Forgotten Land

We dedicate this mixed dance evening to the significant life anniversary of Jiří Kylián, a choreographic genius and visionary whose artistic signature has given contemporary ballet a new face.

Kylián’s work holds a special place in our hearts at the NdB Ballet, and so this celebratory programme brings together two of his iconic works alongside the debut piece of his most successful pupil. Forgotten Land is the crowning achievement of Kylián’s black-and-white period, which paradoxically brims with colour. Inspired by Munch’s painting The Dance of Life, Kylián unfolds a captivating study of time and human memory set to the music of Benjamin Britten. Forgotten Land is not merely a geographical place — it is the landscape of our soul, where the shadows of the past meet an untamed present.

A striking contrast is provided by Jardí Tancat (Closed Garden), the debut work of Nacho Duato, created under Kylián’s guidance at the NDT, which takes the form of an earthly prayer of Catalan country folk. We present it at the NdB as testament to Duato’s genius — his ability to transform folk tradition into a purely modern, emotionally charged dance language. Jardí Tancat will be performed by the junior company Ballet NdB 2.

The closing choreography, Petite Mort (Little Death), sees one of the most beloved works in our repertoire return to the Brno stage. This brilliant play on Mozart’s piano concertos is the very essence of Kylián’s aesthetic — sensual, technically precise, witty, and deeply human. The interplay of swords, baroque crinolines, and the human body in its purest form promises, once again, an unforgettable experience.

Premiere: 5 March 2027 at the Janáček Theatre

Production team

Choreography / Forgotten Land and Petite Mort Jiří Kylián

Choreography / Jardi Tancat Nacho Duato