Ingrid Lorentzen Norwegian National Ballet

«For me it is exciting to expand our range»

The mythical, colourful, the music and the passion – these have been my guiding lights when putting together my first repertoire as ballet director. My desire has been to show the National Ballet at its best, with works by contemporary master choreographers such as Jiří Kylián, and also the immortal classics, the bedrock of any classical ballet company. But the greatest focus this season is on the new works, ballets that do not yet exist. The National Ballet has nine first performances waiting in the wings: Five are full-length ballets, several bearing the stylistic signature of the foremost Norwegian choreographers, and many of the new voices expand the dance expression by drawing on elements from the world of theatre. All this will create a special signature, something unique for the National Ballet. A signature work cannot be commissioned, but we can lay firm ground for it by investing in time and rehearsals. 

This is why for the first time we have two house choreographers. Jo Strømgren and Alan Lucien Øyen will have permanent venues with us for their companies Jo Strømgren Kompani and winter guests. They will also create for the National Ballet Oslo, thus giving us all of seven productions spanning a wide field in ballet, from a performance for children, through dance opera to a three-act play.  

The autumn starts with our major performance In Fokine’s World, from Firebird to Petrushka – five first performances in one evening, with some of the greatest music ever written. It is all from the mythical world of legendary choreographer Fokine.

Kylián, Forsythe, Balanchine and the major talent Liam Scarlett form a Baroque framework around this year’s Master Evening, while the ultimate passion and desire seduce us in John Cranco’s Onegin.

Kjersti Alveberg takes us on a retrospective journey with highlights from her fabulous career. At the opposite end of the scale Swedish choreographer star Alexander Ekman will create his first narrative ballet with the Main Stage filled with water and a completely new look at the legendary Swan Lake. No, we will not be disappointing our public by dropping the classical Swan Lake. The classical version can also be enjoyed this season, as the traditional Christmas ballet The Nutcracker.

For me it is exciting to expand the range of dancers and our audience, and this season we present last year’s success with the break dancers of Kingwings Crew interacting with the National Ballet, in addition to a dance performance with dancers aged up to 87.

I am very excited about what is to come, about the new and unknown. The 59 dancers of the National Ballet maintain a formidable level, and it is fabulous to have some of the world’s foremost dancers with us. Welcome into the music, the works, the myths and the passions performed by these phenomenal dancers!

Ingrid Lorentzen
Ballet Director