Jiří Kylián is one of the legendary figures of the international dance scene. For over three decades, he shaped the artistic profile of the Nederlands Dans Theater, which under his direction developed into one of the world’s leading contemporary dance companies. What unites Kylián’s choreographies is their poignant beauty and a lightness of movement that goes hand in hand with deep musicality, expressive emotionality, and profound introspection. In BELLA FIGURA (1995), Kylián embarks on a fascinating journey through time and thought, once again engaging with fundamental questions of human existence and seeking to transcend the rigid boundaries between dream and reality, illusion and truth. Set to a blend of early and contemporary music – Vivaldi, Pergolesi, Lucas Foss – this work, now part of the international repertoire, brings together breathtaking duets, trios, and quartets.

The Dutch choreographer Hans van Manen combines two very different musical pieces into a sensual, elegant, and humorous duet: In 1996, he created the opening of one of his most touching dances in the long list of his masterpieces to the eponymous melancholic blues song by J.J. Cales and Stravinsky’s exuberant CIRCUS POLKA. With a touch of irony, the recently deceased grand master of contemporary ballet reflects in THE OLD MAN AND ME on the aging of a couple, while also tenderly revisiting their shared memories.

Marco Goecke, artistic director of Ballet Basel since the 25/26 season, contributes his interpretation of LE SPECTRE DE LA ROSE. Since its premiere in 1911, Mikhail Fokine’s work has become a classic whose fascination continues to this day. It tells the poetic dream of a young girl who is drawn into a dance by the spirit of a rose. Goecke’s interpretation creates a mysterious world full of longing for love, set to the music of Carl Maria von Weber.