Uncategorized - Lillian Stillwell

Furien

Who are we, what are we capable of? Twelve dancers are driven by rage until a cosmic interaction provokes their transformation. Lillian’s critically acclaimed opening production at Theater Münster was performed to sold-out audiences in an arena setting, recalling ancient Greek theater, to an original sound design.

facts

Dance Evening | 1 hour

Premiere

September 17, 2023

Kleines Haus | Theater Münster | DE

choreography & direction

Lillian Stillwell

sound design

Randomhype / Christian Düchtel

set design

Stella Sattler & Jonathan Brügmann

costume design

Louise Flanagan

dramaturgy

Tom Ryser

light design

Jörg Glashörster

rehearsal director & balletmistress

Stefanie Fischer

dance

Yoh Ebihara, Hana Kato, Bartlomiej Kowalczyk, Juan Fernando Morales Londono, Hera Norin, Enrique Saez Martinez, Giorgia Scisciola, Aline Serrano, Nadja Simchen, Amanda Cruz Portuondo, Jack Widdowson and Tanz Münster Studio: Lukas Bisculm, Maren Katrin Sauer

... the young ensemble [comes] across so convincingly that you watch the scant dozen goddesses of vengeance with fascination. "Furies" is the start of a new dance era in Münster with innovative, green concepts. The dancers' bodies as a resource are also to be spared. If the artistic result turns out like this, it is something to be proud of. Furious!

Bettina Trouwborst

Kultur. West | 11/12

glocke-die-redaktion_17546212_mw640h480_warendorf

Furien [is] rightly tumultuously cheered at the end... With the turn from individual revenge to the administration of justice by a court, the movement loses its harsh tension, it becomes gentle and light. With arms spread wide, the dancers turn to the audience. It seems like an invitation.

Andrea Kutzendörfer

Die Glocke | September 19, 2022

Lillian Stillwell has developed for the archaic greatness of the feelings, for the wild determination of the group, a movement spectrum of bursting power… it is admirable how Stillwell choreographs the group, how she lets this massive movement chorus structure the space.

Harald Suerland

Westfälische Nachrichten | 19.09.2022

Choreographer Lillian Stillwell has put an exclamation mark on her enthusiastically received opening, creating a striking contrast to [her] predecessors, who were as independent as they were successful.

Harald Suerland

Westfälische Nachrichten | September 19, 2022

Stillwell's commitment is already starting to pay off. Her young company, highly motivated and full of positive energy, takes the audience not only on a short trip into Greek mythology. Drive, virtuosity, elegance, drama, grand gesture, effective use of light, and audience involvement, especially through the intimacy of the arena stage.

Bettina Trouwborst

TANZ Zeitschrift | 11/2022

In time to the electronic music of the sound designer Randomhype, the eleven-member international ensemble shows how variable its movement language is. Swinging, soft arms, elongated, high legs, classical pirouettes can be seen.

Isabell Steinböck

Westfälische Nachrichten | August 12, 2022

gallery

overview

Furien

Who are we, what are we capable of? Twelve dancers are driven by rage until a cosmic interaction provokes their transformation. Lillian’s critically acclaimed opening production at Theater Münster was performed to sold-out audiences in an arena setting, recalling ancient Greek theater, to an original sound design.

facts

Dance Evening | 1 hour

Premiere

September 17, 2023

Kleines Haus | Theater Münster | DE

choreography & direction

Lillian Stillwell

sound design

Randomhype / Christian Düchtel

set design

Stella Sattler & Jonathan Brügmann

costume design

Louise Flanagan

dramaturgy

Tom Ryser

light design

Jörg Glashörster

rehearsal director & balletmistress

Stefanie Fischer

dance

Yoh Ebihara, Hana Kato, Bartlomiej Kowalczyk, Juan Fernando Morales Londono, Hera Norin, Enrique Saez Martinez, Giorgia Scisciola, Aline Serrano, Nadja Simchen, Amanda Cruz Portuondo, Jack Widdowson and Tanz Münster Studio: Lukas Bisculm, Maren Katrin Sauer

... the young ensemble [comes] across so convincingly that you watch the scant dozen goddesses of vengeance with fascination. "Furies" is the start of a new dance era in Münster with innovative, green concepts. The dancers' bodies as a resource are also to be spared. If the artistic result turns out like this, it is something to be proud of. Furious!

Bettina Trouwborst

Kultur. West | 11/12

Furien [is] rightly tumultuously cheered at the end... With the turn from individual revenge to the administration of justice by a court, the movement loses its harsh tension, it becomes gentle and light. With arms spread wide, the dancers turn to the audience. It seems like an invitation.

Andrea Kutzendörfer

Die Glocke | September 19, 2022

Lillian Stillwell has developed for the archaic greatness of the feelings, for the wild determination of the group, a movement spectrum of bursting power… it is admirable how Stillwell choreographs the group, how she lets this massive movement chorus structure the space.

Harald Suerland

Westfälische Nachrichten | 19.09.2022

Choreographer Lillian Stillwell has put an exclamation mark on her enthusiastically received opening, creating a striking contrast to [her] predecessors, who were as independent as they were successful.

Harald Suerland

Westfälische Nachrichten | September 19, 2022

Stillwell's commitment is already starting to pay off. Her young company, highly motivated and full of positive energy, takes the audience not only on a short trip into Greek mythology. Drive, virtuosity, elegance, drama, grand gesture, effective use of light, and audience involvement, especially through the intimacy of the arena stage.

Bettina Trouwborst

TANZ Zeitschrift | 11/2022

In time to the electronic music of the sound designer Randomhype, the eleven-member international ensemble shows how variable its movement language is. Swinging, soft arms, elongated, high legs, classical pirouettes can be seen.

Isabell Steinböck

Westfälische Nachrichten | August 12, 2022

gallery

overview

Anna Bolena | 2022

Video

Maria Stuarda | 2022

Video

Anna Bolena | Maria Stuarda

In large, opulent moving pictures, Lillians choreography for dancers and opera chorus in the “Donizetti Trilogy,” bring form and scale to the emotional storytelling of the stage direction by long-time collaborator, director Jetske Mijnssen. After wildly successful premieres in Amsterdam, both productions travelled to Valencia, Spain and Naples, Italy.

facts

Operas | 2 hours

Premieres

May 10, 2022 & May 7, 2023

Dutch National Opera and Ballet | Amsterdam | NL

Teatro San Carlo | Naples | IT

Les Arts de Reina Sofia | Valencia | ES

musical direction

Enrique Mazzola

stage direction

Jetske Mijnssen

set design

Ben Baur

costume design

Klaus Bruns

choreography

Lillian Stillwell

dramaturgy

Luc Joosten

light design

Cor van den Brink

dancers ANNA BOLENA

Alaaeddin Baker, Facundo Bebenegger, Marta Bianchi, Suzanne de Bekker, Ismael del Valle Espinoso, Alina Fejzo, Sho Nakasatomi, Renzo Popolizio, Carolina Verra, Demi Wals

dancers MARIA STUARDA

Alina Fejzo, Lili Kok, Evaldo Melo, Isabelle Nelson, Renzo Popolizio, Laia Vancells Pi, Luigi Vilotta, Demi Wals

The exhausting final scene […] a beautiful white scene is revealed, a surreal ballet around the newlyweds playing in Anna's head. The choral scenes […] embellished with refined choreography, are a feast for the eyes in this production.

de Volkskrant | 2022

...the dancers, artfully choreographed by Lillian Stillwell, function sometimes as multiplied alter egos of Maria, sometimes as revenants of her adversary.

Jürgen Otten

Opernwelt | 07/2023 [on Maria Stuarda]

gallery

overview

Mass

The disciplines come together in Leonard Bernstein’s masterpiece for over 100 performers. Lillian Stillwell’s choreography – life-affirming, rhythmic, and grounded – is characterized by intense movements for the singers, dancers and the children’s choir. For the invisible power of the Holy Spirit, she created an ethereal, light and vulnerable movement language for their wild, uncontrollable and yet calming force.

facts

A Theatre Piece for Singers, Players and Dancers by Leonard Bernstein | 2 hours

Premiere

August 26, 2023

Theater Münster | DE

musical director

Thorsten Schmid-Kapfenburg

stage direction

Tom Ryser

choreograper

Lillian Stillwell

choreograpic assistance

Eléonore Turri

set design

Stefan Rieckhoff

costume design

Stefan Rieckhoff, Louise Flanagan

Premiere

March 17, 2017

Theater Lübeck | DE

musical director

Andreas Wolf

director

Tom Ryser

choreograper

Lillian Stillwell

set & costume design

Stefan Rieckhoff

„Lillian Stillwell has developed choreography that could be described as classical ballet with modern elements, to wonderful effect. The four dancers could be described most accurately as God’s Ideas.“

Martin Freitag

Der Opernfreund | March 20, 2017

„Choreographer Lillian Stillwell and director Tom Ryser integrate opera and dance astoundingly. The four dancers on pointe create a second dimension through their otherworldly gestures, which makes the spiritual aspects of the ritual visible. On the other end of the spectrum, the Street-Chorus lets loose with breakdance.

Neue Musikzeitung | 2017

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overview

Alive!

ALIVE! was created by a team of four director/choreographers at the height of the Covid-19 Lockdown. Lillian contributed dance films and live choreography for singers as well as performing a duet with the camera herself. One single, live performance took place before the work was subsequently shown online.

facts

Interdisciplinary / Dance Film | 1 hour

Premiere

June 13, 2020

Theater Lübeck | DE

director / choreographers

Jochen Biganzolli, Milo Pablo Momm, Tom Ryser, Lillian Stillwell

dramaturgy / concept

Katharina Kost-Tolmein, Carsten Jenss

light design

Falk Hampl

videoregie

Konrad Kästner

dancers in film

Musiktheater Ensemble, Theater Lübeck Orchestra | Sarah Hammond, Liliana Torres, Aline Serrano, Sarah Schoch

„A completely new music theater experience has been created by Jochen Biganzoli, Milo Pablo Momm, Tom Ryser and Lillian Stillwell, each of them an alpha director. The differences between the individual signatures harmonize wonderfully.“

Kultur. West | 11/12

gallery

Glück, das mir verblieb

Dance Film by Lillian Stillwell

Pas de Deux with the Camera

Lillian dancing during Lockdown

overview

Afterlife

Is there life after death for those left behind? Based on real events, AFTERLIFE premiered in Basel, Switzerland by SNOW productions in 2021 on a former lighthouse ship with all-local artists and the financial support of Swisslos-Fonds Basel-Stadt and numerous foundations. Its German premiere with Tanz Münster took place in 2023.

facts

Immersive Dance Production with Live-DJ*anes | 1 hour

Premiere | SNOW productions

November 4, 2021

Gannet | Basel | CH

Premiere | Tanz Münster

June 2, 2023

Stadtbücherei Münster, Colibri Café | Münster | DE

dance

Created with Aline Serrano & Mukdanin Phongpacith

Cast Basel Premiere: Sarah Schoch & Mukdanin Phongpacith

Cast Münster Premiere: Aline Serrano & Yoh Ebihara

live DJ*anes

DJ Duo Schwifi (Ada Fischer & Sophia Schwager)

music

Randomhype, Gaspard de la Montagne, DJ Duo Schwifi

light

Tom Ryser & Jan Hördemann

concept, choreography & art. direction

Lillian Stillwell

co-artistic direction

Tom Ryser

dramaturgy (Basel Premiere)

Anne Schöfer †

costume design

Ada Fisher feat. Chemiserie Plus

choreographic assistance & rehearsal direction

Stefanie Fischer

Shy or high-spirited, intimate or euphoric - what love can offer in terms of emotions is explored here in an exciting mixture of party and contemporary dance… A successful performance, which despite all tragedy still comes up with a ray of hope at the end… The dead are dead, life goes on.

Helmut Jasny

Westfälische Nachrichten | June 5, 2023

gallery

overview

The Four Seasons

This choreography to Vivaldi’s famous score combines rhythmic precision with physical intimacy in repetitive rituals in a movement language that combines the abstract with the emotional. Danger and joy, hope and sorrow are not only seen but felt in the percussive waves and canons of the choreography.

facts

Dance Evening | 50 minutes

Premiere

March 11, 2023

Grosses Haus | Theater Münster | DE

choreography

Lillian Stillwell

set design

Stella Sattler & Jonathan Brügmann

costume design

Louise Flanagan

light design

Marco Vitale with Jan Hördemann

dramaturgy

GE Patterson

music

Antonio Vivaldi

musical director

Thorsten Schmid-Kapfenburg

violin soloists

Midori Goto, Mihai Ionescu

dancers

Amanda Cruz Portuondo, Yoh Ebihara, Hana Kato, Bartlomiej Kowalczyk, Juan Fernando Morales Londoňo, Hera Norin, Enrique Sáez Martínez, Giorgia Scisciola, Aline Serrano, Nadja Simchen, Keelan Whitmore, Jack Widdowson and Tanz Münster Studio: Lukas Bisculm, Maren Sauer

“The never overwhelming music and the movements are wonderfully related to each other. Their flowing character extends not only in individual dancers from their feet to their outstretched arms, but also spreads between them. It is the relationships to oneself and to others from which life is sustained. But where it currently leads remains open. When everyone runs in circles, ambivalent harmony and perplexity appear again in the face of the eternal return of the abyss, before which humanity stands this time as close as never before.”

Hans Butterhof

Tanznetz | March 14, 2023

“’The Four Seasons,’ which at 60 minutes offers the evening’s focus, is fantastic. Dance Director Lillian Stillwell stages a dynamic, highly challenging choreography to the music of Antonio Vivaldi. The 14-member ensemble whirls across the stage in great leaps and with high legs, translating musical facets played virtuosically by the Sinfonieorchester Münster into aesthetically beautiful dance.”

Isabell Steinböck

Westphälische Nachrichten | March 12, 2023

“The greatest scene is the most silent: the (dancers) line up at the edge of the stage, in rows, hardly noticeably sorted into groups like families. One hand on a shoulder, another on a waist. Closeness and near detachment. Serious faces for the photo. Gently pushing someone aside, changing places. The gazes are directed at us, as if from a past or perhaps a future.”

Melanie Suchy

Die Deutsche Bühne | March 12, 2023

"When professional dancers like those at Theater Münster transform "The Four Seasons" by Antonio Vivaldi into movement, it puts the crown on what is probably Vivaldi's most famous work. The audience felt it: they were entralled."

Andrea Kutzendörfer

Die Glocke | March 13, 2023

gallery

TV Interview and Portrait about Lillian Stillwell and her work, “The Four Seasons”

overview

Silberlicht

Two sleeping dancers wake up in a room full of sparkling lights and music. They go on a treasure hunt and discover sounds and unexpected, magical objects.
Audiences of all ages are mesmerized by the harmonic movement language, haptic light elements and sensual sounds from the orchestra musicians.

facts

Dance Piece with Barock Music for Young Children | 35-minute performance followed by 10 minutes of interactive play

Commissioned by Philharmonie Luxembourg in 2019, the work had its German premiere with Tanz Münster in 2022.

Premiere

Philharmonie Luxembourg | May 23, 2019

German Premiere

Theater Münster | October 29, 2022

Team & Cast German Premiere

choreography & concept

Lillian Stillwell

artistic direction

Angela Merl & Lillian Stillwell

dance

Lucas Bisculm, Maren Sauer

music

Sinfonieorchester Münster

set & costume design

Mayke Hegger

musical selection

Johannes Pramsohler

choreographic assistance & rehearsal direction

Stefanie Fischer

theater pedagogy

Anne Abrahams

light design

Jörg Schwarzer

"Yes, Silberlicht, the dance piece by Angela Merl and Lillian Stillwell, manages to enchant even the youngest audience with the concept of light magic, string music and two dancers. On Saturday afternoon, the dance studio was transformed into a magical world of lights, enhanced by the baroque sounds of the musicians of the symphony orchestra. The magic worked.”

Maria Conlan

Westfälische Nachrichten | October 31, 2022

gallery

overview

Category: Uncategorized

Bettina Trouwborst

Furien [is] rightly tumultuously cheered at the end... With the turn from individual revenge to the administration of justice by a court, the movement loses its harsh tension, it becomes gentle and light. With arms spread wide, the dancers turn to the audience. It seems like an invitation.

Andrea Kutzendörfer

Lillian Stillwell has developed for the archaic greatness of the feelings, for the wild determination of the group, a movement spectrum of bursting power… it is admirable how Stillwell choreographs the group, how she lets this massive movement chorus structure the space.

Harald Suerland

Choreographer Lillian Stillwell has put an exclamation mark on her enthusiastically received opening, creating a striking contrast to [her] predecessors, who were as independent as they were successful.

Harald Suerland

Bettina Trouwborst

In time to the electronic music of the sound designer Randomhype, the eleven-member international ensemble shows how variable its movement language is. Swinging, soft arms, elongated, high legs, classical pirouettes can be seen.

Isabell Steinböck

Bettina Trouwborst

Furien [is] rightly tumultuously cheered at the end... With the turn from individual revenge to the administration of justice by a court, the movement loses its harsh tension, it becomes gentle and light. With arms spread wide, the dancers turn to the audience. It seems like an invitation.

Andrea Kutzendörfer

Lillian Stillwell has developed for the archaic greatness of the feelings, for the wild determination of the group, a movement spectrum of bursting power… it is admirable how Stillwell choreographs the group, how she lets this massive movement chorus structure the space.

Harald Suerland

Choreographer Lillian Stillwell has put an exclamation mark on her enthusiastically received opening, creating a striking contrast to [her] predecessors, who were as independent as they were successful.

Harald Suerland

Bettina Trouwborst

In time to the electronic music of the sound designer Randomhype, the eleven-member international ensemble shows how variable its movement language is. Swinging, soft arms, elongated, high legs, classical pirouettes can be seen.

Isabell Steinböck

Anna Bolena | 2022

Maria Stuarda | 2022

The exhausting final scene […] a beautiful white scene is revealed, a surreal ballet around the newlyweds playing in Anna's head. The choral scenes […] embellished with refined choreography, are a feast for the eyes in this production.

...the dancers, artfully choreographed by Lillian Stillwell, function sometimes as multiplied alter egos of Maria, sometimes as revenants of her adversary.

Jürgen Otten

„Lillian Stillwell has developed choreography that could be described as classical ballet with modern elements, to wonderful effect. The four dancers could be described most accurately as God’s Ideas.“

Martin Freitag

„A completely new music theater experience has been created by Jochen Biganzoli, Milo Pablo Momm, Tom Ryser and Lillian Stillwell, each of them an alpha director. The differences between the individual signatures harmonize wonderfully.“

Shy or high-spirited, intimate or euphoric - what love can offer in terms of emotions is explored here in an exciting mixture of party and contemporary dance… A successful performance, which despite all tragedy still comes up with a ray of hope at the end… The dead are dead, life goes on.

Helmut Jasny

Hans Butterhof

Isabell Steinböck

Melanie Suchy

"When professional dancers like those at Theater Münster transform "The Four Seasons" by Antonio Vivaldi into movement, it puts the crown on what is probably Vivaldi's most famous work. The audience felt it: they were entralled."

Andrea Kutzendörfer

Maria Conlan