La dame aux camélias

'La Traviata’ in a gripping dance drama

John Neumeier’s La Dame aux Camélias is one of the most important new narrative ballets of the last fifty years. The ballet is based on the novel of the same name by Alexandre Dumas, and is best known because of Verdi’s opera version, La Traviata.

Creation

Never told before
Neumeier, one of the greatest contemporary storytellers, turns this love story into an overwhelming psychological dance drama. He has created challenging dance roles, both in a technical respect – the duets are especially virtuosic – and in an artistic sense. “Every dancer can give his or her own interpretation, telling the story as its never been told before. “

Costume drama
Neumeier's evening-long production can best be described as a gigantic costume drama in an abstract setting. For this ballet, Jürgen Rose, the famed German opera director and designer of decors and costumes, created 450 luxuriously rustling costumes in a nineteenth century style. With transparent scrims he suggests the various locations and worlds where La Dame aux Camélias takes place.

Music

Dutch Ballet Orchestra, formerly known as Holland Symfonia, is the regular orchestra partner of Dutch National Ballet. The orchestra brings together music and dance into a magical experience: from classical ballet to modern dance, from music education to talent development. Het Balletorkest is conducted by chief conductor Matthew Rowe, and consists of 45 musicians, supported by highly qualified guest performers when necessary. This is what makes the orchestra flexible, dynamic and adept. Dutch Ballet Orchestra is an orchestra with personality, driven by one mission: to stir people with music.

Introductions