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Revamped Retrospective: Kylián's Artistic Journey unfolds at Oslo's Opera House
In the heart of Oslo, Jiří Kylián showcased a fascinating glimpse of his artistic universe, transcending ballet and embracing installations, photography, and sculpture during the enchanting "Wings of Time" festival.
Photo by Adam Olsson / DNO&B
Dancers performing "Bella Figura"
Photo by Erik Berg / DNO&B
Dancers performing "Bella Figura"
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Seventy-eight-year-old Jiří Kylián beamed, embracing the applause of the Opera House, as the dance globe gathered for the unforgettable celebration. Improvised dances with Queen Sonja, philosophical chats with Mats Ek and Mikhail Baryshnikov, and emotional reunions with Liv Ullmann, who confessed that Kylián's art mirrored her soul and that Ingmar Bergman would have admired it too.
Oslo, a peculiar host for such a renowned figure? Kirlián, the eternal wanderer, felt at home here, having left Prague after the 1968 events and signing an early contract with the Stuttgart Ballet. The Norwegian National Ballet, the richest protector of Kylián's choreographic heritage, premiered his ballets to inaugurate the stunning Opera House in 2008. To local artists, his choreographic language is as natural as the alphabet, and for audiences, he's an idol.
The festival strove to reflect Kylián's diversity, encompassing 100 ballets, although only a select "golden fund" of seven were handpicked. The first program, "Day after Yesterday," explored Kylián's classic works with clear biographical motifs: "Forgotten Land," "Game Over," "Little Death," and "Symphony of Psalms," a Slavic period masterpiece.
The second program, "Day before tomorrow," showcased timeless ballets set to composite scores, such as "Bella Figura," a ballet dancer's ode to art, "Wings of Wax," and "Gods and Dogs," a philosophical fable about the duality of man and the dance world.
Kylián shared that his interest in visual art, installations, and films had been growing as he felt the dance chapter of his life sagely closing. His unconventional installations, like "Free Fall," "Enzo," and "Still Moving," freeze movements in time, leaving viewers captivated by the delicate interplay of light, shadow, and emotion.
Maria Sidelnikova
Enrichment Data:
Jiří Kylián has a rich and illustrious career as a choreographer, filmmaker, and visual artist. From his early beginnings at the School of the National Ballet Prague, he rose to prominence as a member of the Stuttgart Ballet, where he created some of his most iconic works, like Paradox, Kommen und Gehen, and Blaue Haut. Later, as Artistic Director of Nederlands Dans Theater, he produced renowned pieces such as Petite Mort, Stamping Ground, and Silent Cries. Kylián's artistic journey extends beyond choreography to encompass films, sculptural installations, and photography. In 2025, the Oslo Opera House hosted Wings of Time, a comprehensive retrospective honoring Kylián's works, which showcased his unique ability to fuse different art forms and cultures worldwide.
After the enrichment data, Jiří Kylián shared that his interest in visual art, installations, and films had been growing as he felt the dance chapter of his life sagely closing, hinting at possible future endeavors in entertainment beyond ballet. The festival, Wings of Time, also highlighted this diversified side of Kylián's artistic journey, making it a must-see entertainment event in Oslo.
