Nijinsky by John Neumeier

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Image courtesy of Gran Teatre del Liceu

The Russian dancer and choreographer of Polish origin Vátslav Nijinski (1889–1950) was one of the most gifted dancers in history. A soloist at the Mariinsky Theatre, invited to the Bolshoi and principal dancer with Serge Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes, he was renowned for his virtuosity and the psychological depth of his characterizations. His unparalleled performances earned him adoration from audiences while his evocative and sensual choreography provoked disturbances in Parisian theaters.

In a tragic turn of events, Nijinski succumbed to schizophrenia and spent the remainder of his life moving in and out of treatment centers. His final performance took place at a hotel in Switzerland on January 19, 1919. He was 29 years old and, despite a career that lasted only ten years, he became a true legend.

The acclaimed narrative ballet choreographer of the 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 aim to create a present of the past with new power dynamics and fields of tension that capture Nijinski's magic on stage, as well as his experiences beyond the theater.

In a production that defies categorization, Nijinsky is set in the glamour of early 20th-century Paris, where the sets and costumes create one world within another, full of opulence. A formidable theatrical spectacle and a tribute to the legendary dancer who changed the world of ballet forever.

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