"Niijinsky by Neumeier". The Hamburg Ballet at the Gran Teatre del Liceu

The Russian dancer and choreographer of Polish origin, Vaslav Nijinsky (1889-1950), was one of the most gifted dancers in history. A soloist at the Mariinsky Theatre, guest at the Bolshoi, and principal dancer with Serge Diaghilev's Ballets Russes, he was famous for his virtuosity and the depth of his characterizations. His unparalleled performances made him adored by fans, while his evocative and sensual choreography provoked riots in the theaters of Paris.

In a tragic turn of events, Nijinsky succumbed to the effects of schizophrenia and spent the rest of his life moving in and out of treatment centers. His final performance was in a hotel in Switzerland on January 19, 1919. He was 29 years old and, with a career spanning only 10 years, became a true legend.

The acclaimed narrative ballet choreographer of Hamburg Ballet for 50 years, John Neumeier, has explored this exceptional figure-the dancer, the choreographer, the human, the visionary-and his complexity in many of his creations.

This ballet, created by Neumeier in 2000, captures the biography of a soul bound to memories and associations, feelings and states. Neumeier's choreographic approaches seek to create a present out of the past with new relationships of power and fields of tension that capture Nijinsky's magic on stage, as well as his experiences beyond the theatre.

In a production that defies categorization, Nijinsky is set amidst the glamour of early twentieth-century Paris, in which the sets and costumes create a world within another, full of opulence. A formidable theatrical spectacle and a tribute to the legendary dancer who forever changed the world of ballet.?