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Bejart Ballet Lausanne, the internationally acclaimed contemporary dance company founded by legendary choreographer Maurice Bejart, is set to perform at Zorlu PSM (Zorlu Performing Arts Center) in Istanbul on Feb. 20-22, 2026. The company will present a three-part program featuring two of Bejart’s most celebrated works, Firebird and Bolero, alongside the world premiere of a new piece titled Oskar.
The performance in Istanbul will include the debut of Oskar, a new choreography created for Bejart Ballet Lausanne by the duo Riva & Repele. The work enters the company’s repertoire as part of its ongoing commitment to fostering new creative voices while maintaining its foundational artistic identity.
Alongside the premiere, the company will stage two of Bejart’s major works. Firebird, set to the music of Igor Stravinsky, brings the symbolic figure of the Phoenix—a mythical bird associated with rebirth—to the stage through Bejart’s distinctive choreographic approach. The program will conclude with Bolero, widely regarded as one of the most mesmerizing pieces in modern dance, in which repetitive rhythm and gradual movement accumulation create a powerful visual and musical crescendo set to Maurice Ravel’s score.
Bejart Ballet Lausanne was founded in 1987 by Maurice Bejart and has continued to preserve his artistic legacy following his passing. In 2024, Julien Favreau assumed the role of artistic director, guiding the company through a balance of tradition and innovation.
Favreau continues Bejart’s philosophy of placing the human body and emotion at the center of movement while offering space for emerging choreographers to shape the company’s evolving repertoire.
The ensemble, made up of approximately 40 dancers, performs more than 70 shows per year, reaching over 100,000 audience members across the world. Throughout its history, the company has appeared on major international stages, including NHK Hall in Tokyo, the Kremlin Palace in Moscow, Herodes Atticus Odeon in Athens, Palais des Congres in Paris, and Forest National in Brussels.
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