Portrait

The Staatsballett Berlin is the largest ballet company in Germany, with 80 dancers from 30 nations – and the only one that presents its diverse repertoire on three opera stages in the city: the Deutsche Oper Berlin, the Komische Oper Berlin, and the Staatsoper Unter den Linden. Founded in 2004 through the merger of the former ballet ensembles of these three opera houses, the Staatsballett is an independent institution under the umbrella of the Stiftung Oper in Berlin.

The founding artistic director in 2004 was Vladimir Malakhov, one of the outstanding dancers of his generation. Until 2014, he brought a varied repertoire to the stage, characterised by numerous world premieres, the rediscovery of rarities from the ballet repertoire, and the engagement of exceptional dancers whom he was able to bring to Berlin. Works by Maurice Béjart or George Balanchine shaped the programme, as well as creations by Mauro Bigonzetti or Angelin Preljocaj, who were at the time protagonists of a choreographic avant-garde.

Also in high demand as a choreographer worldwide was the Spanish choreographer Nacho Duato, artistic director of the Staatsballett from 2014 to 2018. With his very personal, sensitive, and introverted movement language, his own works shaped the programme, alongside works by Jiří Kylián, his mentor and teacher, or Ohad Naharin.

Under the co-directorship of Johannes Öhman and Sasha Waltz, a Berlin figurehead of contemporary dance, new choreographic approaches could be explored. Personalities such as Alexander Ekman, Alexei Ratmansky, and Richard Siegal created new works with the company, each with a different approach.

During the interim directorship of Dr Christiane Theobald, works by Pina Bausch and Mats Ek, as well as works by a younger generation like David Dawson, were performed. In addition, various programme formats sought to foster a multi-perspective dialogue and stronger engagement with the audience.

Since the start of the 2023/24 season, Christian Spuck has been the artistic director of the Staatsballett Berlin. Under his leadership, the programme is characterised by diverse new creations by renowned choreographers of our time and the preservation of the classical ballet repertoire. In the annual survey for the 2023/24 season, critics from the magazine tanz named the Staatsballett Berlin «Company of the Year.»