»An old couple, living alone on an island, proclaims its message to imaginary guests. Only death awaits those aged lovers, those ›Tristan‹ and ›Isolde‹, who as adolescent dotards seem utterly ridiculous with their dreams.« (Maurice Béjart)

Born in Brazil, Marcia Haydée is not only one of the greatest ballerinas but also one of the leading actresses of our times. It was in 1961, when John Cranko first brought her to Stuttgart as first ballerina and it was around her, that he created almost his complete repertoire, such as »Romeo and Julia«, »Onegin« and »Der Widerspenstigen Zähmung«. Maria Haydée inspired such famous choreographers as Kenneth MacMillian, Glen Tetley and Maurice Béjart to create new productions in which she, beside her classical roles as Odette/Odile in »Schwanensee« and Giselle, danced the lead part. John Neumeier specially designed for Mrs. Haydée his full evening-Iong productions of »Endstation Sehnsucht« and »Die Kameliendame«. In 1976, Marcia Haydée became the director of the Stuttgart Ballet, one of the world’s leading ballet companies.

Born 1942 in the USA, John Neumeier received his ballet training in various countries and it was John Cranko who hired him 1963 for the Stuttgart Ballet. In 1969 John Neumeier became the director of the Frankfurt/Main Ballet and in 1973 he assumed reins of the Hamburg Ballet which under his directions won international acclaim. Neumeier created captivating innovations of classical productions, such as »Dornröschen«, »Schwanensee« and »Aschenbrödel«. His premieres belong to the most famous productions of contemporary ballet. Above all, the »Sommernachtstraum«, set to music by Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy und György Ligeti, Bach’s »Matthäus-Passion«, as well as several choreographed Mahler symphonies are expressions of his creativity. Neumeier is the present director of Hamburg Staatsoper’s new ballet school.

Maurice Béjart is one of the most significant choreographers of present times. Born 1927 in Marseille, he worked many years in Paris. In the, 1960 in Brussels self-created »Ballet of the Twentieth Century«, Béjart embodied his own era of dance. His creations, which range from sensible solo performances to mind-boggling super shows, posses dimensions of inexhaustible variety. To his most famous choreographies belong Stravinsky’s »Sacre du Printemps« and Ravel’s »Bolero«. Béjart moved 1987 to Lausanne, dissolved there his troupe and then started a multi-divisioned dance school. Since 1992 he’s also »Principal Guest Choreographer« at the Deutsche Staatsoper Berlin. 1980 he created his ballet »Die Stühle« (»The chairs«) in Rio de Janeiro. He also danced the male role. His partner was Laura Proença. The European version with Marcia Haydée and John Neumeier has its opening night in Brussels in 1984.