Costume Designer

Set Designer

«L'amour est un oiseau rebelle», sings Carmen in Georges Bizet’s opera of the same name. Mats Ek, the Swedish dance legend, made Carmen the heroine of a ballet at the Cullberg Ballet in 1992. He based it closely on the novella by Prosper Mérimée, which also forms the basis for the opera, in which Don José tells the story of Carmen from his death cell. Playing with classic gender roles, Mats Ek avoids common Carmen clichés and finds a deeply human interpretation. Another strong female figure is at the center of Dani Rowe’s choreography. After a career as a dancer with the Australian Ballet and the Nederlands Dans Theater, the Australian-born choreographer now heads the Oregon Ballet Theater. She is creating her first choreography for the Ballett Zürich, set to the music of Mussorgsky’s «Bilder einer Ausstellung», in the orchestral version by Maurice Ravel.

Rebel Birds

Zurich Opera House

“Love is a rebellious bird,” sings Carmen in Georges Bizet’s opera of the same name. In 1992, the Swedish dance legend Mats Ek made Carmen the title character of a ballet for the Cullberg Ballet. He closely follows the novella by Prosper Mérimée on which the opera is based, in which Don José recounts Carmen’s story from his death cell. Playing with classical gender roles, Mats Ek avoids common Carmen clichés and arrives at a profoundly human interpretation. The Australian choreographer Dani Rowe, who now directs the Oregon Ballet Theatre, presents “Vestige,” set to the music of Mussorgsky’s “Pictures at an Exhibition” in Maurice Ravel’s orchestral arrangement. In episodic visions, people, impressions, and experiences pass before the main character, “Human,” allowing her to draw new strength from her memories.

EPSG:4326

Opernhaus Zürich

The Lyon Opera Ballet recreates two mythical pieces from the contemporary repertoire: House and The Rite of Spring , where rhythm is at the helm.

Although nearly thirty years and distinct approaches to choreographic writing separate The Rite of Spring (1984) and House (2011), both pieces share a certain sense of collective vertigo, echoing ancient rituals. This is the heart of The Rite of Spring , originally choreographed by Vaslav Nijinsky and reinterpreted here by the Swedish choreographer Mats Ek, which retains Igor Stravinsky's score intact. This version—reworked in 2022—is characterized by a dance that is both rigorous and eruptive, where virtuoso leaps, sweeping gestures, and combative postures coexist. The opening piece, House , an emblematic work by Sharon Eyal, is guided by the pulse of techno music. In it, the choreographer deploys her unique vocabulary, imbued with club dances and a technique inherited from classical ballet. A hypnotic tour de force where bodies undulate and unfold in a perpetual game of imbalances.

Costume Designer, Set Designer

Marie-Louise Ekman

Events

Upcoming events

11 - 27 Sep, 2026

Rebel Birds · Opernhaus Zürich

Dec 9, 2026

House & The Rite of Spring · Opéra de Dijon

Past events

Oct 12 - Dec 9, 2025

Rebel Birds · Opernhaus Zürich

About

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