The very title of this two-part ballet promises an evening of contrasts: tempo versus slowness. In 2027, the ballet world will celebrate Jiří Kylián's 80th birthday. For over three decades, he shaped the profile of Nederlands Dans Theater, which, under his direction, has developed into one of the world's leading contemporary ballet companies. The Prague native has also been associated with the Zurich Ballet since 1997. In slow motion, six figures move through his piece "Last Touch First," reminiscent of Chekhov and Ibsen. On the fine line between perceived movement and immobility, psychodramas full of desire, despair, and pathos unfold. Canadian-born Stephanie Lake is one of the most important dance figures in her adopted home of Australia. She is resident choreographer of the Australian Ballet and resident choreographer with the Semperoper Ballet. With her Melbourne-based Stephanie Lake Company, she tours the world. In her creations, she explores the relationship between the individual and the collective. She is choreographing a fast-paced group piece for the Zurich Ballet to a new score by Robin Fox, dominated by percussion instruments.

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Slow Rush

Opernhaus Zürich

This four-part ballet evening unites two legendary dance pieces and two new creations for the Zurich Ballet. The company has a long-standing relationship with William Forsythe. His "New Suite," premiered in 2012 and set to music by Handel, Bach, and Berio, brings together eight duets from different periods of his career, creating a virtuosic pas de deux retrospective by the American choreographer. After a long career as a dancer, the Brazilian Lucas Valente is successfully transitioning to choreography. "Bare" is his first piece for the Zurich Ballet. Here, the large ensemble draws all its energy solely from the soundscape of its own movements. The Greek choreographer Andonis Foniadakis is known for his energetically charged, contemporary creations. In "Orbit," the dancers orbit like galactic celestial bodies, pushed to their physical and mental limits. With his video ballet "Live," Hans van Manen has made dance history. Created in 1979 during the pioneering days of video technology, the piece for a pair of dancers, a cameraman and a pianist breaks the boundaries of the stage space and proves to be a masterful puzzle about the mechanisms of perception.

Timeframed

"Tosca" is an operatic thriller about desire, betrayal, and the abuse of power. With the title character, Puccini created a figure who has dedicated her life entirely to the stage. Robert Carsen directs a subtle drama about appearance and reality, theater and truth. Under the musical direction of Carlo Rizzi, Maria Agresta and Sonya Yoncheva alternate in the title role, Charles Castronovo and Yusif Eyvazov sing Cavaradossi, and Ludovic Tézier and Gabriele Viviani portray the power-hungry Scarpia.

Tosca

The work of a piano tuner is indispensable for all concert and opera performances, yet it takes place behind closed doors, away from the public eye. The pursuit of perfect tuning, like so much in life, inevitably leads to compromise due to external constraints. This was already recognized by the music theorist Andreas Werckmeister, who, in the late 17th century, grappled with the intricacies of meantone temperament and sought to bring order to the system. Werckmeister's cryptic-philosophical texts and compositions, ranging from Schütz to Charles Ives, form the starting point for the music theater creation of the Swiss theater director Thom Luz.

Werckmeister Harmonies

Podcast link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZ_ZQW5C2pw&amp;t=2s

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Podcast link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PFe6mW6x9pc

The Artelize Podcast: 'Amplifying What Makes Us Human'. A conversation with Zuly E. Inirio

Podcast link: https://youtu.be/4hagYvrYbuM

The Artelize Podcast and Kasper Holten - Pedefining Opera for the modern world

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The Artelize Podcast - A legacy of innovation in Opera: Celebrating Marc A. Scorca

Amidst the everyday dreariness of a small village, Nemorino tries to win the heart of the wealthy landowner Adina. He pins his hopes on a supposed "love potion" which he acquires from the shady Dr. Dulcamara. This potion is said to take effect after 24 hours. With Gaetano Donizetti's "melodramma giocoso," composed during the early industrial era, director Julia Lwowski makes her debut at the Zurich Opera House. The stage design is by artist Mika Rottenberg, whose playful fantasy worlds question the absurdity of modern production.

L'elisir d'amore

For Figaro and Susanna, it was supposed to be the happiest day of their lives: their wedding day. But their master, Count Almaviva, who is equally in love with Susanna, does everything in his power to postpone the marriage. Twenty-four turbulent hours ensue, during which all the characters in this piece are swept away by the power of Eros into confusing emotional states. Director Jan Philipp Gloger transposes Mozart's masterpiece to the present day and shows how a seemingly irresistible man becomes entangled in a web of codes of conduct against abuse of power and sexual assault.

The Marriage of Figaro 2027

This special concert project is dedicated to one of the iconic figures of literary history: Ophelia from Shakespeare's "Hamlet." Between self-empowerment and tragic failure, her fate unfolds in a world dominated by patriarchal power. Conductor Raphaël Pichon weaves together music from Ambroise Thomas's "Hamlet," Berlioz's "Tristia, Op. 18," and Fauré's "Requiem" into a compelling musical portrait that illuminates the various facets of Ophelia's character. Alongside soprano Sabine Devieilhe and baritone Huw Montague Rendall, the Zurich Opera Orchestra and Chorus will perform.

Requiem for Ophélie

The extensive concert program presents itself with dazzling diversity and a variety of formats. The Zurich Opera Orchestra, in full force, will perform in seven Philharmonic Concerts, alternating between the Opera House and the Tonhalle. Internationally renowned soloists and guest conductors will dedicate themselves to major works from Beethoven to Strauss, as well as fascinating discoveries from the concert repertoire.

8th Chamber Concert

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.

See the music, hear the dance

The aging and headstrong Don Pasquale dreams of marrying a young woman. But his supposed bride turns out to be a cunning schemer: the self-assured Norina and the shady Dottor Malatesta play a cruel trick on the old man, a blend of comedy and hurt. "Don Pasquale" is one of Gaetano Donizetti's last operas. This dramma buffo showcases the composer's mastery and keen understanding of human nature, written shortly before the tragic end of his life. Director Christof Loy presents Donizetti's classic beyond all buffo clichés, with a subtle, bittersweet touch. The title role is sung by Johannes Martin Kränzle, one of the most distinguished character actors of our time.

Don Pasquale

The children's opera orchestra, with instrumentalists from all 35 music schools in the canton of Zurich, performs under the direction of Gianandrea Noseda and Ann-Katrin Stöcker, together with soloists from the Zurich Opera.

Children's Opera Orchestra

The extensive concert program presents itself with dazzling diversity and a variety of formats. The Zurich Opera Orchestra, in full force, will perform in seven Philharmonic Concerts, alternating between the Opera House and the Tonhalle. Internationally renowned soloists and guest conductors will dedicate themselves to major works from Beethoven to Strauss, as well as fascinating discoveries from the concert repertoire. 

Events in Zürich

Slow Rush

Opernhaus Zürich

Timeframed

Opernhaus Zürich

Tosca

Opernhaus Zürich

Werckmeister Harmonies

Opernhaus Zürich

The Artelize Podcast Pres...

Artelize

The Artelize Podcast: 'Am...

Artelize

The Artelize Podcast and ...

Artelize

The Artelize Podcast - A ...

Artelize

L'elisir d'amore

Opernhaus Zürich

The Marriage of Figaro 20...

Opernhaus Zürich

The Marriage of Figaro 20...

Opernhaus Zürich

Requiem for Ophélie

Opernhaus Zürich

8th Chamber Concert

Opernhaus Zürich

See the music, hear the d...

Opernhaus Zürich

Don Pasquale

Opernhaus Zürich

Children's Opera Orchestr...

Opernhaus Zürich

Viotti

Opernhaus Zürich

Julie Fuchs recital

Opernhaus Zürich