Commissioned by the Vienna State Ballet / Wiener Staatsballett and set to a new score by Swedish composer Lisa Streich, HIGH is a ballet of strong contrasts.
The choreography moves between ecstasy and sentimentality, between high and low. At the beginning of the piece, the dancers rush playfully through a parade of lines, and cross formations. They risk falling into the unknown and find themselves in moments of solitary intimacy. Music and movement reflect how a community falls apart, leading to expressive mourning dances, longing duets, and furious solos. Lisa Streich's soundscapes are ironic, melancholic, and fragile.
A video installation from the basement of the Vienna Volksoper shows the ensemble raving in worn wedding dresses. But the atmosphere remains bleak: the party seems desperate and absurd. In the background of the stage lies a wreath — a silent symbol of transition.
At the end: a prayer — a gesture of stillness and a plea for answers in uncertain times.
HIGH is inspired by my observations of urban life in Berlin and Vienna: figures emerging from the dark, euphoric — sometimes desperately — searching for community, drawing a fragile picture of modern youth.
Credits
Choreography, Costume Design, Concept: Louis Stiens
Choreographic Assistants: Robert Robinson, Shaked Heller
Stage Design, Costume Design, Video, Concept: Bettina Katja Lange
Music: Lisa Streich
Light Design: Tanja Rühl
Rehearsal Director: Cedric Ygnace
Dramaturgy: Anne do Paco
Photography: Ashley Taylor
Dancers (original cast): Jackson Carroll, Adi Hanan, Rebecca Horner, Yuko Kato, Helen Clare Kinney, François-Eloi Lavignac, Catarina Pires, Kristián Pokorný, Duccio Tariello
Premiere: June 14, 2025, Volksoper Wien
Orchestra of the Volksoper Wien (Conductor: Jean-Michaël Lavoie)
Duration: 25’
