Verdensballett 2023
The review
Sylt . Keitum . July 13, 2023
The VERDENBALLETT is a guest at the BENEN-DIKEN-HOF
A magical ballet evening
The stage was once again set up for the evening in front of the historic, thatched building with its old chestnut trees. Iana Salenko and Marian Walter impressively dance »Les Adiuex« to the music of Metallica. The audience is fascinated by what is happening on stage. The sun shines until it disappears behind the thatched roofs of the hotel complex. Rain is no longer expected today … thank heavens. White tents on the meadow next door promise delicacies during the break. A magical mood hangs over the scene.
For the sixth time, the VERDENBALLETT (Danish World Ballet) is making a guest appearance on the grounds of the BENEN-DIKEN-HOF in Keitum on Sylt – this year again together with the BUNDESJUGENDBALLETT and for the first time with the HAMBURGER KAMMERBALLETT.
The programme: classical and modern ballet parts, scenes and arias from well-known operas as well as music for violin and piano. The dancers of the VERDENBALLETT are accompanied by opera singers, the violinist Niklas Walentin and the pianist Alexander McKenzie. Sofie Elkjær Jensen, soprano at the Royal Theater in Copenhagen, and Jens-Christian Wandt, tenor and emcee will sing.
In his opening speech, Claas-Erik Johannsen welcomed the audience and thanked Karin Martin, the chairwoman of the association “Freunde des Ballettzentrums Hamburg e.V.”, the American friends of the house for their years of commitment to supporting the performance of the BUNDESJUGENDBALLETT at the VERDENBALLETT in Keitum and the Hamburg Opera Foundation, which made the performance of the HAMBURG CHAMBER BALLET possible.
The VERDENBALLETT 2023 once again provides proof that high culture can be enjoyed in a relaxed and light-hearted manner. On this year’s tour, it is again filled with a selection of world-famous dancers, including Steven McRae, principal dancer at the Royal Ballet, London and artistic director of the VERDENBALLETT; with the Ukrainian prima ballerina Iana Salenko and her partner Marian Walter from the Berlin State Ballet; with Xander Parish, who was a member of the Mariinsky Ballet in Saint Petersburg for 12 years and now dances in the National Ballet at the Oslo Opera; with Astrid Elbo, one of the biggest stars of the Danish ballet world, who dances the major roles of both the classical and modern repertoire as a soloist with the Royal Ballet Copenhagen; with Marian Walter, who as a “Kammertänzer” – the highest title that a ballet dancer can receive in Germany – dances as a solo dancer in the Staatsballett Berlin; with two other principal dancers: Yasmin Naghdi and Reece Clarke from the Royal Ballet, London.
The BUNDESJUGENDBALLETT – founded by John Neumeier – is a dance company with eight international talented dancers between the ages of 18 and 23 who have already completed their dance training. You work and perform with the BUNDESJUGENDBALLETT for a maximum of two years. Under the artistic and educational direction of Kevin Haigen the company is based in the Ballet Center Hamburg – John Neumeier.
The HAMBURGER KAMMERBALLETT is present at the VERDENBALLETT for the first time. It works under the artistic and choreographic direction of Edvin Revazov, who has been dancing at the Hamburg Ballet John Neumeier since 2003 and as principal from 2010. He founded the HAMBURGER KAMMERBALLETT – a project close to his heart with which he wants to strengthen community, cohesion and solidarity. The ensemble consists of seven young, talented dancers who, like the founder Edvin Revazov, are all from Ukraine.
A good 1,000 visitors had gathered on the grounds of the BENEN-DIKEN-HOF.
It was a magnificent ballet evening – very special, touching, unique. The enthusiastic audience said goodbye to the artists with standing ovations.
For more information see
VERDENSBALLETT . Denmark
https://verdensballetten.dk/
BUNDESJUGENDBALLETT
https://www.bundesjugendballett.de/
HAMBURGER KAMMERBALLETT
https://www.hamburger-kammerballett.de/
VERDENSBALLETT . 2024
The performance of the VERDENSBALLETT next year
– again with us on the BENEN-DIKEN-HOF –
takes place
Thursday, July 11, 2024
The advance sale will start on 01 December 2023.
