’Ballet is a total work of art, a Gesamtkunstwerk,’ says Albert Kriemler, creative director of Swiss fashion label Akris. The German term, which rose to prominence in the late 19th century, refers to artworks that combine different mediums into a singular, coherent whole. For ballet, Kriemler lists choreography, lighting, set design, music and – as Kriemler is well-versed, having collaborated with Hamburg Ballet artistic director John Neumaeier for over 20 years – costumes.
The latest collaboration between Neumaier and Kriemler is ‘Epilogue’, which sees the designer create a series of costumes for what will be the American director and choreographer’s final work as artistic director of the Hamburg Ballet, which he has led for the past 51 years. A poignant musing on chamber music, it features works by Richard Strauss and Franz Schubert, as well as Simon & Garfunkel, for what the company calls ’an abstract ballet of quiet tones and subtle movements’. It has its premiered last month at the Hamburg State Opera, with further performances planned later in the year and in early 2025.
