EXB 172

of deliberate creativity? The poison of labour
into a medicine of work?
3
This format seems very collaborative
– how do you balance openness
and structure? This has been one of
the biggest mysteries of this work. It has to do
Ballet
WHAT’S ON — Stage
simultaneously with rules, tools, intuition and
the unknown. So it is more or less like science
itself. At the end it feels like a practice of dosing,
in which the danger of producing a poison is
always around the corner. As we all know: Sola
dosis facit venenum – the dose makes the poison,
as Paracelsus said. Will you take the risk to try it?
I want to
remain
in the
shadow.*
Theatre with English surtitles
Bowing out and recycling Romeo
Nacho Duato’s final production at the Staatsballett is the
Prokofiev ballet starring audience-darling Semionova.
Romeo & Juliet premiered on the
Staatsoper stage last month, but it
isn’t much of a first-time for anyone
involved: Polina Semionova has already
danced Duato’s Juliet. So has Ivan Zaytsev
his Romeo, both as choreographed by the
Spaniard at Saint Petersburg’s Mikhailovsky
in 2012. And back then Duato had already
recycled his own Madrid version from 1998,
as unforgiving Berlin critics were prompt
to comment, crying foul on the shameless
rip off. Truth be told, they’ve always been
a little ruthless towards Duato, who took
over the Staatsballett four years ago. Then
again, the proud choreographer didn’t do
much to win them over with arrogant
posturing, lacklustre ambition and a recycling
policy reminiscent of the Volksbühne
under freshly-demoted Chris Dercon.
So expect a Romeo and Juliet that’s no
more (and no less) than the ballet created
20 years ago: Duato’s signature blend of
classical and modern ballet, i.e. plenty of
flexed toes and squared arms, and choreography
that one could call gender-fluid
– with the feminised body language of male
leads, and, conversely, a more androgynous
approach to female soloists that challenges
classical ballerina orthodoxy. Doing the
same novel modern stuff for 30 years can
feel as repetitive as good old ballet. And
that’s what you get: a capable corps de
ballet that shines through with endearing
ensemble pieces; solid supporting leads and
duets executed with awe-inspiring fluidity
and great overhead lifts. As for costumes
and décor, they cut out alluring stage
aesthetics, lightyears away from the tackiness
(or shabbiness) usually on display at
Berlin operas. But the star of the night was
Semionova, who as usual did the job with
effortless skill and grace to the usual display
of rapturous audiences. Duato’s set to
bow out later this summer and she will stay.
But it’s your last chance to see Semonova as
Duato’s Juliet – new management under Sasha
Waltz/Johannes Öhman won’t be keeping
the production in repertoire. So Madrid
import or not, it’s now or never. — RS
Romeo & Juliet June 12, 20, 23,
19:30 Staatsoper unter den Linden
»Miss Julie«
after August Strindberg
Direction: Katie Mitchell and
Leo Warner
On June 5
»Bella Figura«
by Yasmina Reza
Direction: Thomas Ostermeier
On June 8
»LENIN«
by Milo Rau & Ensemble
Direction: Milo Rau
On June 15 and 16
*»Shadow (Eurydice Speaks)«
by Elfriede Jelinek
Direction: Katie Mitchell
On June 18 and 19
»The Little Foxes«
by Lillian Hellman
Direction: Thomas Ostermeier
On June 28
»Hamlet«
by William Shakespeare
Direction: Thomas Ostermeier
On July 6
JUNE 2018
Tickets: 030 890023 www.schaubuehne.de