Cooperative Creation

Elena Philipp

Barely begun, already gone: This is how the dream of a co-directorate reconciling classical and contemporary dance at the Staatsballett ­Berlin unfolded. In light of the hasty end of the dual leadership of Sasha Waltz and Johannes Öhman, Waltz’s first personal creation for the Staats­ballett also acquires a different appearance. Her opening symphony has suddenly become a farewell concert. “Sym-phonie 2020” will have its world premiere in April, despite all the underlying turbulence. The creation “for dance, light and orchestra” was, according to advance notice, created in a parallel creative process with the composer Georg Friedrich Haas. His commissioned work for the Staatskapelle ­Berlin is based on a “movement libretto”: In the composition, space is deliberately created for elements determined by dance; the musical language and the physical language of the dancers are intended to form a close connection. The work between choreographer and composer is created in close cooperation and coordination. Hopefully, this work approach will affect the management level, too.