The Berlin State Ballet (German: Staatsballett Berlin) is the principal ballet company in the German capital of Berlin. It was created in 2004 through a merger of the separate ballet companies of the city's three opera houses at a time when the city was going through a financial crisis. It is one of the largest ballet companies in Western Europe with approximately 90 dancers.
Since 2004, the Berlin State Ballet, alongside the Berlin State Opera, the Deutsche Oper Berlin, the Komische Oper Berlin comprise the Berlin Opera Foundation . [1] The Berlin State Ballet inaugural general and artistic director, dancer and choreographer Vladimir Malakhov, was a director of the ballet of the Berlin Opera before the companies merged to form the Berlin State Ballet. [2] [3] He led the company for ten years, creating a mixed repertoire of classical titles and contemporary choreography. A star dancer himself, Malakhov was not only managing, but also performing with the company. [4]
In 2014, Nacho Duato became general and artistic director at the Berlin State Ballet with an initial five years term. He created new choreography for the company, and oversaw restagings of some of his signature ballets, created in Madrid, St. Petersburg and Munich, in Berlin. In 2016, Michael Müller, Mayor of Berlin, announced that the city will not extend Duato's contract with the company when it expires in 2019.
For the 2018/19 season, Johannes Öhman took over as Director of the Staatsballett Berlin. For the 2019/20 season, Öhman was joined by Sasha Waltz in a co-directorship. Christiane Theobald took over as provisional artistic director in August 2020. Christian Spuck followed as permanent artistic director from the 2023/24 season. [5]
Vladimir Malakhov is a Ukrainian ballet dancer who was the artistic director of the Staatsballett Berlin from its founding in 2004 until 2014. He is a former principal dancer with American Ballet Theatre and Vienna State Opera Ballet.
Mauro Bigonzetti is an Italian ballet dancer and choreographer. He trained at the ballet school of Teatro dell'Opera di Roma and entered their company in 1979.
Juan Ignacio Duato Barcia, also known as Nacho Duato is a Spanish modern ballet dancer and choreographer. Since 2014, Duato has been artistic director of the Berlin State Ballet. He is openly gay.
Polina Alexandrovna Semionova is a Russian ballet dancer and model for Uniqlo who was a principal dancer with the American Ballet Theatre in New York and with the Berlin State Ballet. She is a professor at the Berlin State Ballet School.
The Mikhailovsky Theatre is one of Russia's oldest opera and ballet houses. It was founded in 1833 and is situated in a historical building on 1, Arts Square in Saint Petersburg. It is named after Grand Duke Michael Pavlovich of Russia. Since 1989, it has borne the Modest Mussorgsky name. Since 1991 it has officially been named The St Petersburg Mussorgsky State Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre—Mikhailovsky Theatre.
The Stanislavski and Nemirovich-Danchenko Moscow Academic Music Theatre is a music theatre in Moscow.
The Hamburg Ballet is a ballet company based in Hamburg, Germany. Since 1973, it has been directed by the American dancer and choreographer John Neumeier. In addition there is a ballet school, School of the Hamburg Ballet, established in 1978. The performances of the Hamburg Ballet are usually held at the Hamburg State Opera, while the training and education facility is the "Ballettzentrum Hamburg – John Neumeier".
Daniil Simkin is a ballet dancer and entrepreneur, best known for his accomplished technical skill and charismatic stage presence. He was formerly a principal dancer with both American Ballet Theatre and Berlin State Ballet. Simkin is based in New York, and is the founder of Studio Simkin.
Sasha Alexandra Waltz is a German choreographer, dancer and leader of the dance company Sasha Waltz and Guests.
Renato Zanella is an Italian-born ballet dancer, choreographer and director. He studied classical ballet for several years before becoming a choreographer for various professional companies. Due to his success, he has won many awards and honorary titles within the ballet community.
Vienna State Ballet, Wiener Staatsballett, is considered one of the world's top ballet companies. It was formerly named the Vienna State Opera Ballet as it is based at the Vienna State Opera building. In 2005 the ballets of the Vienna State Opera and the Vienna Volksoper were merged under the name Das Ballett der Wiener Staatsoper und Volksoper and Gyula Harangozo became the artistic director. On 1 September 2010, a further name change was accompanied by a change in leadership. Manuel Legris, former principal dancer with the Paris Opera Ballet, succeeded as the artistic director.
Giorgio Madia is an Italian choreographer and stage director active in the fields of opera, ballet, operetta, musical and event.
Iana Salenko is a Ukrainian-German ballet dancer. She is a principal dancer at the Berlin State Ballet.
Birgit Keil is a German ballet dancer. She was prima ballerina of the Stuttgart Ballet and was internationally known as The German Ballerina, She has been teaching at the Hochschule für Musik und Darstellende Kunst Mannheim and directing the ballet ensemble of the Badisches Staatstheater Karlsruhe.
Sonia Santiago is a ballet dancer and ballet teacher.
Viktorina Kapitonova is a Russian ballerina. She is a principal dancer with Boston Ballet.
Goyo Montero Morell is a Spanish ballet dancer, a ballet director and a choreographer.
Pedro Alcalde is a Spanish composer, conductor, musicologist and pianist.
David Motta Soares is a Brazilian classical ballet dancer. He was a leading soloist with the Bolshoi Ballet. In May 2022 David became a Principal Dancer with the Berlin State Ballet.
Elisa Carrillo Cabrera is a Mexican classical ballet dancer. She is a co-director of the Mexican National Dance Company and principal dancer with the Berlin State Ballet.
With the start of the 2023/24 season, Christian Spuck takes over as Artistic Director of the Staatsballett Berlin.