Hamburg Ballet: Demis Volpi follows John Neumeier in 2024 | NDR.de – Culture

Hamburg without its honorary citizen John Neumeier as ballet director – that’s hard to imagine. In the future, Demis Volpi will Hamburg Ballet conduct. The supervisory board of the Hamburg State Opera unanimously appointed the 36-year-old choreographer as Neumeier’s successor. The committee thus followed the recommendation of a selection committee.

John Neumeier remains director for one more year

In order to ensure a smooth transition, John Neumeier will remain intendant for one year longer than initially planned. The American has been at the helm of the Hamburg Ballet since 1973. “I am very grateful to John Neumeier that he is willing to direct the Hamburg Ballet for another year,” says Senator for Culture Carsten Brosda. “With Demis Volpi we are putting John Neumeier’s legacy in good hands and at the same time opening the door to a new future for ballet in Hamburg.”

Neumeier’s previous deputy, Lloyd Riggins, had long been traded as a possible successor. He will remain with the Hamburg Ballet in his previous role, even under Volpi.

Demis Volpi: “Unique opportunity”

The German-Argentinian Demis Volpi is currently still ballet director and chief choreographer of the ballet of the Deutsche Oper am Rhein in Düsseldorf. “The chance to follow an artist who has shaped and inspired this company, urban society and audiences from all over the world for half a century is unique,” says Volpi. “I look forward to keeping the repertoire created by John Neumeier alive and looking for new dance perspectives on our world.”

Demis Volpis rise from dancer to ballet director

According to the Deutsche Oper am Rhein, Demis Volpi received his dance training in Buenos Aires, at Canada’s National Ballet School in Toronto and at the John Cranko School in Stuttgart. He then danced in the corps de ballet of the Stuttgart Ballet. In 2006 he started choreographing there and was appointed resident choreographer in 2013. In 2020 he was promoted to ballet director in Düsseldorf. From 2024 he will take over the direction of the Hamburg Ballet.

Further information

Born in the USA, he has been the ballet director and chief choreographer of the Hamburg Ballet for almost half a century. more

Neumeier has been directing the Hamburg Ballet since 1973, and it should be over in the summer of 2023. Now he presented the program for his last season. more

Ten children and young people from the Ukraine live and train in John Neumeier’s ballet center in Hamburg’s Hamm district. more