Strauss 2225: Dances for the future. Vienna State Ballet (Wiener Staatsballett), Junior Company, October 18th, 2025.

Oct 20

Oct 20 Strauss 2225: Dances for the future. Vienna State Ballet (Wiener Staatsballett), Junior Company, October 18th, 2025.

Strauss 2225: Dances for the future. Vienna State Ballet (Wiener Staatsballett), Junior Company, October 18th, 2025.

There are a few things that I enjoy as much as when the boundary that separates two ideas is crossed.

This is the difference that separates reality from fictional thoughts.

This happens very seldom within dance, but when it does, I am able to be carried on by the thoughts, or the dreams, or the wishes that crystallize this particular vision of one moment.

I honestly do not know how the idea that brought „Strauss 2225: Dances for the Future“ to life was newly created. How it originated the whole show.

And, frankly, I couldn't care less. It is not important.

The only thing I care about is that by writing this choreography, Robert Binet, the multi-talented Canadian choreographer, opened a completely new Semantic chapter in storytelling. And this is a wonderful way to start a new Season. Something new.

Starting the new cycle, which began with Alessandra Ferri's sovereign taking over the direction of the Vienna State Ballet, this Performance with the Junior Company is the first real Première of the Season.

Since September - and this is a short time - We have already experienced the revival of Elena Tchernichova's „Giselle“ and soon we'll have Ratmanky's European Première of „Kallirhoe“ but this is the true Première this Season.

The fact that it was conceived for the „Junior Company“ adds a delightful flavour to it.

A small group of 12 Dancers between the ages of 17 and 21, who performed extremely well the extremely androginous language of this work.

In other words, very young, gifted dancers.

And what could be more fitting than the use of a new tailor-made work, a concept filled with visions, suppositions, and magical assumptions, adding even more joy to the fact that a new „era“ is beginning under Miss Ferri's direction. An era which, I am sure, will also be very strongly directed to the future.

Copyright: Vienna State Ballet / Marian Furnica

It is a known fact that a dancer's „life“ is mostly a short one, and no company can exist without this concentration on what the future will bring! And exactly those are not only associated with care, casting talents, creativity, repertoire knowledge (just to name a few of the obligations of an Artistic Director) but extremely linked with long-term planning, logistics, and most of all (to my own way of thinking) visions. Without them, there is nothing.

So, if you already know what I wish to express. Yes, you are right!

The company has been, on many levels, „rejuvenated“; many younger dancers joined the company with this Season's beginning, all but two members of the Young Company are „new“, there's new work going on, plenty to do, and lots to focus on the future.

What could be more fitting than young dancers, a gifted young Company, new works in the repertoire, including works of younger choreographers such as Robert Binet, and all that is related to „New and Young“, including a new era, new perspectives, new colleagues, and a new Artistic direction?

(Oh, dear, as I just read this last sentence, I thought it could fit the „old“ 1951 MGM musical with Jane Powell, Fernando Lamas, and Danielle Darrieux called „Rich, young and pretty“ - Excuse me, but I could not resist this joke!)

This was my very first time at „NEST“ (The new – you see? - State Opera). It is just a shame that in the architectural conception, it in no way respected ballet requirements and necessities. None of them was taken into account.

It did not take long to realize that all dancers were „coming out“ of character/parts as soon as or even before they left the stage. Why? Because there are no wings. The poor dancers don't even have a place there. And, even worse, there is no possibility of crossing the stage behind from one side to the other!

A fact that is very restrictive to the choreographic composition and creativity!

For more „complicated“ or „elaborate “ works, this kind of backstage is definitely unsuitable.

Such a shame - really – especially because the whole work's costs (taxpayer's money, the Opera is a State Entity) must have been tremendously high.

There is much to write about the Company. I only wish I knew the members a bit better, in order to give the right name to the right people.

For some special reason, I always concentrate more on the girls' performances. I must say that yesterday it was the other way around. The Ladies are beautiful dancers, but I have seldom seen such a young company with so many gifted male dancers. Carefully chosen body proportions, long legs, long arms.

Even if the view from the stage, as seen from the „steep“ (one also has to mention that... it is not very suitable for the elderly public) in the auditorium, worked somehow against it. All six boys presented themselves very dignifiedly.

Thomas Tait's costumes are a bit questionable – And I am talking about the colours, which could make a change on the visual part. The girls’ costumes are too light. Not really the best for a small, short stage, especially seen from „above“ and not from down under.

Callum Hastie's support and supervision of the production is invaluable. One can feel all the way the kind of priceless care that he invests in his work with the company. This is the kind of real Ballet Master's work that I so much cherish.

Dramaturgically, I want to mention Rosamund Small's and Nastasja Fischer's valuable contribution to the production. The storytelling was not something you had to „try to find out“, decipher, and interpret. Much to the contrary, it came smoothly through. Naturally. This is the kind of work that can be valued. Because it comes from good professionals who understand their obligations to the paying audience.

There is no question that the company is in extremely „good shape“, technically very clean. Mr Hastie cares for that. My compliments (and admiration) to that!

But there are a few names that I would like to mention. The reason I am doing this is nothing else than respect for what is disappearing nowadays. I will explain. It is very common to see performances in which the sense of „praise“ for technique is so exaggerated, performances in which the „Technique“ (or the way „Technique“ is understood now) is not only used as an instrument to help the dancer achieve his Art and his „voice“ (as a performer), but the main reason for it.

Yoonsuh Regina Joung – a very young dancer, but whose performance contains such a well-orchestrated feeling of depth and insight that must be unconditionally mentioned.

Pier Abadie, who impressed me with the fact of being a dancer who combines extreme masculinity with lovely lines and a delicate form of being. Perhaps not the tallest in the company, but filled with harmony in his performance.

Elisa Murg with a certain “presentness” in every move. She was right there. Concentrated. “In” the character. I can only find one way to express what I think about that: I like it! Very much indeed.

And Charlie Keffert, whose orange costume, stole the show and Elliott Renahy: Both very long-legged dancers with extremely beautiful and expressive arms.

To make a long story short: a group of talented young people who cares very much about their work and takes it very earnestly. Inspiring!

I look forward to observing close these „new“ (here we go again!) careers. Bravo!

Definitely a show to remember and recommend.

Ricardo Leitner

a t t i t u d e

October 19th, 2025