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

“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.

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Rebel Birds

Opernhaus Zürich

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.

Romeo and Juliet

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.

Slow Rush

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.

Zurich Ballet

Sep 26, 2026 - Jul 3, 2027

A Midsummer Night's Dream

May 23 - Dec 27, 2026

Romeo and Juliet

Jan 16 - Jun 3, 2027

Slow Rush

May 22 - Jun 27, 2027

See the music, hear the dance

Sep 26, 2026 - Jul 3, 2027

A Midsummer Night's Dream

11 - 27 Sep, 2026

Rebel Birds

Zurich Ballet