In 1962, the Grand Théâtre de Genève acquired a permanent ballet company, made up of 22 artists, offering two original choreographic creations per season. Collaborating with choreographers of international renown, over the course of its performances, it has built a worldwide reputation for itself. Today, whilst the premieres are always held in Geneva, the Geneva Ballet frequently performs outside Switzerland (France, Italy, United States, Russia, Australia, China, Brazil, South Africa…). From the 22–23 Season, the Ballet is under the management of Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui.

Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui
Geneva Ballet Director

Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui is a globally celebrated figure like few others in dance today: a brilliant auteur-choreographer, with roughly a hundred shows under his belt, touring all around the planet, and former artistic director of the Royal Ballet of Flanders (2015-22). The Belgian-Moroccan’s choreographic oeuvre overflows with memorable productions, some of which originated in Geneva (Loin, 2005) and others on great stages and video sets all over the world (Puz/zle at the Avignon Festival in 2012, to name but one). For Marina Abramović’s maiden voyage as scenographer, and with Damien Jalet as co-creator, Cherkaoui’s whirling, shadowy and darkly mechanical interpretation of Ravel’s Bolero for the Paris Opera Ballet was a sensation at the Palais Garnier in 2013 and remains one of his most iconic pieces. The trio reformed for Pelléas et Mélisande in 2018 at Opera Ballet Vlaanderen; a production which was reprised and live streamed in Geneva. From dancer colleagues to creative partners, Cherkaoui and Jalet form a unique artistic bond: it is only logical that Damien Jalet should join Cherkaoui and the Geneva Ballet as an associate artist.

Director of the Ballet
Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui

Executive director
Florent Mollet

Company supervisor
Valérie Girault

Administrative Coordinator
Léa Caufin

Production coordinator
Barbara Pian

Ballet Masters
Paula Alonso Gómez
Vittorio Bertolli

Pianists
Elena Braito
Antonio Costa
Serafima Demianova

BALLET TECHNIQUE
Technical director of the ballet
Rudy Parra

Stage supervisor
Alexandre Ramos

Lighting supervisor
Dylan Larcher

Sound & Video supervisor
Jean-Pierre Barbier

Medical service
Dr Silvia Bonfanti
Dr Victoria Duthon
(Hirslanden Clinique La Colline)

Physiotherapists
Anne Catherine Froton
Thomas Meister
Thomas Richter

Massage therapists
Imane Chabbouh
Cyrille Harreau
Marc Hwang
Kim Schifferli

Over the course of three days, Léman Bleu followed the technical and artistic teams of the Ballet du Grand Théâtre de Genève on their tour of Madrid, from their arrival in the Spanish capital right through to the opening performance at the legendary Teatro Real. The ballet company is revealed in this documentary.

Find out the GTG Ballet’s tour dates.

Indosuez Wealth Management is partner of the Ballet du Grand Théâtre de Genève