The 48th Hamburg Ballet Days: A Celebration of John Neumeier’s 50-Year Career and a Showcase of Young Talent

Ballet director John Neumeier says goodbye after 50 years with an extra long program. The Hamburg Ballet Days not only offer key works from Neumeier’s career, but also opportunities for young talent.

John Neumeier is presenting key works from his 50 years as Artistic Director and Chief Choreographer of the Hamburg Ballet until July 9th. On the occasion of the anniversary, the Hamburg Ballet Days now last four weeks instead of two. Highlights are the guest performances of the Royal Danish Ballet and the Stuttgart Ballet. The national youth ballet and young talents from Neumeier’s in-house ballet school are also on the stage. In addition to the performances in the Hamburg State Opera the Matthew Passion is performed in the St. Michaelis Church (Michel).

Look back and ahead

The Hamburg Ballet Days opened on Sunday, June 11, with Neumeier’s production of Shakespeare’s classic Romeo and Juliet. In 1971 it was the first full-length ballet of his career. The choreographer not only looked back to his beginnings, but also to the future of the Hamburg Ballet through the cast of young dancers.

The next generation should also be supported with the John Neumeier Prize for choreography, which is endowed with 25,000 euros. Hapag Lloyd is awarding the prize for the first time at this year’s Hamburg Ballet Days. With the prize money, the winner develops a choreography for the National Youth Ballet. How things will continue after Neumeier’s departure is already clear: Argentinian Demis Volpi is moving from the Deutsche Oper am Rhein in Düsseldorf to the Hamburg State Opera.

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