This spring and summer, Principal Dancer Jason Reilly celebrates his 25 years as a company member with The Stuttgart Ballet dancing two of his signature roles – Petrucchio in The Taming of the Shrew and the title role in Onegin.
Other upcoming performance highlights include leading roles in:
- One of a Kind by Jiří Kylián
- Initials R.B.M.E. by John Cranko
- Requiem by Kenneth MacMillan
He has also just wrapped up filming for a 2024 feature film by Zeitsprung Pictures about Cranko’s life and work in which he portrays American dancer and choreographer Ray Barra.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=86RmNFxoSEU
Canadian-born, Jason Reilly arrived in Stuttgart, Germany at the age f 17 and made his first appearance at the Opera House in 1997 as a member of the corps de ballet in Cranko’s Onegin. Since then he has risen through the ranks and was appointed Principal Dancer in 2003.
Throughout his quarter century with the company, Reilly is recognized for his broad artistic range and partnering skills performing in classical repertoire, contemporary works, and world premiere creations.
He has danced leading roles in some of the most famous full length ballets such as Swan Lake, The Sleeping Beauty, Giselle, Mayerling, The Lady of the Camelias, La fille mal gardée, Romeo and Juliet, and Don Quixote and has performed starring roles in works by George Balanchine, Jerome Robbins, Kenneth MacMillan, Glen Tetley, Hans van Manen, Maurice Béjart, John Neumeier, and William Forsythe.
Reilly has been the inspiration for notable 20th and 21st century choreographers such as Mauro Bigonzetti, Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, Edward Clug, Jorma Elo, Itzik Galili, Douglas Lee, Wayne McGregor, and Christian Spuck, all of who have created works for him. In fact, he has danced in 41 world premieres.
In 2015, in recognition of his contributions to The Stuttgart Ballet and the Staatstheater Stuttgart, Reilly was appointed “Kammertaenzer” which is a recognition by the State of Baden-Württemberg for his special achievements and merits of a dancer. He is one of only eight dancers to have ever received this distinction since its establishment in 1961.
Featured Photo of Jason Reilly in Boléro. Photo © The Stuttgart Ballet.
