The dance of death

“Do you come to trouble with your potent grimace / The festival of Life?” When Baudelaire wrote his Dance of Death in 1857, he invited death into the round with the living. For this new creation, Martin Zimmermann, faithful to the poem’s magnetic, burlesque power, makes three characters who are said to be on the “margins” of society the poetic actors of this grand ball in order to better reveal its “centre”. And Mr Bones is in attendance at the party. The key is figuring out how to find the joyous rhythm of life with him at your side…

By Martin Zimmermann

From 16 September
To 2 October 2022

1h30
Main Room
From 12 years old

Special breaks on Thursdays
Tuesday–Friday at 7.30 pm
Saturday–Sunday at 5 pm

Tickets ▶︎

Martin Zimmermann is the winner of the Swiss Grand Prix for the Performing Arts / Hans Reinhart Ring 2021.

Distribution & Credits

With Tarek Halaby, Dimitri Jourde, Methinee Wongtrakoon, Martin Zimmermann

By Martin Zimmermann
Conception, choreography Martin Zimmermann
Music Colin Vallon
Dramaturgy Sabine Geistlich
Scenography Martin Zimmermann et Simeon Meier
Artistic collaboration Romain Guion
Set design Ingo Groher
Costumes Susanne Boner et Martin Zimmermann
Lights Sarah Büchel
Sound Andy Neresheimer

In partnership with La Bâtie-Festival de Genève

Production : MZ Atelier / Coproduction : Fonds des programmateurs de Reso – Réseau Danse Suisse – soutenu par Pro Helvetia, Fondation suisse pour la culture, Kaserne Basel, Kurtheater Baden, Le Volcan – Scène Nationale du Havre, Théâtres de la Ville de Luxembourg, L’Odyssée – Scène conventionnée de Périgueux, Maison de la Culture de Bourges – Scène Nationale, Opéra de Dijon, Theater- und Musikgesellschaft Zug, Théâtre de Carouge, Zürcher Theater Spektakel

With the support of: BvC Stiftung, Elisabeth Weber Stiftung, Ernst Göhner Stiftung, Fachausschuss Tanz & Theater BS / BL, Stiftung Corymbo

Martin Zimmermann benefits from a cooperative grant agreement between the City of Zurich Cultural Affairs, the Department of Cultural Affairs of the Canton of Zurich and the City of Zurich and Pro Helvetia – Fondation suisse pour la culture. / Martin Zimmermann is an associate artist at the Maison de la Culture de Bourges – Scène Nationale and at the Tanzhaus Zürich.

Premiered at the Festival Zürcher Theater Spektakel on 19 august 2021

By Martin Zimmermann

From 16 September
To 2 October 2022

1h30
Main Room
From 12 years old

Special breaks on Thursdays
Tuesday–Friday at 7.30 pm
Saturday–Sunday at 5 pm

Tickets ▶︎