Born in 1958, this world-renowned dancer and choreographer was Ballet Director of the Leipzig Opera from 1991 until his death in 2004. For his work as a choreographer, which includes a repertoire of more than one hundred ballets, he was awarded the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany in 1996, in addition to many other awards such as the German Dance Prize. In the course of his successful career, he has created choreographies for major European stages such as the Zurich Opera House, the Stuttgart Ballet, the Vienna State Opera and La Scala in Milan, and has delighted audiences on many international stages in New York, Paris, Moscow, Rio de Janeiro, Madrid, Florence, Tokyo and many others.