Lied Ballet

Lied Ballet is one of French choreographer Thomas Lebrun‘s most celebrated creations, premiered in 2014 and developed in collaboration with the Maison de la Danse de Lyon. Conceived as a dialogue between the traditions of Romantic music and contemporary choreography, the work revisits the German Lied – the intimate nineteenth-century art song – and transforms its emotional and poetic richness into an original choreographic language. Rather than illustrating the music, Lebrun explores the themes that unite ballet and the Lied: love, solitude, death, wandering, memory, and the enduring relationship between movement and song. 

Known for his refined yet accessible choreographic style, Thomas Lebrun creates a performance in which classical references coexist with contemporary movement, theatrical expression, and subtle humour. The choreography alternates between lyrical duets, dynamic ensemble passages, and moments of striking stillness, revealing the individuality of each performer. For Lebrun, virtuosity is not measured solely by technical brilliance but by the dancers’ capacity to convey emotion, musicality, and poetic nuance. This philosophy gives Lied Ballet its distinctive atmosphere – at once elegant, deeply human, and quietly moving.

Music lies at the very heart of the production. The score brings together masterpieces by Gustav Mahler, Arnold Schönberg, Alban Berg, and Giacinto Scelsi, complemented by an original composition by David François Moreau. Performed live by tenor Benjamin Alunni and pianist Thomas Besnard, the music creates an intimate dialogue with the dancers, allowing every gesture to emerge organically from the vocal and instrumental textures. The third section, based on Moreau’s original score, introduces a contemporary perspective that expands the work beyond Romanticism while preserving its emotional resonance.

The visual design is deliberately understated, allowing the performers and music to remain central. Jean-Marc Serre’slighting subtly transforms the stage throughout the performance, while costumes designed by Jeanne Guellaff evoke timeless elegance without imposing a specific historical period. The minimalist scenography enhances the fluid relationship between movement, sound, and space, creating an atmosphere where dance and music coexist with remarkable clarity.

Performed by eight dancers of the Centre Chorégraphique National de Tours, Lied Ballet stands as a tribute to the enduring dialogue between past and present. By reconnecting contemporary dance with one of Europe’s richest musical traditions, Thomas Lebrun demonstrates that today’s choreography can embrace history without nostalgia, creating a work of exceptional sensitivity, refinement, and emotional depth.