Stuttgart Ballet is a German ballet company. Dating to 1609 with the court ballet of the dukes of Württemberg, the modern company was begun under John Cranko (1927-1973). It is known for full-length narrative ballets. The company received the Laurence Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement in Dance in 1981.

History The Stuttgart Ballet can be traced to the ballet of the Duke's court of 1609. The "sing-ballette" flourished later in that century under Jacques Courcelles.Koegler (1977), p.505.

Noverre (18th century) In 1759 Duke Carl Eugen invited Jean-Georges Noverre to come to Stuttgart and be well-rewarded as resident balletmaster. Noverre was widely known as a ballet reformer, and as a dancer and choreographer.Homans (2010), pp. 80-84. He increased the ducal ballet company to 7 female and 7 male principal dancers and 42 figueants (21 female and 21 male). "During his stay the most famous dancers appeared regularly as guests" of the Duke. These included Gaetano Vestris, Maximilien Gardel, Jean Dauberval, and Anna Heinel (making her debut). Noverre while in Stuttgart "created some of his best ballets".Koegler (1977), pp. 505-506 & 390, quotes: 506 (visiting dancers) and 390 (best ballets).

In 1763 Noverre wrote Médée et Jason (music by Rodolphe) for the Duke's birthday. The ballet was "a freestanding entr'acte entertainment" following Italian tradition, "not a divertissement woven into an opera in the French style". The 35-minute dance "taut, bloody, and tragic" told its gruesome drama.Homans (2010), Médée et Jason pp. 81-83 (quote p.81). Ballet steps and techniques, movements and freeze-frame, described pp. 82-83. An illustration at p.82: satirical sketch showing "use of heightened dramatic gesture to tell a story". In 1766 Noverre left for Vienna. The local ballet company continued in Stuttgart though at a much smaller scale. In 1771 a Ducal Ballet School opened, which functioned until 1794.Koegler (1977), p.506 (after Noverre). Cf., the 20th century Medea ballet (p.356).

Taglioni (19th century) In their peregrinations, the esteemed Filippo Taglioni and his daughter Marie Taglioni made Stuttgart their home, 1824 to 1828. Their presence inspired a new era in the local ballet. Its major production was in 1826: their original version of the narrative ballet Jocko ou le Singe du Brésil, also called Danina. After 33 performances over two seasons in Stuttgart, "it traveled around the world". Jocko in its several versions was said to be "the most successful ballet production of this period".Koegler (1977), pp. 506 & 146-147, quotes: 147, & 506. In the forest a snake attacks the primate Jocko who is saved by the girl Danina. Later Jocko rescues Danina from kidnappers. (p.147, based on a French melodrama).

In Stuttgart during the following decades "the city satisfied its ballet needs" by hosting visiting companies. Yet "the Court Theater always maintained a small group [of dancers] for its opera". An 1891 production of the Austrian ballet The Fairy Doll was 'uniquely' successful."After the toy shop is closed, the dolls come to life and dance individually and with each other, led by the Fairy Doll." Koegler (1977), p.188 (quote), p.506 (1891 Stuttgart).

Cranko (20th century) Of Oskar Schlemmer's abstract creation Triadisches Ballett, with music "ranging from Haydn to Debussy", its premiere with complete choreography was held at the Landes Theater in Stuttgart in 1922.Koegler (1977), pp. 535, 469, 257, 506. Schlemmer was associated with the Bauhaus school (p.469).Reynolds & McCormick (2003), pp. 93-94, quote p.94 (1926 music by Hindemith). Schlemmer (who was an "excellent dancer and mime") wrote that his ballet showed a fusion of figure and architecture, and the dancer as a "space-bewitched creature" (p.93 quotes). He is linked to Rudolf Laban and Mary Wigman (p.92).Garafola, La Nijinska (2022), p.66. Laban published in Stuttgart his Die Welt des Tänzers (1920).

In 1956 the Lithuanian Nicholas Beriozoff, formerly of Ballet Russe, arrived in Stuttgart. Serving as balletmaster 1957-1960, Beriozoff "created a special local ballet climate". His "productions of the classcs laid the foundations for the remarkable progress made by the Ballet... under Cranko".Koegler (1977), pp.506, & 68 (quotes: needs & opera 506, Beriozoff 68, 506). In 1935-1944 Beriozoff worked with Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo (p.68).Reynolds & McCormick (2003), Beriosov: pp. 236, 570, 826.

In 1961 the modern company Stuttgart Ballet was begun by John Cranko, a choreographer from Britain born in South Africa.Gruen (1976), pp. 169-175.Homans (2010), p.440. He "laid great emphasis on improvement of the technical standards of the company".Koegler (1977), p.506 quote. Cranko helped gather, then guided and shaped an ensemble of independent-minded dancers, forming them into a coherent stage act. They performed "with an exciting and visually arresting style". Cranko created full-length narrative ballets including Romeo and Juliet, Onegin and The Taming of the Shrew.Koegler (1977), p.506. These ballets stayed in the repertoire at Stuttgart and eventually spread to other stages "in companies around the world".Greskovic (1998), p. 125 (quote).Cranko's design of Prokofiev's Romeo and Juliet was its most popular (p.113). Refashioned and invigorated Stuttgart Ballet's first tour to America in 1969 was a success, acquiering it increased international recognition.

Marcia Haydée was the prima ballerina under Cranko.Gruen (1976), pp. 176-180. "Haydée is that rare phenomenon: a bravura dancer who is also a remarkable dramatic actress" (pp. 176-177 quote). Dancers who have emerged from the company to become well-known choreographers include: John Neumeier,Neumeier created for the company Die Kameliendame and A Streetcar Named Desire. William Forsythe, Foofwa d'Imobilité, Uwe Scholz, Jiří Kylián and Renato Zanella. A colleague of Cranko was the Scottish choreographer Kenneth MacMillan (1929-1992) of the Royal Ballet in London. MacMillan did work in Stuttgart.Homans (2010), p.440.

The company received the Laurence Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement in Dance in 1981."Outstanding Achievement of the Year in Ballet. Winner: Forgotten Land, The Stuttgart Ballet at the London Coliseum" for year 1981.

21st century Cranko (1927-1973) was succeeded as director by Glen Tetley 1974–1976, Marcia Haydée 1976–1996,Reynolds and McCormick (2003), p.454; the authors opine she stayed too long as director, p.593. followed by Reid Anderson 1996-2018, then by Tamas Detrich 2018 to present.

For more than 25 years James Tuggle was the principal conductor of the Stuttgart Ballet music. From 2019 through 2021 Mikhail Agrest was principal conductor.Germany's Stuttgart Ballet Announces New Principal Conductor The Violin Channel, 15 July 2019.Gisela Sonnenburg: Verrohung im vornehmen Opernbetrieb Telepolis, 29 Dezember 2021; Rupert Koppold: Totschweiger und Lobmaschinen Kontext, 8 Dezember 2021; Gisela Sonnenburg: Reid Anderson feuert Stardirigenten Ballett-Journal, 25 November 2021; Gisela Sonnenburg: Denn sie haben ihn gefeuert. Das Stuttgarter Ballett kündigt Musikdirektor Mikhail Agrest junge Welt, 23 Dezember 2021; Andrea Kachelrieß: Trennt sich die Kompanie von Musikdirektor Mikhail Agrest? Stuttgarter Nachrichten, 9 Dezember 2021.

The ballet's school is the . The choreologist Georgette Tsinguirides has recorded all major ballets by Cranko and Kenneth MacMillan in Benesh Movement Notation and has been teaching these works to several generations of ballet companies internationally.

Within Germany "the Stuttgart Ballet remained the leading classical company".Reynolds and McCormick (2003), p.593 (quote).

The company

Ensemble 2025/2026

Principal dancers *Princial Guest Artist NameNationalityTrainingOther companies (inc. guest performances)Rocio AlemanEscuela superior de Música y Danza de Monterrey John Cranko SchoolElisa BadenesConservatorio Profesional de Danza de Valencia Royal Ballet SchoolMackenzie Brown*Barton & Williams School of Classical Dance Classical Ballet of Fredericksburg Académie de Danse Classique Princesse Grace, MonacoHenrik EriksonZürich Opera House Ballet School John Cranko SchoolCuban National Ballet Norwegian National Ballet Paris Opera BalletGabriel FigueredoAndanças de Rita Candemil, Taquara Pavilhão D, São Paulo John Cranko SchoolMiriam KacerovaBratislava Dance Conservatory Académie de Danse Classique Princesse Grace, MonacoBallett ZürichMatteo MicciniBallet Centre Florence John Cranko SchoolDavid MooreAngela Rowe School of Dance Royal Ballet SchoolAnna OsadcenkoAcademie A. B. Selesnew John Cranko SchoolMartí PaixàJohn Cranko SchoolJason ReillyCanada's National Ballet SchoolThe Royal Ballet National Ballet of CanadaDaiana RuizSleeping Beauty Institute Teatro ColónBallet del Teatro ArgentinoAdhonay SoaresCentro Cultural Gustav Ritter, Goiâna CEP em Artes Brasilieu Franca John Cranko SchoolFriedemann VogelJohn Cranko School Académie de Danse Classique Princesse Grace, MonacoMikhailovsky Ballet

Soloists

Mizuki Amemiya Diana Ionescu Veronika Verterich Abigail Willson-Heisel Fabio Adorisio Ciro Ernesto Mansilla Martino Semenzato Satchel Tanner

Demi-soloists

Priscylla Gallo Vittoria Girelli Aiara Iturrioz Rico Fernanda Lopes Aoi Sawano Ruth Schultz Alicia Torronteras Irene Yang Riccardo Ferlito Lassi Hirvonen Christopher Kunzelmann Adrian Oldenburger Dorian Plasse Edoardo Sartori Daniele Silingardi

Corps de ballet

Ava Arbuckle María Andrés Betoret Lily Babbage Katharina Buck Elisabetta Fasoglio Julliane Franzoi Farrah Hirsch Eva Holland-Nell Annalee Melton Florencia Paez Paula Rezende Joana Romaneiro Kirn Natalie Thornley-Hall Noan Alves Emanuele Babici Jamie Constance Joaquin Gaubeca Macéo Gérard Peter Hull Leon Metelsky Mitchel Millhollin James Platts Anton Tcherny Vincent Travnicek Serhii Zharikov

Apprentices

Sonja Bräunl Anya Donaghy Annabelle McCarthy Isabela Souza Doga Taskaya Edoardo Maria Russo Carter Smalling Carlos Strasser

Character artists

Angelika Bulfinsky Magdalena Dziegielewska Sonia Santiago Matteo Crockard-Villa Rolando D'Alesio Clemens Frölich Marc Ribaud

Artist-in-residence

Roman Novitzky

Notable people

Mikhail Agrest Alicia Amatriain Reid Anderson Elisa Badenes Ray Barra Bridget Breiner Daniel Camargo Richard Cragun John Cranko Foofwa d'Imobilité William Forsythe Marco Goecke Marcia Haydée Kang Sue-jin Birgit Keil Jiří Kylián Nora Kimball Vladimir Malakhov Egon Madsen Evan McKie John Neumeier Sonia Santiago Uwe Scholz

Glen Tetley Georgette Tsinguirides Friedemann Vogel Madeline Woo Renato Zanella

Bibliography Robert Greskovic, Ballet. A complete guide (London: Robert Hale 1998) John Gruen, The Private World of Ballet (New York: The Viking Press 1975; Penguin 1976). Jennifer Homans, Apollo's Angels. A history of ballet (New York: Random House 2010). Horst Koegler, Concise Oxford Dictionary of Ballet (Oxford University 1977). Original edition: Friedrichs Ballettlexikon (Hannover: Friedrich Verlag 1972). Nancy Reynolds & Malcolm McCormick, No Fixed Points. Dance in the Twentieth Century (Yale Univ. 2003).

See also List of productions of Swan Lake derived from its 1895 revival

References

External links