Last November, The Béjart Ballet Lausanne was back to Japan three years after its successful performance of Beethoven’s “Ninth Symphony”, along with the Tokyo Ballet. The two companies were reunited on the stage of the Tokyo Bunka Kaikan on November 22nd for a special “Béjart Gala” given in the honor of the choreographer and founder of the BBL, Maurice Béjart, exactly ten years after his death. The performance provided a vibrant overview of Béjart’s legacy while at the same time pointing to the future with a new choreography by Gil Roman, BBL’s current artistic director. The reception held after the performance by Ambassador Paroz gave an opportunity for dancers, sponsors and cultural actors to get together in the foyer. In addition, two different programs including “Bolero” and “The Magic Flute” were danced by the BBL between November 17th and 26th. 

In parallel to the shows, the Embassy of Switzerland organized the Japanese Premiere of the film “Dancing Beethoven” which documents the rehearsals and the performances of the “Ninth Symphony” by the BBL, the Tokyo Ballet and the Isreal Philharmonic in 2013 in Tokyo. After the screening at the Institut Français, and in presence of several representatives of embassies active in the francophone network, the director Arantxa Aguirre took part in a public conversation with Jonas Pulver, Head of the Culture and Public Section of the Embassy.