Ballet In Austria: A Cultural Exploration

Ballet is a popular art form in Austria, with several ballet companies and dancers in the country. The Vienna State Ballet, for example, is considered one of the world's top ballet companies and performs at the Vienna State Opera and the Volksoper. The Vienna Festival Ballet is another well-known company. Ballet in Austria has a long history, dating back to the 17th century when it was first performed by Emperor Eleonore Gonzaga.

Vienna State Ballet

The Vienna State Ballet 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. The company also performs at the Vienna Volksoper, where the genres of opera, operetta, and musical are also at home. The ballet seasons, which run from September to June each year, are full of excitement, with a range of performances from large narrative ballets to American neo-classical performances and contemporary dance. The ballet director, Martin Schläpfer, is Swiss and a gifted choreographer whose works are as intense as they are virtuoso.

The Vienna State Ballet was formed in 2005 when the ballets of the Vienna State Opera and the Vienna Volksoper were merged under the name Das Ballett der Wiener Staatsoper und Volksoper. The artistic director at this time was Gyula Harangozo. On 1 September 2010, there was a further name change, accompanied by a change in leadership, with Manuel Legris, former principal dancer with the Paris Opera Ballet, succeeding as the artistic director.

In his first season, Legris created eight premieres, including the triple bill evening "Juwelen der Neuen Welt" (Jewels of the New World) featuring ballets by George Balanchine, Twyla Tharp, and William Forsythe. In the second season, three premieres followed in the Vienna State Opera: Pierre Lacotte's La Sylphide, the triple bill evening "Meisterwerke des 20. Jahrhunderts" (Masterpieces of the 20th Century), and the Nureyev Gala 2012. At the Vienna Volksoper, he presented a triple bill evening with Vesna Orlic's Carmina Burana, Boris Nebyla's Nachmittag eines Fauns (Afternoon of a Faun), and András Lukács' Bolero.

During the third season, three premieres were staged at the Vienna State Opera, including Rudolf Nureyev's Der Nussknacker (The Nutcracker), the quadruple bill evening "Tanzperspektiven" (Dance Perspectives), and the Nuryev Gala 2013. At the Vienna Volksoper, there were also three premieres, including Jorma Elo's Ein Sommernachtstraum (A Midsummer Night's Dream).

The fourth season brought three premieres, including "Ballett-Hommage" (Ballet Homage) with works by William Forsythe, Natalia Horecna, and Harald Lander, Swan Lake by Rudolf Nureyev, and the Nureyev Gala 2014. At the Vienna Volksoper, there were two premieres: the double bill evening "Märchenwelt Ballett" with Vesna Orlic's Tausendundeine Nacht (One Thousand and One Nights) and Das hässliche Entlein (The Ugly Duckling) by Andrey Kaydanovskiy, and Ein Reigen by Ashley Page.

Vienna Festival Ballet

The Vienna Festival Ballet (VFB) is a UK-based ballet company that performs classical ballets for audiences worldwide. The VFB gave its first performance in Brighton, England, in May 1980, followed by an extended European tour across the UK, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and Belgium. Since then, the company has grown in popularity and has been invited to perform at various venues repeatedly.

The VFB's repertoire includes full-length ballets such as Swan Lake, The Nutcracker, Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, Coppelia, Giselle, La Sylphide, Rhapsody In Blue, Snow White, Othello, An American in Paris, and Tales From The Vienna Woods. The company is unique in its production of Cinderella, as it uses music by Rossini instead of the more commonly used Prokofiev score, adding a more romantic touch to the ballet.

The main appeal of the VFB lies in the beauty, youth, and skill of its dancers, who are considered world-class performers. The company was founded by Peter, its current Artistic Director, who started his career at the age of fourteen as a member of the corps de ballet at the Vienna State Opera. Peter's wife, Gill, is the Executive Director and Marketing Manager. She joined the VFB in 1981 and danced various soloist roles before taking on her current role in the company's management.

The VFB is one of the few ballet companies in the UK that is entirely self-funded, allowing them full artistic control and independence in deciding where to take their productions.

International Festival Ballet

The International Festival Ballet is a company of 45 skilled dancers who are graduates of prestigious ballet schools such as the Vaganova Academy, the Moscow Academy of Choreography, and the Kiev State Ballet Academy. The company was founded in 2009 with the aim of uniting talented young artists. The International Festival Ballet showcases the best in classical ballet while also introducing new talent and nurturing the next generation of ballet dancers. The ensemble performs on prestigious stages worldwide, touring internationally for 5 to 6 months annually. They are recognised as one of the best ballet companies for their outstanding technique and artistry.

The International Festival Ballet has received acclaim from audiences and critics alike. Reviews praise the company for its "perfect dance and choreography" and "fantastic lighting direction", with one critic describing the performance as "elegant and generous! Like something out of a picture book". Another review highlights the "aesthetic purity, refined technique, and harmony" of the ballet. The International Festival Ballet has also been lauded for its "nostalgia and brilliance", with its production of Swan Lake hailed as a "blockbuster".

The company presents a fusion of classical elegance with modernist and 21st-century influences. Their performances feature music by composers such as P. I. Tchaikovsky, with choreography by renowned artists like L. Ivanov, M. Petipa, and J. Coralli. The International Festival Ballet's productions are further enhanced by the stage design and costumes of V. Okunev, who has created sets and costumes for the Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg.

In Austria, the International Festival Ballet has performed in various cities, including Vienna, Salzburg, Bregenz, and Innsbruck. Their performances in Austria include renowned ballet productions such as "The Nutcracker" and "Swan Lake". These performances showcase the company's commitment to classical ballet while also incorporating innovative elements to delight audiences of all ages.

Vienna Volksoper

The Vienna Volksoper, or Vienna People's Opera, is an opera house in Vienna, Austria. It was built in 1898 as the Kaiserjubiläum-Stadttheater (Kaiser's Jubilee Civic Theatre) and originally only produced plays. However, in 1903, Rainer Simons took over the house and renamed it the Kaiserjubiläum-Stadttheater - Volksoper (public opera). He intended to continue producing plays while also establishing a series of operas and operettas.

The Volksoper has a rich history, facing early financial troubles, hosting world-famous singers, and becoming Vienna's second prestige opera house. After the Second World War, it served as the alternative venue to the devastated Vienna State Opera. Today, the Volksoper continues to produce operas, operettas, musicals, and ballets, with an annual season running from September through June.

During its season, the Volksoper stages around 300 performances of 35 different productions and revivals, including classics such as "Die Fledermaus - The Bat", "Merry Widow", "The Magic Flute", and "La Traviata". It also features musicals like "My Fair Lady" and "The Wizard of Oz". Ballet productions include "The Snow Queen".

The Volksoper has received acclaim and recognition, ranking among the top things to do in Vienna on Tripadvisor. Reviews highlight the venue's historic and beautiful architecture, comfortable seating, and English surtitles. The Volksoper is easily accessible, located just ten minutes outside the city centre and connected by public transportation.

The Volksoper offers a diverse range of performances, from the whimsical "Dreigroschenoper" to Puccini's heartbreaking "La bohème". It caters to a wide audience, including families with children, and provides an enriching cultural experience for visitors to Vienna.

Manuel Legris

Legris is known for his performances in both classical and contemporary choreography, working with renowned choreographers such as William Forsythe, John Neumeier, Jiří Kylián, and Jerome Robbins. He has danced leading roles in classical productions and works by prominent choreographers like Frederick Ashton, George Balanchine, John Cranko, and Rudolf Nureyev, who appointed him "Étoile" in 1986.

In 2010, Legris became the director of the Vienna State Ballet, a position he held until 2020. During this time, he directed productions such as Rudolf Nureyev's "Don Quixote" and "Onegin." After his contract with the Vienna State Ballet ended, he took on a new role as the artistic director of the La Scala Theatre Ballet in Milan, Italy.

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