John Neumeier’s Liliom: A Prague triumph

Giovanni Rotolo as Liliom and Alina Nanu as Julie in John Neumeier's Liliom

Alina Nanu, Javier Wong, John Powers and Giovanni Rotolo in John Neumeier's Liliom

Javier Wong as Louis in John Neumeier's Liliom

Alina Nanu as Julie and Giovanni Rotolo as Liliom in John Neumeier's Liliom

Aya Okumura, Paul Irmatov and Ole Johannes Slåttebrekk in John Neumeier's Liliom

Czech National Ballet in John Neumeier's Liliom

Mathias Deneux and Czech National Ballet in John Neumeier's Liliom

Paul Irmatov as Liliom and Aya Okumura as Julie in John Neumeier's Liliom

By Graham Watts, 25 October 2025

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“Both were heartrendingly poignant in their respective solos after Liliom’s suicide”

Reviewed at State Opera (Státní opera), Prague on 23 October 2025

Liliom (John Neumeier)

The Czech National Ballet

Nathan Brock, Conductor

Marijn Rademaker, Director

Ferdinand Wögerbauer, Set Designer

John Neumeier, Costume Designer, Lighting Designer

Prague State Opera Orchestra

Niurka Moredo, Director

Sonja Tinnes, Director

Konstantin Tselikov, Director

James French, Lighting Designer

Václav Zahradník, Conductor

Giovanni Rotolo, Dancer

Danilo Lo Monaco, Dancer

Paul Irmatov, Dancer

Alina Nanu, Dancer

Haruka Iguchi, Dancer

Aya Okumura, Dancer

Javier Wong, Dancer

Jakub Rašek, Dancer

John Powers, Dancer

Ole Johannes Slåttebrekk, Dancer

Kristina Kornová, Dancer

Nana Nakagawa, Dancer

Kristýna Němečková, Dancer

Elena Dombrowski, Dancer

Alexandra Pera, Dancer

Nina Fernandes, Dancer

Federico Ievoli, Dancer

Robert Jerjen, Dancer

Patrik Holeček, Dancer

Matěj Šust, Dancer

Mathias Deneux, Dancer

Francesco Scarpato, Dancer

Genius and madness: The Australian Ballet revives Nijinsky

Katie Lawrence, 4th April

Neumeier's Nijinsky explores the professional and personal life of the legendary dancer with intense choreography and powerful performances.

****1

Blistering good form: John Neumeier's Nijinsky Gala XLVIII

Maggie Foyer, 9th July

In the 48th Nijinsky Gala of his 50-year tenure, John Neumeier curated a well-balanced and thrilling evening of dance with a most impressive roster of dancers.

*****

Beautiful and full of complexity: Hamburg Ballet's Sylvia

Maggie Foyer, 24th June

John Neumeier's Sylvia is a ballet that, like Greek theatre, speaks for all time and is a joy to watch.

*****

Opéra de Paris pays vibrant tribute to Patrick Dupond

Laurine Mortha, 23rd February

Two years after the death of Patrick Dupond, the Paris Opera Ballet paid tribute to him in a sumptuous gala evening, with the procession of the Ballet’s stars and the the performance of three of Dupond’s most emblematic works.

*****

A celebration of dance and Ukraine in Hamburg Ballet's Nijinsky Gala

Silvia Poletti, 3rd July

The 47th Nijinsky Gala in Hamburg celebrates the art of dance, the creativity of great choreographers and a totally committed company, while not forgetting what is happening not so far from our theatres.

****1

A return to pure dance: Neumeier's Ghost Light at Hamburg Ballet

Graham Watts, 10th October

John Neumeier presents the first full-length Covid-compliant ballet, a series of “delicious miniatures” created on the company's entire ensemble of almost 60 dancers.

***11

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Graham Watts

Graham Watts is a freelance dance writer and critic writing regularly for Dancing Times, Dance Europe, Danza Europa, and many more publications. He regularly writes features for Sadler’s Wells, London Coliseum and La Scala. Chairman of the Dance Section of the Critics’ Circle in the United Kingdom and of the UK National Dance Awards he has interviewed many of the greatest names in dance including Maya Plisetskaya, Vladimir Vasiliev, Boris Eifman, Alexei Ratmansky, Andris Liepa, Sir Peter Wright, David Bintley and Dame Gillian Lynne. When not involved in dance Graham is a keen fencer, and has captained the British Sabre team.

John Neumeier’s Liliom: a Prague triumph for this modern masterpiece