Double bill

The method of Ioannis Mandafounis, also known as ‘live choreography’, allow dancers to create their choreography on the spot. In his work Lisa, the dancers themselves choose when they enter or exit the stage, which leads to truly surprising twists and turns. A chance encounter between two dancers can suddenly turn into a group scene, or someone may be left alone for an emotional solo.

The dance piece combines these improvisations with poems by Osip Mandelstam, a Russian poet, essayist and critic of the Soviet government, who is considered to be one of the most eminent poets of the twentieth century. His work symbolizes the struggle for artistic and intellectual freedom in times of oppression. Historical costumes from the 1930s provide visual context for the texts, which are spoken in Russian, English and German. The audience can choose to follow the shorter and longer narratives – or not. Is this a crime scene, a romantic encounter or simply business as usual?
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For the second part of this double billing, William Forsythe returns to the place, where the roots of his impressive legacy lie to create a new work with the ensemble for the first time. Based on improvisation, he models in Civil Society: Undertainment a structure that does not mean anything in particular but offers pure aesthetic pleasure – like a kaleidoscope creating surprising patterns within a clearly perceptible framework. The audience is invited to experience this performance as one living, breathing whole.

William Forsythe is considered one of the most influential choreographers of the twentieth century. His work is hailed for transforming ballet from its focus on classical repertoire to a dynamic, contemporary art form.