Latest news with #DemisVolpi
New York Times
10-06-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Times
Hamburg Ballet's Artistic Director Leaves After Just 10 Months
The Hamburg Ballet's last director, John Neumeier, led the company for 51 years, transforming it from a provincial troupe into an internationally respected house. His successor, Demis Volpi, lasted just 10 months. On Tuesday, Hamburg State Opera said in a news release that its board and Volpi had agreed to terminate his contract at the ballet four years early. The announcement followed weeks of crisis at the company after it emerged that five principal dancers had resigned, and that more than half of the company's dancers had sent a letter to a local lawmaker to complain of a 'toxic working environment' under Volpi. In Tuesday's release, Volpi said that 'despite intensive efforts,' he could no longer realize his artistic vision and had agreed to depart 'in the interests of all involved.' Volpi, an Argentine choreographer who previously led the Ballet am Rhein in Düsseldorf, did not respond to a request for an interview, and a spokeswoman for Hamburg Ballet said it would not comment further. It was not immediately clear what Volpi's departure would mean for the company's coming season, which Volpi had announced in March and is to include the premiere of Alexei Ratmansky's 'Wonderland,' based on Lewis Carroll's novels. Nor is it clear how the company will handle productions of Volpi's work. A new version of Volpi's 'Surrogate Cities' is scheduled to premiere in July. And Volpi's 'Demian,' based on the novel by Hermann Hesse, is scheduled to be performed in December. The crisis at Hamburg Ballet began in early May when German newspapers widely reported dancers' complaints about its artistic direction under Volpi, as well as accusations that he was insufficiently present during rehearsals. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Artistic head of Hamburg Ballet let go amid work culture complaints
Demis Volpi, a German-Argentinian choreographer, is to step down as artistic director of the world-renowned Hamburg Ballet Company following massive criticism from the ensemble over a "toxic work environment." Volpi's contract will be prematurely terminated following mutual agreement and the 39-year-old is set to leave the company at the end of the season, the local cultural authority in the northern German city said on Tuesday. As part of the agreement, Volpi is set to stop working at the ballet immediately, it said. Volpi, who succeeded the company's founder John Neumeier, a 86-year-old American, a year ago, has been the subject of widespread criticism, including from the company's dancers. In a letter to Hamburg's culture minister, 36 dancers - more than half of the company - accused him of creating a "toxic work environment" as well as a lack of competence. Seventeen former and current dancers at the Dusseldorf-based Ballett am Rhein, where Volpi worked previously, also sent complaints to the Hamburg minister. In response, management at the Hamburg State Opera, which includes the ballet company, launched a risk assessment to question all ensemble members anonymously about their work situation. "My vision - both in artistic terms and with regard to a contemporary structure that enables open and responsible collaboration within a ballet company - could no longer be realized under the current conditions at the Hamburg Ballet, despite intensive efforts," Volpi said. "In the interests of all those involved, we have therefore agreed to end my directorship by mutual consent." Following Volpi's departure, efforts are under way to find an interim artistic director to lead the company until the conclusion of the 2025/26 season.
The Guardian
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Hamburg Ballet dancers accuse artistic director of creating ‘toxic environment'
Ballet dancers at a top German company have reportedly written an excoriating critique of their new artistic director, accusing him of creating a 'toxic work environment.' More than half of the 63 dancers making up the troupe have complained of untenable working conditions under Hamburg Ballet's artistic director, Demis Volpi, who joined the company last September, taking over from the US choreographer John Neumeier. Neumeier, who retired last year at the age of 86 after 51 years in the role, is credited with having taken the German company from relative obscurity to a position of world renown in the dance world. But the mood at the company is now restive, according to a letter written last month to Hamburg's minister of culture, Carsten Brosda, and seen by reputable German media. Five of its 11 first soloists, considered the stars of the ensemble, have announced their resignation, and are due to leave the company at the end of the current season. Both collectively and individually, they have complained of Volpi's lack of leadership and artistic expertise, and the 'deep mistrust that [he] has towards his employees'. 'The current leadership is creating increasing internal problems and a toxic working environment through poor communication, a lack of transparency and an often dismissive attitude,' the letter reads. The criticisms have been echoed by dancers from the company Ballett am Rhein in Düsseldorf, where Volpi was at the helm for four years. They say they were moved by their counterparts in Hamburg to open up about their own similar experiences with him. In a letter also addressed to Brosda, 17 Rhein dancers wrote: 'During his time with us, we found that Mr Volpi created a work environment characterised by inconsistent communication, a lack of transparency, and an atmosphere of fear and uncertainty. 'Constructive feedback was often met with negative consequences, which made open exchange difficult and undermined trust.' The dancers warn in the letter: 'It is only a matter of time until not only John Neumeier's legacy will be lost, but also the high standard and the international reputation that the company enjoys.' Hamburg's first soloist, Alexandr Trusch, who came to the company aged 12, after moving to Hamburg from Ukraine, said he was 'abandoning everything' by leaving after 23 years because he could not tolerate the existing situation. 'I'm giving up everything, my career, my work, because I can't support such behaviour and such a low level of artistry which is in danger of destroying everything,' he told broadcaster NDR, saying he did not have a new post in place. He accused Volpi of being someone who 'is very good at selling his visions, but the quality he delivers is abysmal'. The other soloists to have announced their departure are Madoka Sugai, Jacopo Bellussi, Christopher Evans and Alessandro Frola. Sugai, 30, from Atsugi City, Japan, confirmed in an interview with Die Zeit that her departure was related to Volpi's style of leadership. Evans, 30, from Loveland, Colorado, who was the first soloist to announce his resignation, told the newspaper: 'I don't feel like Volpi understands us or has any idea how much work we put in and how much passion we put into our work.' Volpi, 39, who is German-Argentinian, denied the accusations in an interview last week with the Hamburger Abendblatt. More recently, he told the Rheinische Post: 'Intensive discussions are possible and are taking place right now.' He told Die Zeit he would like to respond to the dancers' letter, but said they had yet to send it to him. 'I don't have the letter,' he said, adding that he was 'willing to work on things', but for that to happen 'the criticism must be brought to my attention'. A coach 'who specialises in processes of change' in the field of the performing arts has been appointed at the ballet, Volpi said, whose job would be to mediate between the parties. Volpi was approached by the Guardian for comment through the Hamburg Ballet. Requests for information to the company have been directed to Brosda. In a written statement, Brosda said: 'We take the accusations very seriously and are carrying out lots of discussions behind the scenes. The management and the company must now quickly find solutions together to prevent further damage to everyone.' Meanwhile, the company is continuing to rehearse for the first ballet production choreographed by Volpi for Hamburg in July, an adaptation of the Hermann Hesse novel Demian, a coming of age tale which investigates the themes of identity and morality. Dance critics are expected to be paying far more attention than usual.
