Solitude

About

Solitude is a choreographic world premiere by Mario Schroeder, created as a direct response to digital isolation and the COVID-19 pandemic. The ballet probes loneliness in its many forms—voluntary and involuntary, individual and communal. Conceived during the first lockdown, the premiere on 16 October 2020 took place under restrictions with only 25% capacity. Paul Zoller’s set, a mobile grid, provides a potent metaphor for barriers and separation; he also designed the costumes. Michael Roeger’s lighting sharpens the shifting emotional landscape. The score juxtaposes four works spanning three centuries, forming a tapestry of contrasts with abrupt stylistic shifts. Schroeder structures the piece in flash-like episodes, each examining a facet of solitude. For Ustvolskaya’s Fifth Symphony, a quintet of musicians is placed on stage, bridging distance to the audience. The choreography eschews celebratory gestures, making the communal experience of loneliness transparent through movement, space, and light.