Dear Audience,
For my first season as Artistic Director of the Hamburg Ballet, I have decided to shape it with the idea of a "prologue" in mind.
A prologue is not a first chapter, but rather a gradual introduction of ideas and intentions. Not everything is immediately apparent; a seed is planted so that it can grow and develop. An artistic change after 51 years means a significant adjustment for everyone involved – for the company, for all staff members, and, of course, for the audience. It is important for us to give time for the new to develop, with everyone together, so that the new also feels familiar and like it belongs.
We want to present pieces that offer a new perspective on dance for the Hamburg audience. With works by Pina Bausch, Hans van Manen, and William Forsythe – three of the most important choreographers of the second half of the 20th century – also the dancers will get to explore new styles of movement. Justin Peck's "The Times Are Racing" demonstrates a fresh approach to ballet vocabulary. Like hardly any other contemporary choreographer, he makes our art form feel young, contemporary and effortless.
Nevertheless, with this prologue, which builds on lasting consistency through its repertoire, it is important for us to set entirely new accents. Therefore, I am particularly delighted that choreo grapher Aszure Barton will create a new piece as part of the double bill "Slow Burn". This exceptional artist emanates a sensitivity that translates into her works. The precision of the delicate architecture of her pieces is often only fully recognized in its complexity upon repeated viewing, yet at the first encounter one already feels that something special has been experienced.
Of course, I can hardly wait to share my own work with the Hamburg audience, which is why I will present three different choreographies of my own in the first season: "The Carnival of the Animals", which I reworked for the School of the Hamburg Ballet in 2012 at the invitation of John Neumeier; "The thing with feathers", a dance exploration of what is no longer there set to Richard Strauss's "Metamorphosen", created for the Ballett am Rhein, and my first creation for the Hamburg Ballet: a narrative ballet inspired by Hermann Hesse's "Demian". The desire to engage with this material has accompanied me for many years. Now I have found the right company and the right moment to bring it to life.
In the 2024/25 season, we celebrate 50 years of the Hamburg Ballet Days and thus also the 50th Nijinsky Gala. I am very pleased that we can do this together with John Neumeier, who has accepted my invitation to celebrate this special day with us. With the revival of Neumeier's masterpiece "Death in Venice", we also affirm our exceptional mission of celebrating and keeping alive the fascinating and diverse repertoire of this unique artist.
And what will the coming chapters hold for us? I would like to continue with a line of work that has become very important to me and which I found very enriching while Director of the Ballett am Rhein: finding ways to make dance accessible and an experience for all people, also beyond the stage. I am convinced that there is a yet untapped potential in dance to intensify all of our lives and to give us a deeper sense of connection to one another. Therefore, we look forward to establishing formats over the coming years that allow us to bring dance closer to our fellow human beings so that we encourage as many as possible to enjoy our beloved art form with us.
And so it is, that in this season, we dedicate ourselves to the fascination and diversity of ballet, with a program that melds both tradition and innovation. We present works that have already endured the test of time, as well as fresh, new choreographies that expand the boundaries of our art form. This season is an homage to the past, a celebration of the present, and an exciting glimpse into the future. With the Hamburg Ballet, we begin a new chapter shaped by our rich history and our visions for the future. I invite you to be part of this exciting journey, and look forward to a lively exchange and, of course, inspiring ballet performances shared together.
Demis Volpi | Biography | An Interview (in German)
PREMIERES
September 28, 2024: The Times Are Racing
December 8, 2024: Slow Burn
July 6, 2025: Demian
more dates...
REVIVAL
February 9, 2025: Death in Venice
more dates...
REPERTORY
October 30, 2024: Jane Eyre
November 7, 2024: Epilogue
December 22, 2024: The Nutcracker
April 11, 2025: Odyssey
April 17, 2025: Saint Matthew Passion
April 30, 2025: A Streetcar Named Desire
May 16, 2025: Romeo and Juliet
June 11, 2025: Nijinsky
more dates...
50th HAMBURG BALLET DAYS
July 6, 2025: Demian – Premiere
July 7, 2025: First Steps – The Ballet School
July 8, 2025: Demian
July 9, 2025: Romeo and Juliet
July 11, 2025: Sonoma – Guest Company: La Veronal
July 12, 2025: Sonoma – Guest Company: La Veronal
July 13, 2025: Death in Venice
July 15, 2025: Nijinsky
July 16, 2025: Demian
July 17, 2025: The Times Are Racing
July 18, 2025: Slow Burn
July 19, 2025: Demian
July 20, 2025: Nijinsky Gala L
BALLET WORKSHOPS
September 15, 2024
November 10, 2024 (Benefit Workshop in favor of the Hamburg Leuchtfeuer)
February 2, 2025
May 25, 2025
TOURS
Baden-Baden | Festpielhaus | Dance Festival "The World of John Neumeier"
Ballet Workshop
September 26, 2024
A Streetcar Named Desire
October 4, 5 and 6, 2024
The Glass Menagerie
October 11, 12 and 13, 2024
More guest performances for the 2024/25 season by the Hamburg Ballet will be announced at a later date.
YOUNG CHOREOGRAPHERS
The "Young Choreographers" are no longer an insider tip. Dancers become choreographers who create their own pieces with their colleagues.
Location and dates will be announced at a later date.
THE BALLET SCHOOL OF THE HAMBURG BALLETT
Creativity Workshop XV
Program I: March 3, 4 and 5, 2025 | Ernst Deutsch Theater
Program II: March 7, 8 and 9, 2025 | Ernst Deutsch Theater
First Steps
June 6, 2025
A performance by the ballet school exclusively for school classes
NATIONAL YOUTH BALLET
Wedeler Musiktage
September 22, 2024 | Johann Rist Forum Wedel
Im Aufschwung XVI
November 17, 18, 19, 20 and 21, 2024 | Ernst Deutsch Theater
National Youth Ballet
June 8, 2025 | Hamburg State Opera
Season 24/25
Flyer 24/25
Calendar 24/25 to print
Brochure 24/25
