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Sol León, Paul Lightfoot – William Forsythe – Sharon Eyal

T(r)anssi

Duration
1 H 50 min, incl. interval (estimated duration, specified during the premiere week)
When
11.4.2025 – 15.5.2025
Where
Main Stage
Genre
Ballet
Price range
21–126 €
Age recommendation
10+
Good to know
In the Half Life performance, the music is exceptionally loud. We recommend protecting your hearing.

Will you lose your heart and mind?

T(r)anssi is an evening that showcases the works of four of the most influential choreographers of our times: William Forsythe, Sharon Eyal, and the team of Paul Lightfoot and Sol León. It captivates the audience with its unique blend of movement, emotion, and mental energy. Seeing these works is more than just a visual experience. It’s an immersion into a trance-like state, which may provoke reflection on themes of gender, community, and collectivism.

T(r)anssi: pre- and after-party

Signing Off

Signing Off is a heartbreaking ballet about saying goodbye. With its pure expression, virtuosity, and elegant organic lines combined with sudden bursts of movement, this choreography set to Philip Glass’s concerto for violin and orchestra invites the audience to descend into a deep, meditative trance.

The team of Paul Lightfoot and Sol León has achieved iconic status in the world of contemporary dance, and we are thrilled to present their work at the Finnish National Ballet. Since 1991, the duo have created more than 50 works together for Nederlands Danstheater. Signing Off, which premiered in 2003, is considered one of León and Lightfoot’s key works. It has been honoured with the dance world’s most prestigious prize, the Benois de la Danse.

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Video: Nederlands Dans Theater

Playlist (Track 1,2)

With his career spanning approximately five decades, William Forsythe is considered one of the most important choreographers behind the revitalisation of ballet. His work breaks free from ballet’s traditional, coherent movement language, disrupting harmony, and rejecting continuity. Forsythe has served as an inspiration for countless contemporary dance choreographers, whose work has been deeply influenced by his movement language. It has been 11 years since the Finnish National Ballet last featured Forsythe’s work, the celebrated In the Middle, Somewhat Elevated, so his return is much anticipated.

Playlist is created for 12 male dancers, whose athletic, virtuoso moves to neo-soul and house music are like an irresistible invitation for the audience to join the party. The score for Playlist, which had its world premiere at the English National Ballet in 2018, is a recording of Peven Everett and Lion Babe’s music.

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      Half Life

      Choreographer Sharon Eyal is renowned for her distinctive movement language and innovative work, created in collaboration with multimedia artist Gai Behar. The essence of Eyal and Behar’s artistry often lies in group dynamics, which also play a central role in Half life. This piece, exploring new forms of expression, is characterised by its repeated, minimalist micro-movements that provoke a hypnotic state of mind in the audience. Half life serves as a reminder of the importance of being part of a group – without sacrificing individuality.

      After her extensive career with the Batsheva Dance Company, Sharon Eyal founded the dance group L-E-V with Gai Behar in 2013. The nearly metallic soundscape by composer, audio artist, and DJ Ori Lichtik, played from a recording, further elevates the ecstatic ambiance to almost reach the intensity of a rave party. Half life had its world premiere at the Royal Swedish Ballet in 2017.

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      Video: Royal Swedish Ballet

      ”Half life is a rich gift to the audience, a piece about the complex group dynamics of our charged life.”

      – Svenska Dagbladet

      See photos of Signing Off here.

      creative team

      Signing Off

      Choreography, Set and Costume Design
      Paul Lightfoot, Sol León
      Music
      Philip Glass
      Conductor
      József Hárs
      Lighting Design
      Tom Bevoort

      Playlist (Track 1, 2)

      Choreography, Set and Costume Design
      William Forsythe
      Music
      Peven Everett, Lion Babe
      Lighting Design
      Tanja Rühl

      Half Life

      Choreography
      Sharon Eyal
      Co-Creator
      Gai Behar
      Music
      Ori Lichtik
      Costumes
      Rebecca Hytting
      Lighting Design
      Alon Cohen

      The production of Signing Off has been rented from Nederlands Dans Theater.

      Photos of Playlist: Laurent Liotardo/English National Ballet
      Photos of Half Life: Hans Nilsson/Royal Swedish Ballet

      cast

      Cast will be published later.

      listen to music

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      Lucky Dip tickets available to this performance

      Lucky Dip is a great value ticket, especially if you’re not that fussy about where in the auditorium you’re seated. We guarantee a good seat worth 89–103 euro at least for just 49–59 euro. You can buy your Lucky Dip ticket for the performance as early as you like, but you’ll only find out your seat on the day of the performance.

      tickets and performances

      Please note that in the Half Life performance, the music is exceptionally loud. We recommend protecting your hearing.

      Secure your seat with a season ticket

      the keys to an entertaining evening

      Order refreshments

      Enjoy refreshments
      before the show
      or in the interval.
      See the diverse menu
      and place an order
      in advance.

      Programme booklets

      Programme booklets
      are sold by our
      customer services,
      the Opera Restaurant,
      and our lobby
      personnel for 7 euros.

      Arriving at the Opera House

      The Opera House
      is located by the
      Töölönlahti bay at
      Helsinginkatu 58.
      Learn the easiest
      ways to get here.

      Accessible seats

      You can purchase accessible tickets online or via our customer services. Learn more about
      accessibility at
      the Opera House.