This is the monthly newsletter from Ballet-Tanz, a German dance magazine. The third item may be of interest to our British visitors.

Newsletter

AUSTRIA - victims of government intervention?
The Austrian government's state secretary for the arts, Franz Morak, has prevented Dominique Mentha, director of the Vienna Volksoper, having her contract renewed (until 2006) without comment. For head of ballet Liz King, who has so far not managed to match the success of her début production "Schwanensee remixed" (with Catherine Guerin),
that means staying until at least 2005. However, the additional
municipal funding that King receives for Tanztheater Vienna, which she founded, is to go towards two productions with the Tanzquartier next season.

GERMANY - victims of closure orgies?
The Berlin bear is raging. The wave of cuts that are threatening
Berlin's small but efficient institutions have been greeted with
outrage. On the endangered list are Podewil (home of the
"International Tanzfest Berlin") and several atelier and fine arts
programmes. The refusal to name successors to the directors of dance centres Hebbel Theater and Hallesche Ufer is an additional cause for concern. Arts senator Thomas Frierl insists that this is just a reform of the arts scene's administration. However, the size of the cuts makes this reasonable intention seem improbable.

THE NETHERLANDS - Wayne Eagling to go
The director of Het Nationale Ballet in Amsterdam will leave his post in 2003, having been accused of mismanagement and neglecting the "Dutch" repertoire in favour of international productions, thereby clouding the ensemble's image. Does this mean that HNB will now become as aimless as the NDT?

IN THE MAY ISSUE:
+++ A lot of money gets spent on the arts that the artists never see. Impending financial crisis has sparked off the financing and structuring debate once again. How efficiently must administration work for art to exist even when the coffers are empty?
+++ From ritual to club: Ong Keng Sen on dance beyond the culture market
+++ Kader Belarbi: the star of the Paris Opera profiled +++

IN THE JUNE ISSUE:
+++ Song and dance - more and more dancers are breaking into the music market. The success story of the union of dancer and singer +++
Theater der Welt invites two unusual choreographers: Sarah Chase and Padmini Chettur +++
Nina Ananiashvili: the star of the Bolshoi profiled


Their site is www.ballet-tanz.de

Alexandra,


Here are two press releases from Dutch National Ballet that may be of interest. The first carries today's date, while the second, which announces Wayne Eagling's departure, was issued on April 4th.


The Board of Het Nationale Ballet has invited the Dutchman Ted Brandsen, at present Associate Artistic Director, to succeed Wayne Eagling as the Company's Artistic Director from 1 July 2003.

The Board believes that Ted Brandsen's artistic vision will act as a firm foundation for the further development of the Company. Furthermore the Board is of the opinion that Ted Brandsen possesses the personal qualities and experience to enable him to lead a company of the size and complexity of Het Nationale Ballet.

The worker's council were consulted on the appointment of Ted Brandsen.

Ted Brandsen

Ted Brandsen (1959) joined Het Nationale Ballet in 1981 as a dancer. In 1985 he created his first ballet for the Company's annual workshop. In 1991 ended his dance career and concentrated on choreography. His works for Het Nationale Ballet include Four Sections (1991 - awarded the Perspectief Prize for young artists), Crossing the Border (1993), Blue Field (1995) and
Bach Moves (1995). He has also created works for the Israel Ballet, the Donau Ballet, the Ballet Théâtre de Bordeaux, Les Ballets de Monte-Carlo and Introdans. In 1998 Ted Brandsen was appointed artistic director of West Australian Ballet in Perth, for which he created Chairman Dances, Rose Spirit, Carmen, Romeo & Juliet and Bridge Variations, among others. He also
choreographed a new version of The Sleeping Beauty (1998) for the National Ballet of Portugal, as well as works for Ballet West (USA) and the National Ballet of Finland. In 2000 Ted Brandsen received the Australian Dance Award for Choreography for Carmen. On 1 January 2002 Ted Brandsen returned to Het
Nationale Ballet as Assistant Artistic Director and Resident Choreographer.

The statement about the new appointment was issued today. The following statement was issued on the 4th. of April.

Board of Het Nationale Ballet in discussion with Wayne Eagling
about termination of contract

The Board of Het Nationale Ballet has entered into discussion with Artistic Director Wayne Eagling about the termination of his contract. A proposal was made to Mr Eagling that this should take effect at the end of June 2003, which, in the opinion of the Board, would allow for a gradual and ordered succession to Mr Eagling.

In a meeting with the entire company, Mr Eagling informed the dancers of this development and told them that, in the general interest, he would in principle be in agreement with such a ruling. The Board will work out the details of the proposal with Mr Eagling at a later date.

The aim of the Board's proposal is to implement the Board's considered intention of appointing a new artistic director of Het Nationale Ballet.

All parties involved would have preferred to announce this decision once a definite agreement had been reached. Unfortunately the leaking of these discussions has made it necessary for the Board to make this news public
now.

On behalf of the Board of Het Nationale Ballet

J. Kuiper, acting Chairman

Thank you for posting that, Brendan. I never cease to be amazed at the skills of bureaucrats in crafting lengthy press releases that say absolutely nothing!