / 31 Oct / 12 / 13 / 14 Nov 2026 / 19 / 22 / 29 Jun / 3 Jul 2027 See the music, hear the dance22 / 28 May / 6 / 10 / 12 / 15 / 25 / 26 / 27 Jun 2027

Orchester der Oper Zürich

Cast

Der Rosenkavalier21 / 26 Sept / 1 / 5 / 14 / 17 / 21 / 26 Oct 2025 Tugan Sokhiev12 Jul 2026 Manon24 / 27 Sept / 3 / 7 / 10 Oct 2025 La scala di seta25 / 28 Sept / 19 / 24 Oct 2025 Tosca28 Sept / 2 / 8 / 11 / 15 / 19 Oct 2025 / 11 / 14 / 17 / 21 / 24 Apr / 13 / 17 May 2027 Capuçon & Heras-Casado4 Oct 2025 Tannhäuser21 / 24 / 27 Jun / 2 / 5 / 8 / 11 Jul / 26 Sept / 4 / 9 / 13 Oct 2026 Cardillac15 / 18 / 21 / 25 Feb / 1 / 6 / 10 Mar 2026 La Damnation de Faust10 / 14 / 17 May 2026 Hänsel und Gretel16 / 20 / 23 / 28 / 30 Nov / 2 / 4 / 11 / 16 / 18 / 21 Dec 2025 / 2 / 24 / 25 / 31 Jan 2026 Carmen18 / 21 / 23 / 27 / 31 Jan 2026 Un ballo in Maschera22 / 28 / 31 May / 7 / 13 Jun 2026 La forza del destino2 / 7 / 12 / 15 / 18 / 21 / 26 / 29 Nov / 17 / 21 Dec 2025 Rigoletto20 / 23 / 27 Dec 2025 / 1 / 4 Jan 2026 Le nozze di Figaro24 / 29 Jan / 1 / 5 / 7 / 10 / 14 Feb 2026 / 2 / 6 / 8 / 15 / 19 May 2027 Fidelio3 / 6 / 10 / 14 / 16 May 2026 Werther14 / 19 Jun / 1 / 4 / 10 Jul 2026 Oiseaux Rebelles12 / 18 / 23 / 25 / 31 Oct / 1 / 9 / 13 Nov / 2 / 5 / 6 / 9 Dec 2025 / 11 / 13 / 16 / 18 / 27 Sept 2026 Macbeth8 / 11 / 14 / 19 / 22 / 30 Nov 2025 Ehnes & Noseda23 Nov 2025 Die Fledermaus7 / 10 / 12 / 14 / 18 / 26 / 28 / 31 Dec 2025 / 2 / 4 / 6 / 10 Jan / 29 Sept / 8 / 17 / 23 / 25 Oct 2026 Clara13 / 14 / 19 / 20 / 26 / 28 Dec 2025 / 11 / 12 / 17 / 19 / 24 Apr 2026 Countertime5 / 7 / 14 Sept 2025 Altstaedt & Chan11 Jan 2026 Jussen & Rustioni8 Feb 2026 Celebratory concert for Ralf Weikert’s 85th birthday22 Feb 2026 Monster's Paradise8 / 14 / 18 Mar / 10 / 12 Apr 2026 Messa da Requiem20 / 22 / 28 Feb / 1 / 5 / 7 Mar / 6 Apr 2026 Arabella14 / 18 / 22 / 25 / 28 Apr 2026 Romeo und Julia23 / 29 / 30 May / 4 / 6 / 7 / 10 / 12 / 14 / 23 / 26 Jun / 20 / 27 / 29 Nov / 6 / 13 / 19 / 26 / 27 Dec 2026 Open-Air-Concert28 Jun 2026 / 4 Jul 2027 Mühlemann & Noseda21 / 28 Mar / 1 Apr 2026 Europa-Tournee 2026 «Messa da Requiem»22 / 23 / 25 / 26 / 29 / 31 Mar 2026 Die Zauberflöte20 / 25 Sept / 6 / 18 / 21 / 24 / 30 Oct 2026 / 2 / 8 / 18 / 20 / 23 Apr 2027 La rondine24 / 27 Sept / 1 / 10 / 15 Oct 2026 Ein Sommernachtstraum26 Sept / 11 / 16 / 18 / 25 / 28 / 29 / 31 Oct / 12 / 13 / 14 Nov 2026 / 19 / 22 / 29 Jun / 3 Jul 2027 1th Philharmonic Concert3 Oct 2026 Alice im Wunderland8 / 15 / 19 / 21 / 26 / 28 Nov / 6 Dec 2026 / 2 / 7 / 8 / 10 / 17 Jan 2027 Elektra22 / 26 Nov / 2 / 5 / 10 / 13 / 16 Dec 2026 Das Rheingold29 Nov / 4 / 12 / 17 Dec 2026 Gabetta & Noseda7 Nov 2026 Manon Lescaut11 / 15 / 18 / 22 / 26 Dec 2026 Fuchs & Jordan1 / 2 Jan 2027 Trifonov & Järvi16 Jan 2027 Die Walküre24 / 31 Jan / 3 / 6 Feb 2027 Doctor Atomic7 / 11 / 14 / 20 / 24 / 28 Feb 2027 Roméo et Juliette12 / 19 / 21 Feb / 2 / 5 Mar 2027 Sorita & Lyniv14 Feb 2027 La fanciulla del west25 / 28 Feb / 3 / 7 Mar / 4 / 7 / 10 / 16 Apr 2027 L'elisir d'amore25 / 27 / 29 Apr / 2 / 6 / 9 / 12 / 14 / 17 / 21 May 2027 Balanas & Peltokoski18 Apr 2027 Requiem pour Ophélie4 / 7 / 9 May 2027 See the music, hear the dance22 / 28 May / 6 / 10 / 12 / 15 / 25 / 26 / 27 Jun 2027 Don Pasquale23 / 27 / 30 May / 4 / 6 / 11 Jun 2027 Samson et Dalila13 / 17 / 20 / 24 / 27 / 30 Jun / 2 / 9 Jul 2027 La bohème16 / 18 / 23 Jun / 4 / 7 / 10 Jul 2027 Don Carlo1 / 6 / 8 / 11 Jul 2027 Viotti29 May 2027 Rachmaninov – Die drei Opern1 / 4 / 8 / 15 / 18 / 21 / 28 Nov 2026 Benefiz «amiamusica»2 Oct 2026

Abstract

"L’amour est un oiseau rebelle", sings Carmen in Georges Bizet’s opera of the same name. The Swedish dance legend Mats Ek made Carmen the title heroine of a ballet for the Cullberg Ballet in 1992. In doing so, he draws closely on Prosper Mérimée’s novella on which the opera is based, in which Don José recounts Carmen’s story from his death cell. In his play with traditional gender roles, Mats Ek avoids familiar Carmen clichés and arrives at a deeply human interpretation. The Australian choreographer Dani Rowe, now director of the Oregon Ballet Theatre, presents her work "Vestige" – set to Mussorgsky’s "Pictures at an Exhibition" in Maurice Ravel’s orchestral version. Here, a life is examined: in episodic visions, figures, impressions and experiences pass before the central character, "Human", allowing her to draw new strength from memory.

Read more Show less

Fotogalerie «Vestige»

Photo Gallery «Carmen»

Trailer «Oiseaux Rebelles»

Good to know

Rehearsal Trailer «Carmen»

more

Rehearsal Trailer «Vestige»

more

Rehearsal Trailer «Carmen»

Rehearsal Trailer «Vestige»