Première: Ratmansky's "Callirhoe", Vienna State Ballet (Wiener Staatsballett): October 19th, 2025

Oct 21

Oct 21 Première: Ratmansky's "Callirhoe", Vienna State Ballet (Wiener Staatsballett): October 19th, 2025

„Callirhoe“ - European Première – Vienna State Ballet (Wiener Staatsballett): October 19th, 2025

Première evenings always have a certain scent of excitement in the air. That is normal. But this last one, was „a notch above“. Whether it is because we haven't had an event in this magnitude for years in the Vienna State Ballet or because it was the first Première under Alessandra Ferri's direction in the State Opera (there had been one at „NEST“, the News State Opera just a few days ago) or just because the ballet public, critics and fans are returning, after a long pause, to the Opera.

More than just excitement, there was something else in the air.

Euphoria.

What do I think about Euphoria combined with a Première?

I believe that euphoria is a misleading (and quite dangerous) element that turns expectations into something that is taken, automatically, for granted. So people enjoy a performance because they WANT to enjoy a performance. Without judging it properly and reflecting, not because it deserves it.

I don't believe in celebrations beforehand. You have to „see“ carefully through it before you give your, judgement, opinion and praise - which can always change with the passing of time. You have to discuss it with your own emotions, go within yourself and then celebrate it – or not.

Euphoria is also extremely contagious. And that is what makes it dangerous.

To make a long story short, let's make it easier and more understandable and think of it as a cooking recipe. You know, the kind of “Formula” we have to read while making a “Dr. Oetker pudding”:

„You add some expectation to a bowl – but if you don't have it, you can use euphoria instead. It is a good substitute, although the after-taste may turn out to be a bit too intensive, differing a bit from the original recipe as it is the main ingredient. Because of accentuating the colours one “eats” also with the eyes), you add some unexpected guests to the mixture. Colour is always good. And surprise makes it even taste better. To make things more comfortable for all tastes, you add some other people, mostly the ones who have been avoiding the Opera House's Ballet evenings in the last 5 years. This fills the auditorium automatically, and adds another surprising effect to our mixture. Palates, in Austria, just tolerate what they are used to. A very traditional way of „celebrating“ a “feast” (There is a “proverb” here that describes the mentality very well: “Der Bauer isst (frisst) nur was er kennt” - The farmer just eats what he knows, and this is very Austrian). To finalize, you mix all the very different ingredients, put them, very shortly, in a buttered mould in the oven and bake them with care, not turning the heat higher than 150C. The mixture is soft and familiar to everyone. And in our particular case, it has a kind of Armenian-Soviet Taste sound that is so familiar to our palates (ears) since the days of the Austrian Empire. Definitely a recipe made for a general success in Austria. And, let's be frank: Euphoria is a surprising ingredient.“

Copyright: Ashley Taylor / Vienna State Ballet

Not many people know a thing about „Callirhoe and Chaereas“ but I can distinctly remember my father, who (God bless him for that) was a very well-read man, talking about it some day to me. But, at the time, I was more worried about Tolstoy's „War and Peace“, which I had to read for school and was causing me great trouble with the Napoleonic Wars' descriptions!

If I am not mistaken, it had been shown to my Father by some literature professor of his, I am not sure.

The opening words used by Chariton of Aphrodisias in his prose romance are (my own free translation):

“In fact, her beauty was not so much human as divine, not that of a Nereid or mountain nymph, either, but of Aphrodite herself. Reports of this incredible vision spread far and wide: suitors came pouring into Syracuse, (…)”.

The plot involves not only love, envy, loss, and forgiveness but also conflicts, disasters, abductions, and dangers before Callirhoe and Chaereas are finally reunited.

Alexei Ratmansky, who has been fascinated by ancient art and culture for a long time, turned it into a story ballet which had its world premiere in 2020 with the American Ballet Theatre: a work that offers a contemporary choreographic portrait of an ancient world.

As some of you may remember, I have a personal “problem” with ballets that force me to read and remember characters. This goes against my primary attitude towards ballet. That is why – please understand - I have a huge problem with MacMillan's „Mayerling“. A masterwork, no question but It is not Ballet language to my way of thinking. So many characters and historical distortions.

I have written this quite a few times, but in case you have never been, for example, either to „Giselle“ and „Swan Lake“ before, you will go to the theatre, watch both ballets, and have a story told to you, understand it wholeheartedly, without ever having to read about it. It is a principle that I cannot get away from. This is ballet language.

Not that I am taking any of the values of the whole production. Much on the contrary. I admire many of Mr Ratmansky’s works and the choreography is exceptional. And the care and attention that Mr Ratmansky gives to the Corps de Ballet has to be mentioned. Because it is a real “treat”. Especially when the boys and girls are performing separately. Passages of such invention, musicality, richness, and spirituality. Sensitive.

Costumes and sets are very fine - although aesthetically surprisingly “Soviet” (Coincidentally the sets remind me strongly of UdSSR’s 1961 production of Prokoffiev’s “Romeo and Juliet”), even if conceived by Jean-Marc Puissant – and fit the unique concept of the show.

But the Grigorowitsch (and also Khachaturian's „Spartacus“) heritage is too strong to my stamina.

One has to say that even though everyone performed marvellously well, the company is wonderfully rehearsed and in very good shape, and the level of the whole ensemble „seems - in a very good sense - like old times“, it was, frankly, “a bit too much for me”.

Mr Ratmansky’s work has been changing during the years. There is too much of everything. Nearly an exaggeration of elements: Too many people on stage, too many groups, too many steps, too much complexity. I miss some simplicity. And when I say “a bit too much for me”, you cannot forget the combination of all these elements with the long plot which has to be read, otherwise you’ll not understand it and the strenuous (and stressful) Khachaturian’s music. Think of that.

Unfortunately, we are not only talking about choreography, music, costumes, sets and Dramaturgy, but about the fact that the (given) story-line is quite repetitious. Poor Callirhoe seems to have the destiny of always being molested by other men and has no time to be what her Greek name means: Beautiful flow, beautiful stream. Quite a dated and sexist story, that in fact, has no real place in the contemporary word.

But, being very frank with you, I went to the Opera to witness and look at the company, not to just “judge” Mr Ratmansky’s work, and I could not have been more delighted!

There was lot of „homework“ to do. Many Dancers I had not known, some of them I had never seen before... lots to learn, names to remember, to catch up to, to enjoy. And this is only the beginning!

I believe that Choreographers come and go. The Company stays.

Amazing: I could not believe that the quality of the „putting it together “ would be so high.

And in such a short time. We are talking about a six or seven-week period. Normally it takes a long time to build up a company, although it is a very easy (and quick) process to destroy one (as we have seen in the past). I was expecting many changes, improvements. I was not awaiting that much. It honestly surprised me!

There are too many roles, so you'll have to be a little indulgent with me, as I won't mention all of them.

Rosa Pierro
Copyright: Ashley Taylor / Vienna State Ballet

Rosa Pierro fascinated the audience as Plangon, Dionysius's maid, not only with her precision, but with incredibly beautiful acting skills. Projection combined with a very imposing “flair dramatique” in its very best, natural ways.

Margarita Fernandes
Copyright: Ashley Taylor / Vienna State Ballet

Charming, petite, very precise Margarita Fernandes as Callirhoe's maid, is pinpointed in every detail, This young dancer fills the Opera with such happiness and love to what she is doing on stage. She projects her joy up to the galleries.

Marcelo Gomes & Madison Young
Copyright: Ashley Taylor / Vienna State Ballet

Marcelo Gomes, for me the biggest surprise of the evening, as I was not awaiting to see this countryman of mine once more on stage: Strong presence, and, most important of all, through his commanding character attitudes, he gives one thing that is becoming quite rare nowadays: Authority on stage. Artistry.

Ioanna Avraam
Copyright: Ashley Taylor / Vienna State Ballet

To Ioanna Avraam as the Queen of Babylon, just two words: fascinatingly glamorous. She knows, because of her own charisma, how to turn a (short) role into something of extreme importance and remembrance.

Timor Afshar
Copyright: Ashley Taylor / Vienna State Ballet

Alessandro Frola
Copyright: Ashley Taylor / Vienna State Ballet

What can I say to Timoor Afshar (Mithridates) and Alessandro Frola (Dionysius) that hasn't been said before? Both, strong technicians, have one thing more than simple stamina. They have a certain elegance that is rare to find. The combination of being manly and elegant, or even precise, AND sensitive. Think of that.

Victor Caixeta and Ensemble
Copyright: Ashley Taylor / Vienna State Ballet

Victor Caixeta, another countryman of mine, brought down the house with his Chairea's impersonation. I use this word because he was inside the role for the whole length of the show. He was never out of character. As to his „technique“ (in the way people seem to be able to understand this word nowadays), there's nothing to add. It'd be superfluous. I mentioned that he brought the house down and, also being once more quite frank, Mr Ratmansky knows how to “milk applause” from an audience.

Victor Caixeta and Madison Young
Copyright: Ashley Taylor / Vienna State Ballet

Madison Young's Callirhoe may sometimes be misunderstood by the people who just cherish dance because of its „circus-like“ effects and have no neither eye nor soul for more delicate aspects of things. I heard in my own box a lady, who had seen her in the Main Rehearsal just the day before, saying: She is 'too cold”. This is just what I'd call a total lack of understanding and reveals ignorance. About dance.

Miss Young, whom I once, many years ago, mentioned (It was in Neumeier's „Pavillon D'Armide“) because of her „upper-body quality“ which I could only compare to Fonteyn's, has come a long way since she left Vienna for Munich. She matured as a performer and has returned „home“ for this triumphal evening.

Madison Young
Copyright: Ashley Taylor / Vienna State Ballet

She carried her Callirhoe in the perfect register – even if the dramatic line is outdated. It is not an easy role for an intelligent woman to play, especially in times in which women's attitudes have (deservingly) changed so much. Therefore a long bow to Miss Young’s commitment. Chapeau!

A very recommendable performance.

And we cannot forget a very deserved mention. Many thanks to Miss Ferri for reminding us that “A night in the Ballet” (Just to paraphrase “A night at the Opera”) can be a great joy and bring us so much back: thoughts, ideas, delicacies, feelings… we had forgotten.

Ricardo Leitner

a t t i t u d e

Vienna, October 20th, 2025