Dancers: Constantine Allen, Young Gyu Choi, Qian Liu, Maia Makhateli, Anna Ol, Giorgi Potskhishvili, Timothy van Poucke, Olga Smirnova, Jacopo Tissi, Anna Tsygankova, Semyon Velichko, Jessica Xuan | Photo: Hugo Thomassen Holland Festival Empire Noir Choreography David Dawson Music Greg Haines Set design John Otto Costume design Yumiko Takeshima Lighting design Bert Dalhuysen World premiere Choreography Krzysztof Pastor European premiere Choreography Alexei Ratmansky Musical accompaniment Dutch Ballet Orchestra conducted by Nathan Brock Empire Noir (2015) was the first work created by David Dawson following his appointment as Associate Artist with Dutch National Ballet. Shortly beforehand, he had made a full-length narrative ballet, so he wanted to return to pure dance in Empire Noir. He says himself that the work is “about choreography, and about dancers and how they relate to one another”. The result is an explosive ballet, which revolves around the almost manic urge that can reveal itself at night in dreams and visions. It is also a real feast of virtuoso dance, which can count on standing ovations for every performance. New large-scale work Dawson, like Krzysztof Pastor, was a dancer with Dutch National Ballet for years, and the two artists also created their first works there. They were both resident choreographers with the company, and went on to pursue international careers. Whereas Dawson has since been active all over the world, Pastor focuses mainly on his position as artistic director of Polish National Ballet. Recently, the Junior Company danced his whirling Toccata, and now Pastor is creating a large-scale new work for Dutch National Ballet again, for the first time since 2010. World-famous The second premiere ballet in Masters of Movement is by the world-famous, Russian-Ukrainian-American master choreographer Alexei Ratmansky. Recently, to our great pride, Ratmansky has further intensified his collaboration with our company. Following our presentations of his production Don Quixote and several of his contemporary works, in November 2024 he became our second Associate Artist, alongside Dawson. Masterly creations by internationally celebrated dance makers Masters of Movement unites three leading choreographers in one programme. Three immensely inspired makers, who each enrich the art of ballet through their own dance idiom. Alongside David Dawson’s virtuoso dance roller coaster Empire Noir, you’ll see exciting premiere ballets by Krzysztof Pastor and Alexei Ratmansky. It is precisely their individuality and different visions that make this programme a thrilling, must-see dance event. Premiere 9/6/2026 Subsequent performances: 11, 12, 14*, 16, 18, 19 June 2026 | Curtain-up: 20:15 / *14:00 | Ticket sales start on: 28 August 2025 | Price Category: B | Location: Main Stage, Dutch National Opera & Ballet “The dancers bend with even more suppleness, the legs are thrown even higher, the pointe shoes stab even more fiercely, the arms extend even more elegantly” NRC about Empire Noir 99
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