Events

William Forsythe’s ballet In the Middle, Somewhat Elevated and Linnar Looris’s ballet 30.75
Premiere at the Estonian National Opera on November 28, 2025

In the Middle, Somewhat Elevated

Premiere: May 30, 1987, at the Paris Opera
Choreographer: William Forsythe
Music: Thom Willems in collaboration with Leslie Stuck
Set, lighting, and costume design: William Forsythe
Staging: Kathryn Bennetts
Lighting and technical realization: Tanja Rühl

William Forsythe is an American-born choreographer known for pushing the boundaries of contemporary ballet and classical dance. His work is not merely dance – it is a visual and physical enigma that draws the viewer into an intense, ever-evolving world.

William Forsythe:
“In the Middle, Somewhat Elevated was created with the Paris Opera Ballet in mind. The ballet represents theme and variations in the strictest sense of the term. Based on academic virtuosity, its dance language expands and develops the traditional elements of classical ballet. By altering the alignment of positions and the emphasis in transitions, the sequences of movements shift and gain momentum, appearing to contradict their own roots.”

Cast:
Sylvie: Ami Morita, Anna Roberta, Laura Maya, Madeline Skelly
Isabelle: Phillipa McCann, Caroline Hamilton, Madeline Skelly
Jete girl: Marta Navasardyan, Rio Morisawa, Ketlin Oja
Releve girl: Laura Maya, Karina Laura Leškin, Alice Pelizza
Sidekick girl: Gabriella Vidano, Yukina Yokoyama, Polina Sosimova
Sidekick girl: Sophie Farquhar, Alice Pelizza, Anne-Sophie Marjeram, Ashley Chiu
Lionel: Luca Giovanetti, Cristiano Principato, Antonio Gallo, Yuki Nonaka, Theo Bourg
Laurent: Joel Calstar-Fisher, William Newton, Ali Urata
Manuel: Finn Adams, Oscar Pouchoulin, Benjamin Pierce, Teofil Cosma

30.75

Ballet by Linnar Looris
World premiere: November 28, 2025, at the Estonian National Opera
Choreographer and director: Linnar Looris
Designer: Reili Evart
Lighting designer: Rasmus Rembel

30.75 is a fierce story about art and money. What is being sold to us under the name of “art”? And what happens when one tries to suppress art? Can art be taken away from people and creators?
Linnar Looris’s one-act ballet seeks to find answers to all these questions.

The music will be performed from a recording.

Cast:
Evil: Vitali Nikolajev, Triinu Upkin, Marcus Nilson, Karina Laura Leškin, Oscar Pouchoulin, Caroline Hamilton
Dancer: Ami Morita, Anna Roberta, Marjana Fazullina, Ashley Chiu, Sophie Farquhar, Madeline Skelly
Artist: Phillipa McCann, Ketlin Oja, Karina Laura Leškin, Caroline Hamilton
Conductor: Laura Maya, Marta Navasardyan, Rio Morisawa, Polina Sosimova
Actor: William Newton, Joel Calstar-Fisher, Ali Urata, Cristiano Principato
Singer: Luca Giovanetti, Nikos Gkentsef, Liam Stickland, Theo Bourg
Writer: Antonio Gallo, Yuki Nonaka, Oji Fujino, Hiroto Nakabayashi

12 artists – men and women: Estonian National Ballet