Since 2015, the Zurich Opera House has realized a stage project with pupils and young people from the city and canton of Zurich every year. The three previous projects, #Romeo_Julia, #Sandmann and #Rituals, were able to inspire the young people and the audience to a great extent. The positive response from all sides and the consistently good experiences motivate us to develop another participative project with young people in 2018.

Three different groups of adolescents and young adults are offered the opportunity to engage with Goethe's tragedy Faust in collaboration with professional choreographers in a variety of ways. Due to these facts, each group will develop a 20-minute dance piece on the topic or partial aspects of the story. The resulting choreographies will be assembled into a three-piece evening and performed on the Studiobühne of the opera house on two evenings. Apart from the project work, the classes will be able to observe the dancers of the Ballett Zürich in rehearsals of Faust - The Ballet, as they deal with the Faust fabric under the direction of choreographer Edward Clug. And of course, all three groups will attend a performance of Faust - The Ballet in the Opera House.

The three choreographic teams work independently of each other, but share their respective reading of the material, their choice of subject and their dramaturgical focus and combine their short pieces to a common evening. It will be exciting to experience the divergent working styles and aesthetics of the choreographers and their three very different groups on stage.

The three groups:

• Integration classes of the Fachschule Viventa Zürich (selection of 15-20 students):
  The integration classes of the Fachschule Viventa help young people to learn German, to train their skills for the world of work and to organize their everyday life in Zurich independently. The dance project with the Zurich Opera House should give them a positive sense of achievement in their new living environment in Zurich. They expand their non-verbal way of expression and make many new experiences.
  Choreography: Christiane Loch & Silvano Mozzini (Carambole Dance & Theater)
• 2nd grade class A / B of the secondary school Breite Hinwil (17 students):
  The secondary school students are intensively involved in the choice of career during the second grade. In order to succeed in finding an apprenticeship, the young people need good performance skills, but also skills such as perseverance, teamwork and enthusiasm. The dance project should help them tackle their future confidently and energetically.
  Choreography: Philipp Egli
• Public workshop series 16+ #FAUST (about 15 participants):
  The participants are young people who are interested in culture and young adults, some of whom already have experience in dancing. They are interested in the process of a choreography, want to gain stage experience and are highly motivated to become creative and perform themselves.
  Choreography: Bettina Holzhausen