Marco Goecke’s interpretation of the ballet classic ‹Der Nussknacker› is surprising: it deliberately breaks with familiar imagery, opens up unfamiliar perspectives, and transports us into an imaginative, whimsical world that lies somewhere between a nightmare and reality.

The Nutcracker

Theater Basel

The most successful book by Marguerite Duras (1914–1996), in which she recounts—at least in part autobiographically—a socially unheard-of amour fou, is set in former Indochina during the French colonial era, in a large city shrouded in haze and heat. The main character is a young woman wearing an oversized men's hat and gold shoes. Her father died early, her mother is mentally unstable, and her brothers are highly problematic. The only ray of hope and escape from this family prison is her encounter with a rich Chinese man in a black limousine. It is a love that has no future and yet lasts a lifetime, transcending all conventions, even though the two never spoke again after the narrator left for Paris – except for a single phone call at the end.

The Lover

Featuring works by Jiří Kylián, Hans van Manen, and Marco Goecke, this evening brings together three of the most significant styles in dance history and showcases a richly varied array of choreographic styles set to a diverse mix of music ranging from baroque to blues.

Van Manen/Kylián/Goecke

Lilit Hakobyan has been making a name for herself as an interdisciplinary artist since 2011. Her film work characterises her choreographic thinking, while in photography she specifically seeks out the dynamic moment of dance. Anne Jung, internationally recognised for her powerful and energetic dance vocabulary, also creates fascinating visual worlds. Emerging from the talent factory of the Nederlands Dans Theater in The Hague, she realised her first own choreography in 2016 in the programme ‹Switch by NDT Dancers›.

New Works: Hakobyan/Jung

With ‹Dark Matter›, Ballett Basel invites you to an entertaining, intense evening. Five miniatures provide a multifaceted insight into the unique world of Marco Goecke and condense over 25 years of his work into a compact, impressive experience. The format is compiled anew each season and brings together solos, duets and short ensemble works from over 100 works - choreographic gems that have been performed worldwide and can now be experienced up close on the small stage of Theater Basel. Danced by an ensemble that carries Goecke's works by the umbilical cord, as it were, and has long since internalised his unmistakable style. The intimate solo ‹Tué› sets three extraordinary women in a sensitive interplay to the music of French chansonnière Barbara. The suspenseful duet ‹Midnight Raga› unfolds in the deep blue of midnight and transports the listener to a mystical Indian night. With ‹Äffi›, a repertoire classic, Goecke's style suddenly became famous in 2005 - a solo that is still regarded today as the epitome of his nervously vibrating style of movement. In ‹All Long Dem Day› and ‹Nachtmerrie›, true-to-life scenes about closeness, separation, change and hope are created to Nina Simone and Lady Gaga. Accompanied by works from a wide range of musical styles, this string of pearls of signature pieces spans an arc between darkness and light as well as drama and lyricism. In this way, the «dark matter» that makes Goecke's work so timeless and touching becomes tangible.

Rosario Guerra

Events

Upcoming events

Apr 30 - Jun 17, 2026

Van Manen/Kylián/Goecke · Theater Basel

10 - 19 May, 2026

New Works: Hakobyan/Jung · Theater Basel

May 22 - Jun 14, 2026

Dark Matter · Theater Basel

Past events

Dec 31, 2025

The Nutcracker · Theater Basel

Oct 11, 2025

The Lover · Theater Basel

Future and recently performed repertoire

King of the Rats in The Nutcracker by Tchaikovsky

Theater Basel

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