Set Designer

Choreographer

The term «butterfly effect» is emblematic of the realization that in nature everything is connected to everything else and that the smallest interventions in a natural balance can trigger major effects. It is no different in art. In this program, the Junior Ballett, which embodies the dance of the future, explores the «Butterfly Effect». In addition to ballet director Cathy Marston, two representatives of a new generation of choreographers, Lucas Valente and Ihsan Rustem, created pieces for the Junior Ballet.

The Butterfly Effect

Zurich Opera House

Clara Schumann was very likely the most important pianist of her time. Her life – as a daughter, artist, wife, mother, carer, manager, and muse – was full of ups and downs, and she devoted it entirely to music. In a world dominated by men, she displayed a degree of independence and self-determination that was astonishing for a woman of her time.

Cathy Marston follows the path of this exceptional artist, and focuses on Clara and her divorced parents, her relationship with Robert Schumann, and her connection with Johannes Brahms in her ballet, which premiered in 2024. She tells of devotion and passion, inspiration and responsibility.

Clara

Aided by a variety of reference points, this three-part ballet evening delves into the world of the 1950s and ‘60s.

Scottish-born Kenneth MacMillan is one of the leading choreographers of the 20th century. His 1966 ballet «Concerto», set to the music of Shostakovich's second piano concerto, is a celebrated piece of pure choreographic poetry.

In Cathy Marston’s ballet «Mrs. Robinson» – based on the novel «The Graduate» by Charles Webb – a recent college graduate becomes involved with the attractive Mrs. Robinson, a married woman from his parents’ circle of friends.

Countertime

Internationally renowned, Chicago-based ballet company, THE JOFFREY BALLET presents a unique repertoire that encompasses masterpieces of the past and cutting-edge works of today, featuring modern re-envisionings of classic fairy tales, symphonic poems transformed to dance, and performances set to contemporary symphonies.

EPSG:4326

The Joffrey Ballet

Tennessee Performing Arts Center

Ian McEwan, born in 1948, is one of the most important voices in contemporary English literature. His successful 2001 novel Atonement is about a life spent atoning for an early debt: Through a deliberate false statement, Briony Tallis, a pubescent, overzealous writer in 1930s England, puts her older sister’s unfit lover in prison and destroys the lives and loves of two people

Atonement

Opernhaus Zürich

When Jane accepts a position as Governess at Thornfield Hall, little does she expect a spark to kindle between her and the brooding Mr Rochester. As you watch her fall under his spell, something hides in the shadows, waiting to destroy her happiness.

Jane Eyre

The Grand Theatre & Opera House Leeds

Norwich Theatre Royal

Theatre Royal & Royal Concert Hall

Lyceum Theatre

This three-part ballet evening delves into the world of the ‘50s and ‘60s with a wealth of interwoven references. Particularly in the USA, it was an era in which many of the social structures that had become entrenched in convention were broken down.

### Golden Hour by Joffrey Ballet

**Event Overview:**
Bask in the glow of "Golden Hour," a radiant mixed repertoire program presented by the Joffrey Ballet. This captivating event will take place from February 20 to March 2, 2025, at the Lyric Opera House. The program promises an evening of warmth and splendor, featuring a blend of world premieres and audience favorites.

**Performance Details:**

1. **Princess and the Pea**
   - **Choreography:** Dani Rowe
   - **Music:** Jim Stephenson
   - **Description:** Australian choreographer Dani Rowe, known for her rich, flowing, and contemporary style, presents a modern re-envisioning of Hans Christian Andersen’s timeless fairy tale, "Princess and the Pea."

2. **Heimat**
   - **Choreography:** Cathy Marston
   - **Music:** Richard Wagner
   - **Description:** Cathy Marston’s "Heimat" is a dance interpretation of Wagner's symphonic poem "Siegfried Idyll." It paints a serene picture of a family in the Swiss countryside and explores the concept of "heimat," a term that suggests a place of spiritual and creative familiarity.

3. **Under the Trees' Voices**
   - **Choreography:** Nicolas Blanc
   - **Music:** Ezio Bosso
   - **Description:** Set to Symphony No. 2 by Bosso, Nicolas Blanc’s "Under the Trees’ Voices" examines the persistence of community and connection in the age of distance and isolation. The piece imagines a future of hope and unity, reminding us that we are better together than alone.

4. **Andante**
   - **Choreography:** Yuri Possokhov
   - **Music:** Dmitri Shostakovich
   - **Description:** Renowned choreographer Yuri Possokhov returns with an intimate world premiere set on three dancers. Possokhov is celebrated for his critically acclaimed works, including "Anna Karenina," "The Miraculous Mandarin," and "Don Quixote."

**Choreographers:**
- **Dani Rowe:** Artistic Director of Oregon Ballet Theatre, known for her works with San Francisco Ballet, Nederlands Dans Theater, and more.
- **Cathy Marston:** Award-winning choreographer and Artistic Director of Ballett Zürich.
- **Nicolas Blanc:** Chicago-based choreographer and Rehearsal Director at The Joffrey Ballet, with works created for New York City Ballet, Rome Opera Ballet, and San Francisco Ballet.
- **Yuri Possokhov:** Renowned dancer and choreographer with creations for The Joffrey Ballet, The Australian Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, Royal Danish Ballet, and Bolshoi Ballet.

**Venue:**
- **Location:** Lyric Opera House
- **Dates:** February 20 - March 2, 2025

Join the Joffrey Ballet for an unforgettable evening of dance that celebrates the beauty of human connection and artistic expression.

Golden Hour 

Lyric Opera House

### Event Description: Atonement by Joffrey Ballet

**Event:** Atonement  
**Dates:** October 17-27, 2024  
**Location:** Lyric Opera House  
**Choreography:** Cathy Marston  
**Music:** Laura Rossi  

Witness the U.S. premiere of renowned choreographer Cathy Marston's "Atonement," a re-imagining of Ian McEwan’s 2001 novel-turned Academy Award-winning film. This poignant ballet follows Briony Tallis, portrayed as a celebrated choreographer, as she grapples with the haunting echoes of her past through a breathtaking dance of redemption.

Marston’s adaptation unfolds the tragic love story of Briony’s older sister, Cecilia, set against the historical backdrop of 1935 England. The performance explores the intricate layers of societal norms and the enduring impact of a single lie. Enveloped in Rossi’s evocative musical score, the dynamic choreography portrays the complexities of self-deception, the transformation of memory, and the weight of guilt. "Atonement" promises an emotionally charged experience with a startling twist finale that will linger in the soul.

**Choreographer:** Cathy Marston, an award-winning choreographer and Artistic Director of Ballett Zürich.  
**Composer:** Laura Rossi, known for her hauntingly atmospheric music with emotional depth and beauty.

**Sponsorship:**
- **Commissioning Producing Sponsor:** Anne L. Kaplan, Denise Littlefield Sobel
- **Commissioning and Presenting Sponsors:** Lorna Ferguson and Terry Clark, Rudolf Nureyev Fund at The Joffrey Ballet, Mr. and Mrs. Joel V. Williamson
- **Production Sponsors:** Holly Palmer Foundation

Join us for this extraordinary ballet that intertwines powerful storytelling with exquisite dance and music.

One of Stanton Welch’s hallmark ballets, Clear showcases the depth of talent of Houston Ballet’s male dancers, featuring seven men and one woman. Sleek, stripped-down costumes emphasize the sheer magnitude of emotion in choreography set to music by Johann Sebastian Bach. The Company brings back one of George Balanchine’s greatest masterpieces for the first time since 1977. Concerto Barocco uses the music of Bach's Concerto in D Minor for Two Violins to spotlight the balletic relationship between dance and music. Houston Ballet also premieres Cathy Marston's Summer and Smoke, a co-production with American Ballet Theatre set to a commissioned score by Michael Daugherty. Inspired by Tennessee Williams' eponymous play, Summer and Smoke brings Marston’s unique perspective on storytelling, often inspired by works of literature, to Houston audiences for the first time. 

Summer And Smoke

Wortham Theater Center

In William Shakespeare’s drama «Romeo and Juliet», the power of love allows two young people to transcend ordinary human limitations. Thanks to Sergei Prokofiev’s music, the star-crossed lovers of Verona have conquered the ballet stage. He brilliantly captured the clashing of love and hate and the juxtaposition of tenderness and violence in his colorful, passionate score.

Romeo and Juliet

In William Shakespeare's drama "Romeo and Juliet," the power of love allows two young people to transcend their limitations. The lovers of Verona have conquered the ballet stage thanks to the music of Sergei Prokofiev. He masterfully captured the clash of love and hate, and the juxtaposition of tenderness and violence, in his vibrant, passionate score. Cathy Marston brings the world's most famous love story to the stage with the Zurich Ballet as a world of contrasts, where everything can change in an instant: around the next corner awaits the love of your life, or perhaps death itself.

William Shakespeare tells a story of love and transformation in his comedy "A Midsummer Night's Dream." He interweaves the paths and detours of Eros in several plot lines, inevitably leading to mix-ups, misunderstandings, and hilarious scenes. Ballet director Cathy Marston and designer Richard Hudson stage their "Midsummer Night's Dream" in a dilapidated, abandoned fairground. Providing a counterpoint to Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy's famous incidental music is Gabriel Prokofiev's "Concerto for Turntables and Orchestra No. 1." Robert Houssart conducts the Zurich Opera Orchestra and receives expert support from the popular British DJ Mr. Switch.

A Midsummer Night's Dream

Bernhard-Theater

Famous orchestral scores by Pyotr Tchaikovsky, Benjamin Britten, and Bohuslav Martinů form the musical heart of this three-part ballet evening. "See the music, hear the dance"—this was the motto of George Balanchine, the founder of the New York City Ballet and a grand master of neoclassical dance. For him, dance was visual music and should lead the audience to hear it in a new and different way. With pure beauty and perfectly choreographed formations of dancers, Balanchine's legendary piece "Serenade" is breathtaking. Cathy Marston's choreography "Against the Tide" was created for London's Royal Ballet. For this piece, she explored Benjamin Britten's Violin Concerto and the background of its creation in 2025. Ballet Zurich will perform a piece by Justin Peck for the first time. In his "Paz de la Jolla," developed entirely in the spirit of Balanchine and set to music by Bohuslav Martinů, the resident choreographer of the New York City Ballet celebrates a Californian beach atmosphere.

Set Designer, Choreographer

Cathy Marston

Events

Upcoming events

May 23 - Jun 26, 2026

Romeo and Juliet · Opernhaus Zürich

May 23 - Dec 27, 2026

Romeo and Juliet · Opernhaus Zürich

Sep 26, 2026 - Jul 3, 2027

A Midsummer Night's Dream · Opernhaus Zürich

May 22 - Jun 27, 2027

See the music, hear the dance · Opernhaus Zürich

Past events

4 - 23 Apr, 2026

The Butterfly Effect · Opernhaus Zürich

Dec 13, 2025 - Apr 24, 2026

Clara · Opernhaus Zürich

About

Cathy Marston hasn't added a bio