The world premiere of Mirage by Damien Jalet and Kohei Nawa takes place on May 6th, 2025, at the Grand Théâtre de Genève, with additional performances on May 7th, 9th, and 11th, followed by a June run at Kampnagel Hamburg. Created for the Ballet du Grand Théâtre de Genève, the production brings together choreography by Jalet and scenography by Nawa, marking their fourth collaboration. Inspired by optical illusions like Fata Morgana, Mirage explores humanity’s search for meaning in an unpredictable, ever-shifting natural world.
Moving between extremes—hostile desert and lush tropics—the work draws on myth, science, and Japanese kabuki to depict a fluid transformation of bodies and states. Costumes by Kunihiko Morinaga (Anrealage), lighting by Yukiko Yoshimoto, and a score by Thomas Bangalter deepen the hallucinatory atmosphere. The result is a dreamlike, visceral journey through light, movement, and perception. Jalet, who has been associate artist at the Grand Théâtre since 2022, calls Mirage his most ambitious exploration of the human body’s metamorphic potential.
Don’t miss our exclusive interviews with Damien Jalet and Kohei Nawa, where they discuss merging choreography with matter, illusions as metaphor, and why Mirage is their boldest project yet.
Photography courtesy of GTG