25
May
2010

My “Wirbelwind” First Week in Stuttgart

Reid Anderson (with microphone) and the other Intendants of the Staatstheater Stuttgart holding a press release to announce the 2010/2011 season.

“Wirbelwind” is German for “whirlwind”, a word that aptly describes my first week in Stuttgart.  Reid Anderson’s activities as the “Intendant” or General and Artistic Director of Stuttgart Ballet are varied and numerous, so I have chosen to give an overview of the week rather than go into the details about what I have learned.

May 17, 2010 - After sixteen years, I was re-united with Reid at the “Artist’s Entrance” to the Stuttgart Opera House at 9:45 am.  Although Reid was synchronized to a completely different time zone (he had just returned from Tokyo where he had been staging John Cranko’s Onegin on the Tokyo Ballet), he was as friendly and energetic as ever.  He introduced me to Fraenzi Guenther, the Administrative Manager of Stuttgart Ballet, and then whisked me off to the John Cranko School to watch year-end examinations.

During the brisk walk over to the school, Reid explained that there are 1300 employees working for the Staatstheater Stuttgart. It is a large complex consisting of the Opernhaus (Opera House), the Schauspiel (Playhouse) and the Kammertheater (Chamber Theatre). As the “Balletintendant”, Reid oversees everyone in the ballet department, from administrative and artistic staff, the 70 dancers in the company, and the resident choreographers and music directors. If that was not enough responsibility, he is also the Intendant of the John Cranko School.

When we arrive at the school, I am introduced to Tadeusz Matacz, the Director, and then the first exam of the Graduating Boys Class begins promptly at 10:00 am.  Trained by the legendary Petr Pestov, this class of nine boys (hand picked by Tadeusz and Reid from schools and major dance competitions around the world) is brimming with extraordinary talent.  Reid has selected five of the nine boys to join Stuttgart Ballet next season and the rest have signed contracts with other companies, or will certainly have jobs in the very near future.

Standing in the corner of the room beside the piano, Pestov, who is eighty years old, gives direction to the boys in Russian.  In exactly 18 minutes, they execute with pristine precision a series of challenging exercises at the barre that test their strength, agility, musicality and endurance.  Reid explains to me that students, especially young men, apply “in droves” hoping to train with Pestov who is known and respected for producing “great artists”.  Not having to fulfill a quota or fund the operations of the school through student enrollment, Tadeusz and Reid have chosen to keep the classes small, only accepting those with the most promise.  Reid who is known for his ability to spot “diamonds in the rough” uses the school as a means to invest in dancers at an early age. Many of the students are on full scholarship, so that these young dancers have the opportunity to access the best training possible. This investment has proved to pay off in spades as graduates such as Jason Reilly, Friedemann Vogel, and Alicia Amatriain have not only become superstars in Stuttgart, but are in demand as guest artists with the world’s top ballet companies.

After the barre, the Graduating Class moves onto centre practice.  Again, these exercises test the dancers on a multitude of levels – I am most impressed by their handling of transitions and their ability to sustain control and concentration throughout the demanding class. The exam finishes with each of the dancers presenting a variation.  Reid comments that this the defining moment, the moment when “the men are separated from the boys”.  Alexander Bozinoff, a Canadian, is an obvious standout, though all demonstrate maturity will beyond their years.

After the exam, Reid, Petr Pestov, and other members of the school and company staff convene in Tadeuzs’s office to grade the dancers.  Each person in the room gives a mark between one and five, one being the highest.  They take into consideration whether the student has shown improvement over the year as well as attitude and work ethic. The meeting finishes by 12:30 and we break for lunch before returning to observe examinations of four more classes in the afternoon.

Tuesday, May 18 – The day begins at the school again with the examinations of the Academie B Boys Class and the Academie B Girls Class.  These two classes still have another year to go before graduating. The average age is about seventeen and Reid, as with all the other classes, knows each dancer’s name and their city and country of origin. His admiration and interest in the students is genuine and unique.  It is apparent that he already has ‘plans’ for many of the young dancers, well before they have even entered the company.

After lunch, the Graduating Boys Class is examined once again, this time in Spanish Class that begins with castanets work and then moves into complex dances such as the Rumba, Sevillanas and Zapateado as choreographed by Catrina Mora, their flamenco teacher. 

Once the grades are in, Reid takes me back down to his office at the Opera House where he is scheduled to meet with Vivien Arnold. Vivien is currently assisting Reid in the planning and organizing a three-week festival to celebrate Stuttgart Ballet’s 50th Anniversary in February 2011.  They discuss activities pertaining to the festival before addressing questions that may arise in the press conference regarding next year’s programming. The year has been built to reflect on the past 50 years of the company’s history, since 1961 when John Cranko became director.  The ballets being presented throughout the 2010/2011 season have either been created in Stuttgart or have been created by choreographers who had their beginnings in Stuttgart. As Reid explains, the Stuttgart Ballet’s family tree is mind-bendingly extensive. Hundreds of dancers, directors, choreographers and teachers around the world have a connection back to Stuttgart, myself included (through Reid and John Alleyne). The 50th Anniversary will celebrate John Cranko’s legacy while showcasing some of the world’s top choreographers and companies whose roots can be traced back to Stuttgart Ballet. Vivien will join Stuttgart Ballet next season as the Manager of Communications and Dramaturgy.

Wednesday, May 19 – At 10:00 am, Reid has a meeting (in English) with the dancers to inform them of next year’s programming and itinerary. At 10:55am his is on the steps of the Opera House’s main entrance to have a picture taken with the other Intendants of the Staatstheater Stuttgart – Albrecht Puhlmann of the Opera, Hasko Weber of the Theatre and Marc-Oliver, the General Manager.  At 11:00am he enters into the foyer of the Opera House with the other heads to announce the 2010/2011 season to the press. There are about 100 people gathered. They sit around small, elegant tables sipping on beverages and thumbing through the impressive “Spielzeit”.  The press conference is in German and lasts about 80 minutes. The opera’s season is presented first, and then Reid talks about the ballet, and finally the theatre.

Although I do not understand German very well, it is apparent that Reid has a very good rapport with the press corps.  His words often draw smiles and laughter from the crowd.  His presentation solicits soft gasps – they seem intrigued and indeed impressed with what he has to say.  As well as presenting an incredible line up of ballets throughout the year, five guest companies will come to celebrate the 50th Anniversary.  These include Netherlands Dance Theatre II, Hamburg Ballet, Royal Ballet of Flanders, Scapino Ballet Rotterdam, and the National Ballet of China.  The company will also tour to Seoul, Korea and Macao and the John Cranko School will perform throughout the year.

At 12:45, Reid meets with Fraenzi and Krzysztof Nowogrodski, the company’s production and scheduling manager, to discuss Reid’s itinerary for the next week. We break for lunch and then reconvene at 5:30 for another meeting before heading into the first stage rehearsal of Orlando, a new ballet by Marco Goecke, who is one of the resident choreographers that will premiere in the Opera House on June 2.  This is the first time Reid has seen anything of this piece.  It is an opportunity to see where things are at and get a glimpse of the sets and costumes.  I sit with Reid in the central loge (the best seats in the house) and he talks to me for the better part of 3 hours about a whole range of things – from dancers to choreographers, from designers to how he goes about planning a season. Marco Goecke’s art unfolds on stage.  Friedemann Vogel is stunning as “Orlando” and the combination of the Marco’s movement with the music, sets and costumes is mesmerizing.

Thursday and Friday are busy with important meetings. The 2011/2012 season is discussed at length. The schedule is tight and it is proving difficult to find the right balance in programming for this year.

Saturday, May 22 – I watch more rehearsals of Goecke’s new ballet from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm on stage at the Opera House. In the evening I attend the company’s mixed programme of works by Douglas Lee, Demis Volpi and Bridget Breiner at the Schaulspiel.  Though it is the first warm-weather day in months and there is a big football match on TV, the theatre is full. The audience is very responsive to the work of these three young choreographers all of whom are dancers in the company.

Sunday, May 23 – I attend the performance of Giselle at the Opera House.  Evan McKie, a Canadian, dances the role of Albrecht. His mother has come all the way from Toronto to see him dance. He is tall and elegant and handles the role with amazing ease. Reid, as well as the audience, is thrilled with his performance.

Looking back over the week, it is clear that Stuttgart Ballet, under Reid’s direction, has incredibly strong core values. The dancers show the utmost respect for their peers, the ballet masters, the choreographers and Reid. The caliber of their work and that of the artistic staff is top notch. There is a love, appreciation and understanding of the great classics such as Giselle, as well as a keen desire to excel in innovative works by the world’s foremost contemporary choreographers. It is apparent that Reid’s belief in the school and the company is unwavering. As a result, there is a refreshing sense of enthusiasm and excitement in the corridors and studios of Stuttgart Ballet.

 

reid anderson, marco goecke, professional development, stuttgart ballet, john cranko, giselle, petr pestov, evan mckie