Romeo und Julia

Cathy Marston

Based on the tragedy of the same name by William Shakespeare
Music by Sergei Prokofiev

From 20. November 2026 until 27. December 2026

Dates & Tickets
  • Duration :
    approx. 2 hrs. 30 min. incl. intermission after 1st act after approx. 1 hrs. 10 min.
  • More information:
    Introduction 45 min before the performance.
    © Poster artwork by Gary Yeoh (Calla)
Choreography and Direction:
Cathy Marston

Cathy Marston

The internationally renowned choreographer Cathy Marston holds both British and Swiss citizenship. Since August 2023, she has been Director of the Zurich Ballet. She received her dance training in Cambridge and at the Royal Ballet School in London. Between 1994 and 1999, she danced with the Zurich Ballet, the ballet of the Lucerne Theatre and Konzert Theater Bern. From 2002 to 2006, she was an Associate Artist at the Royal Opera House London, and from 2007 to 2013, she was Director of Ballet at Konzert Theater Bern. Having worked for many years with great success as a freelance choreographer, Cathy Marston has been invited by a large number of renowned international companies and institutions. Her creations have included works for the Royal Ballet, the Hamburg Ballet, the Royal Danish Ballet, the English National Ballet, the Northern Ballet, the Finnish National Ballet, Ballet Black, the National Ballet of Cuba, as well as Opera Australia and the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts. In recent years, she has increasingly worked in the USA, including for the San Francisco Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, Houston Ballet and Joffrey Ballet Chicago. In her choreographic works, she brings great works of literature to life through dance; she also approaches important historical figures in unconventional and original ways. She achieved great success with her ballet adaptations "Mrs. Robinson" (after Charles Webb's novel "The Graduate"), "Snowblind" (after Edith Wharton's novel "Ethan Frome"), Charlotte Brontë's "Jane Eyre" and John Steinbeck's "Of Mice and Men". Unusual perspectives also characterize her biographically inspired works "The Cellist", "Victoria" and "Hexenhatz". Cathy Marston has received numerous awards for her choreographic work, including a South Bank Sky Arts Award and the British National Dance Award. In 2020, the International Institute for Dance and Theatre awarded her a prize for excellence in international dance. The highlight of her first season as Director of the Zurich Ballet was the 2024 world premiere of "Atonement", based on the novel of the same name by Ian McEwan (a co-production with the Joffrey Ballet). In addition, Cathy Marston's works "The Cellist", "Snowblind" and "Mrs. Robinson" were performed in Zurich. Her most recent works are the Clara Schumann ballet "Clara", "Romeo and Juliet" and "A Midsummer Night's Dream".

Ein Sommernachtstraum11 / 16 / 18 / 25 / 28 / 29 / 31 Oct / 12 / 13 / 14 Nov 2026 / 19 / 22 / 29 Jun / 3 Jul 2027 Romeo und Julia20 / 27 / 29 Nov / 6 / 13 / 19 / 26 / 27 Dec 2026 See the music, hear the dance22 / 28 May / 6 / 10 / 12 / 15 / 25 / 26 / 27 Jun 2027
Musical Director:
Dmitry Matvienko

Dmitry Matvienko

Dmitry Matvienko has been Chief Conductor of the Aarhus Symphony Orchestra since the 2024/25 season. Born in Belarus, he studied at the Moscow Conservatory and won both First Prize and the Audience Prize at the Nikolai Malko Competition. He is also a prizewinner of the Premio Guido Cantelli. As a guest conductor, Matvienko has conducted the Danish National Symphony Orchestra, Oslo Philharmonic, Dallas Symphony Orchestra, Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra, Orchestra Sinfonica Nazionale della RAI, Tokyo Symphony Orchestra, Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra, Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Russian National Orchestra, as well as the opera orchestras in Turin, Bologna, Venice, Genoa and Florence. More recently, he has conducted "Eugene Onegin" at Deutsche Oper am Rhein, "From the House of the Dead" at the Teatro dell’Opera di Roma, "Betrothal in a Monastery" at the Theater an der Wien and "Aida" at the Opéra de Paris. In the 2026/27 season, he conducts, among others, "The Love for Three Oranges" at the Opéra de Lyon, "Otello" at the Opéra de Lille and "Boris Godunov" at La Monnaie. On the concert stage, he makes his debuts with the NHK Symphony Orchestra and Copenhagen Phil. He also returns to the podium of the Orchestre Philharmonique de Monte-Carlo.

Romeo und Julia20 / 27 / 29 Nov / 6 / 13 / 19 / 26 / 27 Dec 2026 La traviata12 / 19 / 23 Jan 2027
Scenario:
Cathy Marston,

Cathy Marston

The internationally renowned choreographer Cathy Marston holds both British and Swiss citizenship. Since August 2023, she has been Director of the Zurich Ballet. She received her dance training in Cambridge and at the Royal Ballet School in London. Between 1994 and 1999, she danced with the Zurich Ballet, the ballet of the Lucerne Theatre and Konzert Theater Bern. From 2002 to 2006, she was an Associate Artist at the Royal Opera House London, and from 2007 to 2013, she was Director of Ballet at Konzert Theater Bern. Having worked for many years with great success as a freelance choreographer, Cathy Marston has been invited by a large number of renowned international companies and institutions. Her creations have included works for the Royal Ballet, the Hamburg Ballet, the Royal Danish Ballet, the English National Ballet, the Northern Ballet, the Finnish National Ballet, Ballet Black, the National Ballet of Cuba, as well as Opera Australia and the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts. In recent years, she has increasingly worked in the USA, including for the San Francisco Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, Houston Ballet and Joffrey Ballet Chicago. In her choreographic works, she brings great works of literature to life through dance; she also approaches important historical figures in unconventional and original ways. She achieved great success with her ballet adaptations "Mrs. Robinson" (after Charles Webb's novel "The Graduate"), "Snowblind" (after Edith Wharton's novel "Ethan Frome"), Charlotte Brontë's "Jane Eyre" and John Steinbeck's "Of Mice and Men". Unusual perspectives also characterize her biographically inspired works "The Cellist", "Victoria" and "Hexenhatz". Cathy Marston has received numerous awards for her choreographic work, including a South Bank Sky Arts Award and the British National Dance Award. In 2020, the International Institute for Dance and Theatre awarded her a prize for excellence in international dance. The highlight of her first season as Director of the Zurich Ballet was the 2024 world premiere of "Atonement", based on the novel of the same name by Ian McEwan (a co-production with the Joffrey Ballet). In addition, Cathy Marston's works "The Cellist", "Snowblind" and "Mrs. Robinson" were performed in Zurich. Her most recent works are the Clara Schumann ballet "Clara", "Romeo and Juliet" and "A Midsummer Night's Dream".

Ein Sommernachtstraum11 / 16 / 18 / 25 / 28 / 29 / 31 Oct / 12 / 13 / 14 Nov 2026 / 19 / 22 / 29 Jun / 3 Jul 2027 Romeo und Julia20 / 27 / 29 Nov / 6 / 13 / 19 / 26 / 27 Dec 2026 See the music, hear the dance22 / 28 May / 6 / 10 / 12 / 15 / 25 / 26 / 27 Jun 2027
Edward Kemp

Edward Kemp

Edward Kemp, born in Oxford, has collaborated with Cathy Marston on more than twenty ballets, including seven for Bern Ballett. Recent collaborations include "Summer & Smoke" (Houston/American Ballet Theatre), "Of Mice and Men" (Joffrey), "Mrs. Robinson" (San Francisco), "The Cellist" (Royal Ballet), "The Suit" (Ballet Black), "Lady Chatterley’s Lover" (Les Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montréal), "Liaisons Dangereuses" (Royal Danish Ballet), and a screenplay for Disney+. He has written texts for composers such as Sally Beamish, Victoria Borisova Ollas, Jason Carr, Tansy Davies, Terry Davies, Péter Eötvös, Stuart MacRae, Julian Philips, and Gary Yershon. In theatre, his works include "King James Bible" (National Theatre), "The Mysteries" (Royal Shakespeare Company), as well as stage adaptations of Bulgakov’s "The Master and Margarita" (Chichester/Complicite/Avignon), Lessing’s "Nathan the Wise" (Chichester/Off-Broadway/Shaw Festival), and Faulkner’s "As I Lay Dying" (Baton Rouge). He also adapted works by Brecht, Goldoni, Kleist, Lorca, Prokofiev, Molière, Racine, and Sibelius for the stage and translated novels by Paul Auster, Eça de Queirós, Charles Dickens, Knut Hamsun, Ted Hughes, Salman Rushdie, and W. G. Sebald. He has written dramas and comedies for BBC Radio and directed plays and musicals in the United Kingdom and the United States, from authors such as Gertrude Stein and William Shakespeare to Alan Bennett and Stephen Sondheim. From 2008 to 2021 he was Director and Chief Executive of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA). Today he is Chief Executive of the Royal Literary Fund, the oldest literary charity in the United Kingdom.

Ein Sommernachtstraum11 / 16 / 18 / 25 / 28 / 29 / 31 Oct / 12 / 13 / 14 Nov 2026 / 19 / 22 / 29 Jun / 3 Jul 2027 Romeo und Julia20 / 27 / 29 Nov / 6 / 13 / 19 / 26 / 27 Dec 2026 See the music, hear the dance22 / 28 May / 6 / 10 / 12 / 15 / 25 / 26 / 27 Jun 2027
Sets and Costumes:
David Fleischer

David Fleischer

David Fleischer is from Australia. As a stage and costume designer, he has collaborated with renowned theatre, dance, ballet, and opera ensembles. He studied at the National Institute for Dramatic Arts in Australia. In 2012/13, he was the resident designer for the Sydney Theatre Company. For Rafaela Bonachela and the Sydney Dance Company, he created numerous productions, including "Impermanence," which was presented on international tours. He collaborated with Cathy Marston and the Queensland Ballet on "My Brilliant Career." In theatre, David Fleischer has designed over fifty plays and musicals, including the musical "Fangirls" in London’s West End and Suzie Miller’s hit play "RGB: Of Many One" for the Sydney Theatre Company. He has a close collaboration with director Kip Williams, working together on productions such as "The Harp in the South," "Love and Information," "Chimerica," "Playing Beatie Bow," "The Golden Age," "Children of the Sun," "Romeo and Juliet," and "Cat On a Hot Tin Roof." Recently, they worked together on the new opera "Gilgamesh," a co-production of Sydney Chamber Opera and Opera Australia, as well as "The Rape of Lucretia." David Fleischer has received numerous awards, including two Australian Production Design Guild Awards and the Berlin Music Opera Award.

Romeo und Julia20 / 27 / 29 Nov / 6 / 13 / 19 / 26 / 27 Dec 2026
Lighting Design:
Martin Gebhardt

Martin Gebhardt

Martin Gebhardt was lighting designer and Head of Lighting for John Neumeier’s Hamburg Ballet. From 2002 onward he collaborated with Heinz Spoerli and the Ballett Zürich. Ballet productions of both companies took him to renowned theatres across Europe, Asia, and the Americas. At Zurich Opera House he created the lighting design for productions by Jürgen Flimm, David Alden, Jan Philipp Gloger, Grischa Asagaroff, Matthias Hartmann, David Pountney, Moshe Leiser/Patrice Caurier, Damiano Michieletto, and Achim Freyer. At the Salzburg Festival he designed the lighting for "La bohème" and for a new version of Spoerli’s "Der Tod und das Mädchen". Since the 2012/13 season Martin Gebhardt has been Head of Lighting at Zurich Opera House. He maintains a close collaboration with choreographer Christian Spuck (including "Winterreise", "Nussknacker und Mausekönig", "Messa da Requiem", "Anna Karenina", "Woyzeck", "Der Sandmann", "Leonce und Lena", "Das Mädchen mit den Schwefelhölzern"). He has also worked as lighting designer for choreographers Edward Clug (including "Strings", "Le Sacre du printemps" and "Faust" in Zurich), Alexei Ratmansky, Wayne McGregor, Marco Goecke, and Douglas Lee. He collaborated with Christoph Marthaler and Anna Viebrock on Handel’s "Sale" and Rossini’s "Il viaggio a Reims" in Zurich as well as on "Lulu" at the Hamburg State Opera, and with Jossi Wieler and Sergio Morabito at the Grand Théâtre de Genève for "Les Huguenots". In 2023 he designed the lighting for Spuck’s ballet "Bovary" at the Staatsballett Berlin and in 2024 for Rossini’s "Tancredi" at the Bregenz Festival. He was also the lighting designer for Cathy Marston’s "Atonement" at Zurich Opera House.

Oiseaux Rebelles11 / 13 / 16 / 18 / 27 Sept 2026 Tannhäuser26 Sept / 4 / 9 / 13 Oct 2026 Die Fledermaus29 Sept / 8 / 17 / 23 / 25 Oct 2026 Ein Sommernachtstraum11 / 16 / 18 / 25 / 28 / 29 / 31 Oct / 12 / 13 / 14 Nov 2026 / 19 / 22 / 29 Jun / 3 Jul 2027 Romeo und Julia20 / 27 / 29 Nov / 6 / 13 / 19 / 26 / 27 Dec 2026 Slow Rush16 / 17 / 22 / 28 / 30 Jan / 5 / 10 / 13 / 17 / 21 Feb / 29 / 30 May / 3 Jun 2027 Doctor Atomic7 / 11 / 14 / 20 / 24 / 28 Feb 2027 Timeframed27 Feb / 6 / 24 Mar / 1 / 3 / 9 / 18 / 22 / 28 / 30 Apr / 1 May 2027 Le nozze di Figaro2 / 6 / 8 / 15 / 19 May 2027 Samson et Dalila13 / 17 / 20 / 24 / 27 / 30 Jun / 2 / 9 Jul 2027
Dramaturgy:
Edward Kemp,

Edward Kemp

Edward Kemp, born in Oxford, has collaborated with Cathy Marston on more than twenty ballets, including seven for Bern Ballett. Recent collaborations include "Summer & Smoke" (Houston/American Ballet Theatre), "Of Mice and Men" (Joffrey), "Mrs. Robinson" (San Francisco), "The Cellist" (Royal Ballet), "The Suit" (Ballet Black), "Lady Chatterley’s Lover" (Les Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montréal), "Liaisons Dangereuses" (Royal Danish Ballet), and a screenplay for Disney+. He has written texts for composers such as Sally Beamish, Victoria Borisova Ollas, Jason Carr, Tansy Davies, Terry Davies, Péter Eötvös, Stuart MacRae, Julian Philips, and Gary Yershon. In theatre, his works include "King James Bible" (National Theatre), "The Mysteries" (Royal Shakespeare Company), as well as stage adaptations of Bulgakov’s "The Master and Margarita" (Chichester/Complicite/Avignon), Lessing’s "Nathan the Wise" (Chichester/Off-Broadway/Shaw Festival), and Faulkner’s "As I Lay Dying" (Baton Rouge). He also adapted works by Brecht, Goldoni, Kleist, Lorca, Prokofiev, Molière, Racine, and Sibelius for the stage and translated novels by Paul Auster, Eça de Queirós, Charles Dickens, Knut Hamsun, Ted Hughes, Salman Rushdie, and W. G. Sebald. He has written dramas and comedies for BBC Radio and directed plays and musicals in the United Kingdom and the United States, from authors such as Gertrude Stein and William Shakespeare to Alan Bennett and Stephen Sondheim. From 2008 to 2021 he was Director and Chief Executive of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA). Today he is Chief Executive of the Royal Literary Fund, the oldest literary charity in the United Kingdom.

Ein Sommernachtstraum11 / 16 / 18 / 25 / 28 / 29 / 31 Oct / 12 / 13 / 14 Nov 2026 / 19 / 22 / 29 Jun / 3 Jul 2027 Romeo und Julia20 / 27 / 29 Nov / 6 / 13 / 19 / 26 / 27 Dec 2026 See the music, hear the dance22 / 28 May / 6 / 10 / 12 / 15 / 25 / 26 / 27 Jun 2027
Michael Küster

Michael Küster

Michael Küster is from Germany. After studying German literature, art history and speech science at the University of Halle, he worked as a presenter, author and announcer for various radio broadcasters in Germany. There, he presented a wide range of classical music programmes and live broadcasts of major concert events, including from the Metropolitan Opera in New York, the Semperoper Dresden and the Gewandhaus in Leipzig. To this day, he remains associated with the radio programme SWR Kultur. Since 2002, Michael Küster has been a dramaturg at Zurich Opera House, working with directors such as Matthias Hartmann, David Alden, Robert Carsen, Moshe Leiser/Patrice Caurier, Damiano Michieletto, David Pountney, Johannes Schaaf and Graham Vick, among others. At La Scala in Milan, he was dramaturg for Matthias Hartmann’s opera productions of "Der Freischütz", "Idomeneo" and "Pique Dame". Since 2012, he has worked as a dramaturg with Zurich Ballet, collaborating with Cathy Marston, Marco Goecke, Marcos Morau, Kim Brandstrup, Edward Clug, Alexei Ratmansky, William Forsythe, Jiří Kylián, Mats Ek and Hans van Manen, among others. Together with Christian Spuck, he created works including "Winterreise" ("Prix Benois de la Danse"), "Romeo und Juliea", "Messa da Requiem" and "Dornröschen". Michael Küster is the host of the discussion series "Zurich Talks Dance".

Oiseaux Rebelles11 / 13 / 16 / 18 / 27 Sept 2026 Ein Sommernachtstraum11 / 16 / 18 / 25 / 28 / 29 / 31 Oct / 12 / 13 / 14 Nov 2026 / 19 / 22 / 29 Jun / 3 Jul 2027 Romeo und Julia20 / 27 / 29 Nov / 6 / 13 / 19 / 26 / 27 Dec 2026 Slow Rush16 / 17 / 22 / 28 / 30 Jan / 5 / 10 / 13 / 17 / 21 Feb / 29 / 30 May / 3 Jun 2027 Timeframed27 Feb / 6 / 24 Mar / 1 / 3 / 9 / 18 / 22 / 28 / 30 Apr / 1 May 2027 See the music, hear the dance22 / 28 May / 6 / 10 / 12 / 15 / 25 / 26 / 27 Jun 2027 Art Matters19 / 20 / 23 / 25 Feb / 29 Mar / 4 / 11 Apr 2027

Cast


Romeo Chandler Dalton


Julia Nancy Osbaldeston


Mercutio Pablo Octávio


Benvolia Breanna Foad


Angelica Yun-Su Park


Tybalt Joel Woellner


Lorenzo Brandon Lawrence


Paris Sean Bates


Lord Capulet Charles-Louis Yoshiyama


Lady Capulet Shelby Williams


Blumenfrau Ruka Nakagawa


Rosalind Sujung Lim


Romeo Lucas van Rensburg


Julia Max Richter


Mercutio Charles-Louis Yoshiyama


Benvolia Shelby Williams


Angelica Caroline Perry


Tybalt Brandon Lawrence


Lorenzo Mlindi Kulashe


Paris Marià Huguet


Lord Capulet Karen Azatyan


Lady Capulet Daniela Gómez Pérez


Blumenfrau Sujung Lim


Rosalind McKhayla Pettingill


Romeo Lucas van Rensburg


Julia Max Richter


Mercutio Charles-Louis Yoshiyama


Benvolia Shelby Williams


Angelica Caroline Perry


Tybalt Brandon Lawrence


Lorenzo Mlindi Kulashe


Paris Marià Huguet


Lord Capulet Karen Azatyan


Lady Capulet Daniela Gómez Pérez


Blumenfrau Sujung Lim


Rosalind McKhayla Pettingill


Romeo Chandler Dalton


Julia Nancy Osbaldeston


Mercutio Pablo Octávio


Benvolia Breanna Foad


Angelica Yun-Su Park


Tybalt Joel Woellner


Lorenzo Brandon Lawrence


Paris Sean Bates


Lord Capulet Charles-Louis Yoshiyama


Lady Capulet Shelby Williams


Blumenfrau Ruka Nakagawa


Rosalind Sujung Lim


Romeo Lucas van Rensburg


Julia Max Richter


Mercutio Charles-Louis Yoshiyama


Benvolia Shelby Williams


Angelica Caroline Perry


Tybalt Brandon Lawrence


Lorenzo Mlindi Kulashe


Paris Marià Huguet


Lord Capulet Karen Azatyan


Lady Capulet Daniela Gómez Pérez


Blumenfrau Sujung Lim


Rosalind McKhayla Pettingill


Romeo Chandler Dalton


Julia Nancy Osbaldeston


Mercutio Pablo Octávio


Benvolia Breanna Foad


Angelica Yun-Su Park


Tybalt Joel Woellner


Lorenzo Brandon Lawrence


Paris Sean Bates


Lord Capulet Charles-Louis Yoshiyama


Lady Capulet Shelby Williams


Blumenfrau Ruka Nakagawa


Rosalind Sujung Lim


Romeo Karen Azatyan


Julia Ayaha Tsunaki


Mercutio Sean Bates


Benvolia Nehanda Péguillan


Angelica Inna Bilash


Tybalt Dustin True


Lorenzo Mlindi Kulashe


Paris Wei Chen


Lord Capulet Charles-Louis Yoshiyama


Lady Capulet Yun-Su Park


Blumenfrau Ruka Nakagawa


Rosalind Sujung Lim


Romeo Karen Azatyan


Julia Ayaha Tsunaki


Mercutio Sean Bates


Benvolia Nehanda Péguillan


Angelica Inna Bilash


Tybalt Dustin True


Lorenzo Mlindi Kulashe


Paris Wei Chen


Lord Capulet Charles-Louis Yoshiyama


Lady Capulet Yun-Su Park


Blumenfrau Ruka Nakagawa


Rosalind Sujung Lim

Chandler Dalton

Chandler Dalton is American. He was trained at the School of Richmond Ballet and Houston Ballet Academy. At Houston Ballet, he was appointed Principal Dancer. Highlights there included James in Bournonville's "La Sylphide", Bluebird and Pas de Quatre in Ben Stevenson's "Sleeping Beauty", Pas de trois in George Balanchine's "Emeralds", the Prince in Stanton Welch's "The Nutcracker", as well as leading roles in ballets by John Neumeier, Jerome Robbins, Christopher Bruce and Justin Peck. Since the 2023/24 season, Chandler Dalton has been a member of Zurich Ballet and has appeared here in the title role of Marco Goecke's "Nijinski", as Romeo in Cathy Marston's "Romeo and Juliet" and as Johannes Brahms in Cathy Marston's "Clara". He has also danced in Patrice Bart's "Giselle" (Peasant Pas de deux), William Forsythe's "In the Middle, Somewhat Elevated" and in ballets by Marcos Morau, Wayne McGregor, Mats Ek, Christian Spuck and Kenneth MacMillan.

Ein Sommernachtstraum11 / 25 / 28 / 31 Oct / 14 Nov 2026 Romeo und Julia20 Nov / 6 / 19 Dec 2026

Lucas van Rensburg

Lucas van Rensburg holds both German and Italian citizenship. He studied at the Palucca School in Dresden. After two seasons with Junior Ballet, he has been a member of Zurich Ballet since the 2025/26 season. His most important roles in Zurich include Romeo in Cathy Marston's "Romeo and Juliet" and Benjamin Braddock in Marston's "Mrs. Robinson". He has also appeared in solo roles in Marcos Morau's "Night Dreams", Lucas Valente's "Timeframed", Mthuthuzeli November's "Rhapsody in Blue" and Dani Rowe's "Vestige". His Zurich repertoire also includes works by William Forsythe, Crystal Pite, Kenneth MacMillan, Wayne McGregor, Jerome Robbins, Mats Ek and Christian Spuck.

Ein Sommernachtstraum11 / 25 / 28 / 31 Oct / 14 Nov 2026 Romeo und Julia27 / 29 Nov / 13 Dec 2026

Karen Azatyan

Karen Azatyan is from Armenia. Trained at Yerevan Dancing Art State College and at the Zurich Dance Academy, he was a winner of the Prix de Lausanne in 2005. From 2007 to 2014, he was a member of the Bavarian State Ballet in Munich (Soloist since 2012). In 2014, he joined Hamburg Ballet as a Principal Dancer, where he worked closely with John Neumeier until his retirement in 2024. He danced leading roles and solos in many of Neumeier's ballets, including "Illusions – like Swan Lake", "The Nutcracker", "A Midsummer Night's Dream", "A Streetcar Named Desire", "Death in Venice", "Peer Gynt", "Romeo and Juliet", "Nijinsky", "Liliom", "The Seagull", "Winterreise", "St. Matthew Passion", "The Song of the Earth" and Mahler's "Symphony No. 3". His repertoire also includes choreographies by Frederick Ashton, Nacho Duato, Mats Ek, William Forsythe, Jiří Kylián, Marius Petipa, Jerome Robbins and Christopher Wheeldon. Since the 2024/25 season, Karen Azatyan has been a Principal Dancer with Zurich Ballet. Here, he has appeared as Robert Schumann in Cathy Marston's "Clara", Hilarion in Patrice Bart's "Giselle", as the Shadow in Kim Brandstrup's "Of Light, Wind and Waters" and as Romeo in Cathy Marston's "Romeo and Juliet".

Oiseaux Rebelles11 / 16 / 27 Sept 2026 Ein Sommernachtstraum29 Oct / 12 / 13 Nov 2026 Romeo und Julia27 / 29 Nov / 13 / 26 / 27 Dec 2026

Nancy Osbaldeston

Nancy Osbaldeston holds both Belgian and British citizenship. She received her dance training at the English National Ballet School in London. In 2008, she joined English National Ballet, where she received the "Emerging Dance Award" in 2013. In 2014, she joined Royal Ballet of Flanders, where she became a Principal Dancer. She regularly appeared as a guest with the Bavarian State Ballet in Munich. She later danced with Ballet du Capitole de Toulouse. Her repertoire includes leading roles in choreographies by Yuri Grigorovich (Aegina in "Spartacus"), John Neumeier (Marie in "The Nutcracker"), Akram Khan ("Giselle"), Kader Belarbi (Kitri in "Don Quixote") and Pina Bausch ("Café Müller"). She has also appeared in choreographies by George Balanchine, Ohad Naharin, Jiří Kylián, Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui and Andonis Foniadakis. Since the 2024/25 season, she has been a Principal Dancer with Zurich Ballet. Here, she has danced leading roles in choreographies by Cathy Marston (Julia in "Romeo and Juliet", "Clara", Cecilia in "Atonement", "Mrs. Robinson"), Patrice Bart ("Giselle"), Mats Ek ("Carmen"), William Forsythe ("In the Middle, Somewhat Elevated"), Kenneth MacMillan ("Concerto") and Bryan Arias ("Colorful Darkness"). In 2026, she received the "Dance Prize of the Friends of Zurich Ballet".

Oiseaux Rebelles11 / 16 / 27 Sept 2026 Ein Sommernachtstraum11 / 16 / 18 / 29 Oct / 12 / 13 Nov 2026 Romeo und Julia20 Nov / 6 / 19 Dec 2026

Max Richter

Max Richter is from the USA and received his ballet training with Houston Ballet II. Important choreographies during his engagement with Houston Ballet included Cathy Marston's "Summer and Smoke", Ben Stevenson's "Sleeping Beauty" and Balanchine's "Diamonds". Since the 2023/24 season, Max Richter has been a member of the Zurich Ballet. In addition to leading roles in Cathy Marston's ballets "Atonement", "Clara" and "Romeo and Juliet", Max Richter has appeared in the title role of Patrice Bart's "Giselle", as the bride in Bronislava Nijinska's "Les Noces", as well as in choreographies by Wayne McGregor, Jerome Robbins, Marcos Morau, Meryl Tankard, Christian Spuck, Marco Goecke, William Forsythe, Kim Brandstrup, Kenneth MacMillan, Hans van Manen and Mats Ek. The choreography "The Decision" was created for the "Next Generation" series.

Oiseaux Rebelles11 / 16 / 27 Sept 2026 Ein Sommernachtstraum11 / 25 / 28 / 31 Oct / 14 Nov 2026 Romeo und Julia27 / 29 Nov / 13 Dec 2026

Ayaha Tsunaki

Ayaha Tsunaki is from Japan. She studied at the Kyouko Kanda Ballet Academy in Japan, at the ballet school of Hamburg Ballet and at the Palucca University of Dance Dresden. From 2014 to 2025, she danced with Semperoper Ballett in Dresden, as a Demi-Soloist from 2021 and as a Soloist from 2023. Among other roles, she appeared as Julia in David Dawson's "Romeo and Juliet", as Odette in Johan Inger's "Swan Lake", in Alexander Ekman's "Cow" and in David Dawson's "The Four Seasons". Since the 2025/26 season, Ayaha Tsunaki has been a Principal Dancer with Zurich Ballet. Here, she has appeared in Hans van Manen's "Live", as "M" in Mats Ek's "Carmen", in Kenneth MacMillan's "Concerto", Christian Spuck's "Messa da Requiem" and as Julia in Cathy Marston's "Romeo and Juliet".

Oiseaux Rebelles13 / 18 Sept 2026 Ein Sommernachtstraum14 Nov 2026 Romeo und Julia26 / 27 Dec 2026

Pablo Octávio

Pablo Octávio is Brazilian. He studied at the University of Music and Performing Arts Mannheim. He was a finalist at the Prix de Lausanne in 2011. From 2012 to 2023, he danced with Badisches Staatsballett Karlsruhe. Important roles in Karlsruhe included Romeo, Mercutio and Benvolio in Kenneth MacMillan's "Romeo and Juliet", the Prince in Youri Vamos's "The Nutcracker", Lucentio in John Cranko's "The Taming of the Shrew" and Albrecht in David Dawson's "Giselle". Since the 2023/24 season, Pablo Octávio has been a member of Zurich Ballet. Here, he has appeared, among other roles, in the title role of Marco Goecke's "Nijinski", as Joseph Joachim in Cathy Marston's "Clara", in Patrice Bart's "Giselle" (Peasant Pas de deux), as Dancaïre in Mats Ek's "Carmen" and in choreographies by Jerome Robbins, Marcos Morau, Wayne McGregor and Crystal Pite.

Oiseaux Rebelles11 / 16 / 27 Sept 2026 Ein Sommernachtstraum16 / 18 / 29 Oct / 12 / 13 Nov 2026 Romeo und Julia20 Nov / 6 / 19 Dec 2026

Charles-Louis Yoshiyama

Charles-Louis Yoshiyama holds both Japanese and French citizenship. He received his dance training at Trinity College in London and at the English Ballet School. In 2007, he joined Houston Ballet, where he was appointed Principal Dancer in 2016. Important roles included Crown Prince Rudolf in "Mayerling" and De Grieux in "Manon" by Kenneth MacMillan, as well as Oberon in John Neumeier's "A Midsummer Night's Dream". He also danced in Roland Petit's "L'Arlésienne" and numerous works by George Balanchine. In choreographies by Ben Stevenson, he portrayed Basilio ("Don Quixote"), Prince Florimund ("Sleeping Beauty"), Franz ("Coppélia"), Mercutio ("Romeo and Juliet") and the Prince ("The Nutcracker"). In choreographies by Stanton Welch, he danced Siegfried ("Swan Lake"), Solor ("La Bayadère") and Albrecht ("Giselle"). In John Cranko's "The Taming of the Shrew", he danced Lucentio and Hortensio. In 2023, Charles-Louis Yoshiyama was a Principal Dancer with Oregon Ballet Theatre. Since the 2023/24 season, he has been a Principal Dancer with Zurich Ballet. He has danced leading roles in choreographies by Cathy Marston (Cello in "The Cellist", Robert Schumann in "Clara", Robbie Turner in "Atonement", Mercutio in "Romeo and Juliet"), Albrecht/Hilarion in Patrice Bart's "Giselle", among others.

Oiseaux Rebelles13 / 18 Sept 2026 Ein Sommernachtstraum11 / 25 / 28 / 31 Oct / 14 Nov 2026 Romeo und Julia20 / 27 / 29 Nov / 6 / 13 / 19 / 26 / 27 Dec 2026

Sean Bates

Sean Bates is from the United Kingdom and studied at the Royal Ballet School. He danced with Northern Ballet under the direction of David Nixon and appeared in numerous leading roles, including Jay Gatsby ("The Great Gatsby"), Romeo ("Romeo and Juliet") and Puck ("A Midsummer Night's Dream"). Following his collaborations with Cathy Marston on "Jane Eyre" and "Victoria", he joined Zurich Ballet for the 2023/24 season. Here, he has appeared as a soloist, among other roles, in Marco Goecke's "Nijinski", in Kenneth MacMillan's "Concerto", as Denis in Cathy Marston's "Snowblind", as Bargiel in "Clara" and as Paris and Mercutio in "Romeo and Juliet". He has taught at Cape Town City Ballet and at various summer schools in the United Kingdom and Zurich.

Romeo und Julia20 Nov / 6 / 19 / 26 / 27 Dec 2026

Breanna Foad

Breanna Foad is Australian. From 2018 to 2025, she danced with English National Ballet. There, she danced leading roles in choreographies by Mats Ek, Johan Inger and Andrea Miller. She also appeared in choreographies by Akram Khan, William Forsythe, Christopher Wheeldon, Derek Deane and Arielle Smith. In 2024, she was the winner of the "English National Opera's Emerging Dancer Competition". Since the 2025/26 season, she has been a member of Zurich Ballet. She has appeared as Clara in Cathy Marston's ballet of the same name and as Benvolia in "Romeo and Juliet". She has also appeared in choreographies by Marcos Morau, Andonis Foniadakis and Dani Rowe. For the "Next Generation" series, she choreographed "The Order".

Ein Sommernachtstraum16 / 18 / 29 Oct / 12 / 13 Nov 2026 Romeo und Julia20 Nov / 6 / 19 Dec 2026

Shelby Williams

Shelby Williams holds both American and Italian citizenship. She studied at Houston Ballet Academy, Washington School of Ballet and Dancer’s Workshop Baton Rouge (Louisiana, USA). After engagements with Semperoper Ballett, Corella Ballet and Ballet d’Europe, she was a Soloist with Ballett Mainz, Hessisches Staatsballett in Wiesbaden and, from 2016 to 2023, Royal Ballet of Flanders. In 2017 and 2018, she was nominated in the categories "Best Performance by a Female Dancer" and "Best News" for the "Critic's Choice Awards" of "Dance Europe Magazine". She danced Pina/Malou in Pina Bausch's "Café Müller", Rusalka in Alan Lucien Øyen's choreography of the same name, Myrtha in Akram Khan's "Giselle" and further leading roles in choreographies by Martha Graham, Johan Inger, Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, Andonis Foniadakis, William Forsythe, Ohad Naharin, Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker, Édouard Lock and Jermaine Spivey. Since the 2023/24 season, Shelby Williams has been a member of Zurich Ballet, where she has taken on leading roles in creations by Meryl Tankard, Bryan Arias and Cathy Marston and danced important roles in the repertoire of Marcos Morau, Marco Goecke, William Forsythe and Mats Ek.

Oiseaux Rebelles11 / 16 / 27 Sept 2026 Ein Sommernachtstraum16 / 18 / 29 Oct / 12 / 13 Nov 2026 Romeo und Julia20 / 27 / 29 Nov / 6 / 13 / 19 Dec 2026

Nehanda Péguillan

Nehanda Péguillan holds both French and South African citizenship. She received her dance training in Johannesburg and at the Pôle National Supérieur de Danse Rosella Hightower in Cannes. At Cannes Jeune Ballet, she appeared in choreographies by Jean-Christophe Maillot, Carolyn Carlson and Thierry Malandain. With the Dutch De Theater BV, she danced in the production "Nureyev" in 2023. After one season with Junior Ballet, she has been a member of Zurich Ballet since the 2024/25 season. Here, she has appeared, among other roles, in the title role of Mats Ek's "Carmen" and as Clara in Cathy Marston's ballet of the same name.

Oiseaux Rebelles13 / 18 Sept 2026 Romeo und Julia26 / 27 Dec 2026

Yun-Su Park

Yun-Su Park is Korean. She received her ballet training at Shunwa Arts School and at the School of the Hamburg Ballet. From 2007 to 2024, she danced with the Hamburg Ballet John Neumeier, where she was appointed a Soloist in 2018. She appeared in numerous ballets by John Neumeier, including as Lady Capulet in "Romeo and Juliet", Diana in "Sylvia" and Elisabeth in "Preludes CV", as well as in "Nocturnes", "Messiah" and "Beethoven Project". She also appeared in ballets by Rudolf Nureyev and George Balanchine. Since the 2024/25 season, Yun-Su Park has been a guest dancer with the Zurich Ballet, and since the 2026/27 season, she has been a member of the ensemble. Among other roles, she danced the title role in Cathy Marston's ballet "Mrs. Robinson" and Lady Capulet in "Romeo and Juliet".

Ein Sommernachtstraum11 / 25 / 28 / 31 Oct / 14 Nov 2026 Romeo und Julia20 Nov / 6 / 19 / 26 / 27 Dec 2026

Caroline Perry

Caroline Perry is from the USA. She received her training at Houston Ballet Academy and in Houston Ballet II. During an initial engagement with Houston Ballet, she danced in choreographies by George Balanchine, Jerome Robbins, Kenneth MacMillan, Ben Stevenson, Stanton Welch and Christopher Wheeldon. From 2022 to 2024, she was a member of Cincinnati Ballet. There, she appeared in choreographies by Jiří Kylián, Alejandro Cerrudo, William Forsythe, Peter Chu, Annabelle Lopez Ochoa and Cathy Marston. Since the 2024/25 season, Caroline Perry has been a member of Zurich Ballet. Here, she has danced in choreographies by Bryan Arias, Mats Ek, Andonis Foniadakis, William Forsythe, Kenneth MacMillan, Wayne McGregor, Marcos Morau and Christian Spuck. In Cathy Marston's "Romeo and Juliet", she appeared as Angelica.

Romeo und Julia27 / 29 Nov / 13 Dec 2026

Inna Bilash

Inna Bilash is from Ukraine. She received her ballet training at the Kharkov Choreographic School, the Perm State Choreographic College and the Perm State Academy of Arts and Culture. She was a Soloist with Perm Ballet, where she danced, among other roles, Julia in Kenneth MacMillan's "Romeo and Juliet", Odette/Odile in Natalia Makarova's "Swan Lake", Giselle in the choreography by Perrot/Coralli/Petipa, the Bride in Kylián's "Svadebka" and Masha in MacMillan's "Winter Dreams". She also appeared as a soloist in choreographies by Jerome Robbins, George Balanchine, Douglas Lee, William Forsythe, Mats Ek, Marco Goecke and Crystal Pite. She was the winner of the Arabesque competition in Perm and the Bolshoi Ballet television competition. In 2017, she received the award of the ballet magazine "The Soul of Dance". Since the 2018/19 season, Inna Bilash has been a member of Zurich Ballet and has appeared here, among other roles, as Briony in Cathy Marston's "Atonement" and in the title role of Patrice Bart's "Giselle". In 2024, she received the "Dance Prize of the Friends of Zurich Ballet".

Ein Sommernachtstraum16 / 18 / 29 Oct 2026 Romeo und Julia26 / 27 Dec 2026

Joel Woellner

Joel Woellner is Australian. He received his training at the Ben Stevenson Academy of Houston Ballet and with Houston Ballet II. In 2013, he was a two-time prizewinner at the Prix de Lausanne. After an engagement with Houston Ballet, he was a Principal Artist with Queensland Ballet from 2015 to 2024. Joel Woellner danced Des Grieux in Kenneth MacMillan's "Manon", Valmont in Liam Scarlett's "Dangerous Liaisons", Oberon in Scarlett's "A Midsummer Night's Dream", Prince Ivan in Scarlett's "The Firebird", Prince Siegfried in Ben Stevenson's "Swan Lake", as well as in choreographies by Greg Horsman, Christopher Bruce and Jiří Kylián. Since the 2024/25 season, he has been a member of the Zurich Ballet. Here, he has appeared, among other roles, as Johannes Brahms in Cathy Marston's "Clara", as Albrecht in Patrice Bart's "Giselle", as Escamillo in Mats Ek's "Carmen", as well as in choreographies by Hans van Manen, Wayne McGregor, William Forsythe, Marcos Morau, Bryan Arias, Kenneth MacMillan and Crystal Pite.

Oiseaux Rebelles13 / 18 Sept 2026 Ein Sommernachtstraum16 / 18 / 29 Oct / 12 / 13 Nov 2026 Romeo und Julia20 Nov / 6 / 19 Dec 2026

Brandon Lawrence

Brandon Lawrence is from the United Kingdom. He received his ballet training at the Royal Ballet School. From 2011 to 2023, he danced with Birmingham Royal Ballet, becoming a Principal Dancer in 2019. Important roles included the Prince ("The Nutcracker"), Franz ("Coppélia"), Prince Florimund ("The Sleeping Beauty"), Prince Siegfried ("Swan Lake") in choreographies by Peter Wright, Romeo in Kenneth MacMillan's "Romeo and Juliet", Colas in Frederick Ashton's "La Fille mal gardée", the Prince ("Cinderella"), Beast ("The Beauty and the Beast"), Albrecht ("Giselle") and Otello ("Shakespeare Suite") in choreographies by David Bintley. He has also appeared in works by Carlos Acosta, Edward Clug, Jiří Kylián, Juliano Nunes, Twyla Tharp and Uwe Scholz. Since the 2023/24 season, Brandon Lawrence has been a Principal Dancer with Zurich Ballet and has danced leading roles in choreographies by Cathy Marston ("Atonement", "The Cellist", "Snowblind", "Clara", "Romeo and Juliet"), Marco Goecke, Wayne McGregor, Bronislava Nijinska, Mthuthuzeli November, Jerome Robbins, Christian Spuck, Kenneth MacMillan, Bryan Arias, William Forsythe, Crystal Pite, Kim Brandstrup and Andonis Foniadakis. In 2025, he received the "Dance Prize of the Friends of Zurich Ballet".

Oiseaux Rebelles11 / 16 / 27 Sept 2026 Ein Sommernachtstraum11 / 16 / 18 / 25 / 28 / 31 Oct / 14 Nov 2026 Romeo und Julia20 / 27 / 29 Nov / 6 / 13 / 19 Dec 2026

Dustin True

Dustin True is from the USA. After his training at the School of American Ballet, engagements took him to Dutch National Ballet Amsterdam, Dortmund Ballet and Los Angeles Ballet. He danced solo roles in "Swan Lake", "The Sleeping Beauty", "Giselle" and "Romeo and Juliet" and appeared as a soloist in choreographies by David Dawson, George Balanchine, William Forsythe, Christian Spuck, Justin Peck, Benjamin Millepied, Jacopo Godani, Jiří Kylián, Mauro Bigonzetti and Annabelle Lopez-Ochoa. Since the 2023/24 season, he has been a member of Zurich Ballet. Here, he has appeared in numerous choreographies by Cathy Marston, as well as in William Forsythe's "In the Middle, Somewhat Elevated", Wayne McGregor's "Infra" and Jerome Robbins' "Glass Pieces".

Romeo und Julia26 / 27 Dec 2026

Brandon Lawrence

Brandon Lawrence is from the United Kingdom. He received his ballet training at the Royal Ballet School. From 2011 to 2023, he danced with Birmingham Royal Ballet, becoming a Principal Dancer in 2019. Important roles included the Prince ("The Nutcracker"), Franz ("Coppélia"), Prince Florimund ("The Sleeping Beauty"), Prince Siegfried ("Swan Lake") in choreographies by Peter Wright, Romeo in Kenneth MacMillan's "Romeo and Juliet", Colas in Frederick Ashton's "La Fille mal gardée", the Prince ("Cinderella"), Beast ("The Beauty and the Beast"), Albrecht ("Giselle") and Otello ("Shakespeare Suite") in choreographies by David Bintley. He has also appeared in works by Carlos Acosta, Edward Clug, Jiří Kylián, Juliano Nunes, Twyla Tharp and Uwe Scholz. Since the 2023/24 season, Brandon Lawrence has been a Principal Dancer with Zurich Ballet and has danced leading roles in choreographies by Cathy Marston ("Atonement", "The Cellist", "Snowblind", "Clara", "Romeo and Juliet"), Marco Goecke, Wayne McGregor, Bronislava Nijinska, Mthuthuzeli November, Jerome Robbins, Christian Spuck, Kenneth MacMillan, Bryan Arias, William Forsythe, Crystal Pite, Kim Brandstrup and Andonis Foniadakis. In 2025, he received the "Dance Prize of the Friends of Zurich Ballet".

Oiseaux Rebelles11 / 16 / 27 Sept 2026 Ein Sommernachtstraum11 / 16 / 18 / 25 / 28 / 31 Oct / 14 Nov 2026 Romeo und Julia20 / 27 / 29 Nov / 6 / 13 / 19 Dec 2026

Mlindi Kulashe

Mlindi Kulashe is from South Africa. He received his dance training at the English National Ballet School. From 2013 to 2022, he danced with Northern Ballet in Leeds, where he appeared in numerous leading roles. Since the beginning of 2023, he has been a member of Zurich Ballet. Here, he has appeared in choreographies by Cathy Marston, including as Cello ("The Cellist"), Officer ("Atonement") and Wieck ("Clara"). As part of the "Next Generation" series, he choreographed his piece "Molo".

Romeo und Julia27 / 29 Nov / 13 / 26 / 27 Dec 2026

Sean Bates

Sean Bates is from the United Kingdom and studied at the Royal Ballet School. He danced with Northern Ballet under the direction of David Nixon and appeared in numerous leading roles, including Jay Gatsby ("The Great Gatsby"), Romeo ("Romeo and Juliet") and Puck ("A Midsummer Night's Dream"). Following his collaborations with Cathy Marston on "Jane Eyre" and "Victoria", he joined Zurich Ballet for the 2023/24 season. Here, he has appeared as a soloist, among other roles, in Marco Goecke's "Nijinski", in Kenneth MacMillan's "Concerto", as Denis in Cathy Marston's "Snowblind", as Bargiel in "Clara" and as Paris and Mercutio in "Romeo and Juliet". He has taught at Cape Town City Ballet and at various summer schools in the United Kingdom and Zurich.

Romeo und Julia20 Nov / 6 / 19 / 26 / 27 Dec 2026

Marià Huguet

Marià Huguet is from Spain. He received his dance training at the Classical Ballet School in Girona, at the Royal Ballet School and at the ballet school of Hamburg Ballet. From 2016 to 2023, he danced with Hamburg Ballet John Neumeier, including in Neumeier's productions "Anna Karenina", "Ghost Light", "Dona Nobis Pacem", "Nijinsky", "Lady of the Camellias" and "A Midsummer Night's Dream". Since the 2023/24 season, Marià Huguet has been a member of Zurich Ballet. Here, he has appeared as Johannes Brahms in Cathy Marston's "Clara", as Kai in Kim Brandstrup's "Of Light, Wind and Waters", as Wilfried in Patrice Bart's "Giselle", as well as in choreographies by Marcos Morau, Christian Spuck, Wayne McGregor, William Forsythe, Crystal Pite and Bryan Arias.

Oiseaux Rebelles13 / 18 Sept 2026 Romeo und Julia27 / 29 Nov / 13 Dec 2026

Wei Chen

Wei Chen is from the USA and received his training at Boston Ballet School, Margo Marshall’s School of Ballet, Walnut Hill School and Houston Ballet’s Ben Stevenson Academy. At Royal Ballet of Flanders, he danced in Marcia Haydée's "Swan Lake" (Siegfried) and "The Sleeping Beauty" (Prince Désiré), as well as in Cranko's "Onegin" (Lensky). He also appeared in choreographies by Balanchine, Bournonville, Dawson, Forsythe, Godani, McGregor, Nureyev, Pite, Stevenson and Wheeldon. Since the 2013/14 season, he has been a member of Zurich Ballet and has appeared here, among other works, in choreographies by Douglas Lee, Jiří Kylián, Marco Goecke, Edward Clug, William Forsythe and Crystal Pite. He has also danced Romeo and Mercutio in Spuck's "Romeo and Juliet", Benno in Ratmansky's "Swan Lake", Coppelius in Spuck's "The Sandman", Albrecht in Patrice Bart's "Giselle" and Cello in Cathy Marston's "The Cellist". In 2023, he received the "Dance Prize of the Friends of Zurich Ballet".

Oiseaux Rebelles13 / 18 Sept 2026 Ein Sommernachtstraum16 / 18 / 29 Oct / 12 / 13 Nov 2026 Romeo und Julia26 / 27 Dec 2026

Charles-Louis Yoshiyama

Charles-Louis Yoshiyama holds both Japanese and French citizenship. He received his dance training at Trinity College in London and at the English Ballet School. In 2007, he joined Houston Ballet, where he was appointed Principal Dancer in 2016. Important roles included Crown Prince Rudolf in "Mayerling" and De Grieux in "Manon" by Kenneth MacMillan, as well as Oberon in John Neumeier's "A Midsummer Night's Dream". He also danced in Roland Petit's "L'Arlésienne" and numerous works by George Balanchine. In choreographies by Ben Stevenson, he portrayed Basilio ("Don Quixote"), Prince Florimund ("Sleeping Beauty"), Franz ("Coppélia"), Mercutio ("Romeo and Juliet") and the Prince ("The Nutcracker"). In choreographies by Stanton Welch, he danced Siegfried ("Swan Lake"), Solor ("La Bayadère") and Albrecht ("Giselle"). In John Cranko's "The Taming of the Shrew", he danced Lucentio and Hortensio. In 2023, Charles-Louis Yoshiyama was a Principal Dancer with Oregon Ballet Theatre. Since the 2023/24 season, he has been a Principal Dancer with Zurich Ballet. He has danced leading roles in choreographies by Cathy Marston (Cello in "The Cellist", Robert Schumann in "Clara", Robbie Turner in "Atonement", Mercutio in "Romeo and Juliet"), Albrecht/Hilarion in Patrice Bart's "Giselle", among others.

Oiseaux Rebelles13 / 18 Sept 2026 Ein Sommernachtstraum11 / 25 / 28 / 31 Oct / 14 Nov 2026 Romeo und Julia20 / 27 / 29 Nov / 6 / 13 / 19 / 26 / 27 Dec 2026

Karen Azatyan

Karen Azatyan is from Armenia. Trained at Yerevan Dancing Art State College and at the Zurich Dance Academy, he was a winner of the Prix de Lausanne in 2005. From 2007 to 2014, he was a member of the Bavarian State Ballet in Munich (Soloist since 2012). In 2014, he joined Hamburg Ballet as a Principal Dancer, where he worked closely with John Neumeier until his retirement in 2024. He danced leading roles and solos in many of Neumeier's ballets, including "Illusions – like Swan Lake", "The Nutcracker", "A Midsummer Night's Dream", "A Streetcar Named Desire", "Death in Venice", "Peer Gynt", "Romeo and Juliet", "Nijinsky", "Liliom", "The Seagull", "Winterreise", "St. Matthew Passion", "The Song of the Earth" and Mahler's "Symphony No. 3". His repertoire also includes choreographies by Frederick Ashton, Nacho Duato, Mats Ek, William Forsythe, Jiří Kylián, Marius Petipa, Jerome Robbins and Christopher Wheeldon. Since the 2024/25 season, Karen Azatyan has been a Principal Dancer with Zurich Ballet. Here, he has appeared as Robert Schumann in Cathy Marston's "Clara", Hilarion in Patrice Bart's "Giselle", as the Shadow in Kim Brandstrup's "Of Light, Wind and Waters" and as Romeo in Cathy Marston's "Romeo and Juliet".

Oiseaux Rebelles11 / 16 / 27 Sept 2026 Ein Sommernachtstraum29 Oct / 12 / 13 Nov 2026 Romeo und Julia27 / 29 Nov / 13 / 26 / 27 Dec 2026

Shelby Williams

Shelby Williams holds both American and Italian citizenship. She studied at Houston Ballet Academy, Washington School of Ballet and Dancer’s Workshop Baton Rouge (Louisiana, USA). After engagements with Semperoper Ballett, Corella Ballet and Ballet d’Europe, she was a Soloist with Ballett Mainz, Hessisches Staatsballett in Wiesbaden and, from 2016 to 2023, Royal Ballet of Flanders. In 2017 and 2018, she was nominated in the categories "Best Performance by a Female Dancer" and "Best News" for the "Critic's Choice Awards" of "Dance Europe Magazine". She danced Pina/Malou in Pina Bausch's "Café Müller", Rusalka in Alan Lucien Øyen's choreography of the same name, Myrtha in Akram Khan's "Giselle" and further leading roles in choreographies by Martha Graham, Johan Inger, Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, Andonis Foniadakis, William Forsythe, Ohad Naharin, Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker, Édouard Lock and Jermaine Spivey. Since the 2023/24 season, Shelby Williams has been a member of Zurich Ballet, where she has taken on leading roles in creations by Meryl Tankard, Bryan Arias and Cathy Marston and danced important roles in the repertoire of Marcos Morau, Marco Goecke, William Forsythe and Mats Ek.

Oiseaux Rebelles11 / 16 / 27 Sept 2026 Ein Sommernachtstraum16 / 18 / 29 Oct / 12 / 13 Nov 2026 Romeo und Julia20 / 27 / 29 Nov / 6 / 13 / 19 Dec 2026

Daniela Gómez Pérez

Daniela Gómez Pérez is from Cuba. She studied at the Fernando Alonso National Ballet School and at the Instituto Superior de Arte de Cuba. From 2015 to 2023, she was a Principal Dancer with the National Ballet of Cuba. Under the direction of Alicia Alonso, she danced leading roles in "Coppélia", "Giselle", "Swan Lake" and "The Nutcracker". She also appeared in choreographies by Peter Quanz, Brian McDonald, George Balanchine, Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, Cathy Marston, Ricardo Amarante, Alexei Ratmansky, Uwe Scholz, Ben Stevenson, Mikhail Fokine and Gemma Bond. For her interpretation of Daniel Proietto's "Cigne", she was entered in the Golden Book of the Gran Teatro de La Habana. Since the 2023/24 season, she has been a member of Zurich Ballet. She has danced leading roles in "Snow Blind", "The Cellist" and "Clara" by Cathy Marston. She has also appeared in choreographies by Patrice Bart, Wayne McGregor, William Forsythe, Christian Spuck, Kenneth MacMillan, Jerome Robbins, Mats Ek, Kim Brandstrup, Mthuthuzeli November, Dani Rowe and Bryan Arias.

Ein Sommernachtstraum25 / 28 / 31 Oct 2026 Romeo und Julia27 / 29 Nov / 13 Dec 2026

Yun-Su Park

Yun-Su Park is Korean. She received her ballet training at Shunwa Arts School and at the School of the Hamburg Ballet. From 2007 to 2024, she danced with the Hamburg Ballet John Neumeier, where she was appointed a Soloist in 2018. She appeared in numerous ballets by John Neumeier, including as Lady Capulet in "Romeo and Juliet", Diana in "Sylvia" and Elisabeth in "Preludes CV", as well as in "Nocturnes", "Messiah" and "Beethoven Project". She also appeared in ballets by Rudolf Nureyev and George Balanchine. Since the 2024/25 season, Yun-Su Park has been a guest dancer with the Zurich Ballet, and since the 2026/27 season, she has been a member of the ensemble. Among other roles, she danced the title role in Cathy Marston's ballet "Mrs. Robinson" and Lady Capulet in "Romeo and Juliet".

Ein Sommernachtstraum11 / 25 / 28 / 31 Oct / 14 Nov 2026 Romeo und Julia20 Nov / 6 / 19 / 26 / 27 Dec 2026

Ruka Nakagawa

Ruka Nakagawa is from Japan. She received her ballet training at Shimoda Harumi Ballet in Japan, at the Benedict Manniegel Ballett Akademie in Munich and at the Royal Ballet School in Antwerp. From 2017 to 2023, she danced with Opera Ballet Vlaanderen in Belgium. Among other roles, she appeared as Giselle in Akram Khan's "Giselle", as the Chosen One in Pina Bausch's "The Rite of Spring", as well as in choreographies by Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, Ohad Naharin, Hofesh Shechter and Johan Inger. Since the 2023/24 season, she has been a member of Zurich Ballet. Here, she has danced leading roles in choreographies by Cathy Marston ("Clara", Mattie in "Snow Blind", Lola in "Atonement", Flower Girl in "Romeo and Juliet") and has also appeared in choreographies by Mats Ek, William Forsythe, Marco Goecke, Marcos Morau, Crystal Pite and Christian Spuck.

Oiseaux Rebelles13 / 18 Sept 2026 Romeo und Julia20 Nov / 6 / 19 / 26 / 27 Dec 2026

Sujung Lim

Sujung Lim is from South Korea. She received her training at Yewon Arts High School and the University of Music and Performing Arts Mannheim. She won gold medals at the Tanzolymp Berlin in 2008 and 2011. From 2011 to 2018, she danced as a Soloist with Ballet Karlsruhe, including in Kenneth MacMillan's "Romeo and Juliet", John Cranko's "The Taming of the Shrew", Peter Wright's "Giselle" and Christopher Wheeldon's "Swan Lake". Since the 2018/19 season, Sujung Lim has been a member of Zurich Ballet. Here, she has appeared in numerous choreographies by Cathy Marston, Christian Spuck, Wayne McGregor, Patrice Bart, William Forsythe, Johan Inger, Jiří Kylián, Marcos Morau and Crystal Pite. In 2025, she received the "Dance Prize of the Friends of Zurich Ballet".

Romeo und Julia20 / 27 / 29 Nov / 6 / 13 / 19 / 26 / 27 Dec 2026

Sujung Lim

Sujung Lim is from South Korea. She received her training at Yewon Arts High School and the University of Music and Performing Arts Mannheim. She won gold medals at the Tanzolymp Berlin in 2008 and 2011. From 2011 to 2018, she danced as a Soloist with Ballet Karlsruhe, including in Kenneth MacMillan's "Romeo and Juliet", John Cranko's "The Taming of the Shrew", Peter Wright's "Giselle" and Christopher Wheeldon's "Swan Lake". Since the 2018/19 season, Sujung Lim has been a member of Zurich Ballet. Here, she has appeared in numerous choreographies by Cathy Marston, Christian Spuck, Wayne McGregor, Patrice Bart, William Forsythe, Johan Inger, Jiří Kylián, Marcos Morau and Crystal Pite. In 2025, she received the "Dance Prize of the Friends of Zurich Ballet".

Romeo und Julia20 / 27 / 29 Nov / 6 / 13 / 19 / 26 / 27 Dec 2026

McKhayla Pettingill

McKhayla Pettingill is Filipino American. She received her ballet training at Houston Ballet Academy and in Houston Ballet II. At Houston Ballet, she danced in choreographies by Jerome Robbins, Stanton Welch, James Kudelka, Disha Zang, John Neumeier and George Balanchine. At National Ballet of Canada, she appeared in choreographies by Crystal Pite, David Dawson and Kenneth MacMillan. Since the 2023/24 season, she has been a member of Zurich Ballet. Among other roles, she has appeared as Clara in Cathy Marston's "Clara", in Patrice Bart's "Giselle" (Peasant Pas de deux), Kenneth MacMillan's "Concerto", as well as a soloist in choreographies by Wayne McGregor, Christian Spuck, William Forsythe and Mats Ek.

Ein Sommernachtstraum12 / 13 Nov 2026 Romeo und Julia27 / 29 Nov / 13 Dec 2026
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Ballet Zurich
Junior Ballet
Students of the Tanz Akademie Zürich
Orchestra of the Zurich Opera House

Students of the Tanz Akademie Zürich

Cast

Romeo und Julia20 / 27 / 29 Nov / 6 / 13 / 19 / 26 / 27 Dec 2026

Orchestra of the Zurich Opera House

Cast

Oiseaux Rebelles11 / 13 / 16 / 18 / 27 Sept 2026 Die Zauberflöte20 / 25 Sept / 6 / 18 / 21 / 24 / 30 Oct 2026 / 2 / 8 / 18 / 20 / 23 Apr 2027 La rondine24 / 27 Sept / 1 / 10 / 15 Oct 2026 Tannhäuser26 Sept / 4 / 9 / 13 Oct 2026 Die Fledermaus29 Sept / 8 / 17 / 23 / 25 Oct 2026 Ein Sommernachtstraum11 / 16 / 18 / 25 / 28 / 29 / 31 Oct / 12 / 13 / 14 Nov 2026 / 19 / 22 / 29 Jun / 3 Jul 2027 1th Philharmonic Concert3 Oct 2026 Alice im Wunderland8 / 15 / 19 / 21 / 26 / 28 Nov / 6 Dec 2026 / 2 / 7 / 8 / 10 / 17 Jan 2027 Romeo und Julia20 / 27 / 29 Nov / 6 / 13 / 19 / 26 / 27 Dec 2026 Elektra22 / 26 Nov / 2 / 5 / 10 / 13 / 16 Dec 2026 Das Rheingold29 Nov / 4 / 12 / 17 Dec 2026 Gabetta & Noseda7 Nov 2026 Manon Lescaut11 / 15 / 18 / 22 / 26 Dec 2026 La traviata20 / 23 / 29 Dec 2026 / 1 / 3 / 6 / 9 / 12 / 15 / 19 / 23 Jan 2027 Die lustige Witwe27 / 31 Dec 2026 / 3 / 7 / 10 / 13 Jan 2027 Fuchs & Jordan1 / 2 Jan 2027 Trifonov & Järvi16 Jan 2027 Die Walküre24 / 31 Jan / 3 / 6 Feb 2027 Doctor Atomic7 / 11 / 14 / 20 / 24 / 28 Feb 2027 Roméo et Juliette12 / 19 / 21 Feb / 2 / 5 Mar 2027 Sorita & Lyniv14 Feb 2027 La fanciulla del west25 / 28 Feb / 3 / 7 Mar / 4 / 7 / 10 / 16 Apr 2027 Tosca11 / 14 / 17 / 21 / 24 Apr / 13 / 17 May 2027 L'elisir d'amore25 / 27 / 29 Apr / 2 / 6 / 9 / 12 / 14 / 17 / 21 May 2027 Le nozze di Figaro2 / 6 / 8 / 15 / 19 May 2027 Balanas & Peltokoski18 Apr 2027 Requiem pour Ophélie4 / 7 / 9 May 2027 See the music, hear the dance22 / 28 May / 6 / 10 / 12 / 15 / 25 / 26 / 27 Jun 2027 Don Pasquale23 / 27 / 30 May / 4 / 6 / 11 Jun 2027 Samson et Dalila13 / 17 / 20 / 24 / 27 / 30 Jun / 2 / 9 Jul 2027 La bohème16 / 18 / 23 Jun / 4 / 7 / 10 Jul 2027 Don Carlo1 / 6 / 8 / 11 Jul 2027 Viotti29 May 2027 Rachmaninow – Die drei Opern1 / 4 / 8 / 15 / 18 / 21 / 28 Nov 2026 Benefizkonzert Anne-Sophie Mutter2 Oct 2026 Open-Air-Konzert4 Jul 2027

The poster motif “Romeo und Julia” © Gary Yeoh (Calla)

Abstract

In William Shakespeare’s drama "Romeo and Juliet", the power of love allows two young people to transcend themselves. Thanks to the music of Sergei Prokofiev, the lovers of Verona have also conquered the ballet stage. He captures, with genius, the collision of love and hatred and the coexistence of tenderness and violence in his richly coloured, incandescent score. Cathy Marston brings the world’s most famous love story to the stage with Zurich Ballet as a world of opposites, in which everything can turn into its opposite from one moment to the next: around the next corner awaits either the love of your life – or already death.

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