Festival - 49th Hamburg Ballet Days to bid farewell to John Neumeier
You are every year the peak and conclusion of the season: the Hamburg Ballet Days. The 49th edition of the two-week festival will open on June 30th with "Epilog", John Neumeier's last premiere for the Hamburg Ballett. Since 1973, John Neumeier has led the company, at that time the youngest ballet director in Germany. Today, he is the longest-serving ballet director in the world at the age of 85. However, in the summer it is indeed an end - at least as an intendant. As of August 1st, the 39-year-old German-Argentinian Demis Volpi will take over the leadership of the Hamburg Ballet.
The Ballet Days provide insights into the repertoire of the season, including John Neumeier's recently revived ballet "Odyssey" based on the epic of the Greek poet Homer. This monumental work about war, homesickness, being on the move, and encounters with the foreign was created in 1995 at the invitation of the Athenian Opera and Concert House Megaron.
The leading roles are danced by Alexandr Trusch as Odysseus, Charlotte Larzelere as Penelope, Ida Praetorius as Pallas Athena, and Olivia Betteridge as Calypso. The music comes from the Greek composer George Couroupos, the sets and costumes from Yannis Kokkos.
In addition, many important works from the Neumeier era are on display, such as "The Lady of the Camellias" based on the novel by Alexandre Dumas, "Endstation Sehnsucht" and "The Glass Menagerie", both based on Tennessee Williams, as well as "Romeo and Juliet" based on Shakespeare's tragedy and "Dona Nobis Pacem", inspired by Johann Sebastian Bach's Mass in h-minor.
On July 9th and 10th, the Birmingham Royal Ballet will present "Black Sabbath – The Ballet" as a Heavy-Metal ballet experience. With the glamorous "Nijinsky-Gala XLIX" on July 14th, John Neumeier bids farewell as intendant of the Hamburg Ballet. However, he will remain connected to the company.
Hamburg Ballet
The 49th edition of the Festival is led by John Neumeier, who has been the director of the Hamburg Ballet since 1973. On June 30th, the festival will open with "Epilog", one of Neumeier's last premieres for the Hamburg Ballet, which is renowned worldwide. Moreover, the Hamburg Ballet Days offer a chance to witness key works from Neumeier's era, such as "The Lady of the Camellias" and "Dona Nobis Pacem", performed by the Hamburg Ballet company throughout the event.
