Oliver Matz

Berlin dancer-laureate, first soloist of the German State Opera Unter den Linden,
Director of Dance Studies, Zurich University of the Arts (ZHdK)
Teaches Classical Male Dance, Classical Repertoire

Oliver Matz, from Rostock, received his ballet training under the supervision of Prof. Martin Puttke at the State Ballet School Berlin. He joined the German State Opera Berlin in 1980. In 1985, he was appointed solo dancer, and two years later promoted to first soloist dancer. 

Prizes and Awards

Oliver Matz was awarded the German Youth Art Prize. In 1983, he was a bronze medalist at the International Ballet Competition in Varna (Bulgaria) and awarded first prize at the National Ballet Competition of the German Democratic Republic. One year later he won the gold medal at the International Ballet Competition in Helsinki, followed by the gold medal in Jackson (USA).

In recognition of his outstanding artistic achievements, the Berlin Ministry of Culture appointed him the city’s first ever dancer-laureate.

Oliver Matz has received numerous critics awards, among others for the leading role in Macbeth (1984/85), for his rendition of Albrecht in Giselle (1987/88), for the title role in John Cranko’s Onegin, and for his interpretation of Basilio in Don Quixote, the latter two in productions of the Bavarian State Ballet.

Choreographies and Roles

Oliver Matz’s career was shaped decisively through his collaboration with various celebrated choreographers, among others Michael Barischnikow (Don Quixote), Wladimir Wassiljew (Macbeth), Rudolph Nurejew (Swan Lake), and Patrice Bart.

His repertoire comprises the leading roles in all classical ballets, including The Sleeping Beauty, Swan Lake, The Nutcracker, Giselle, Bayadère, La Sylphide, Raymonda, and the title roles in Spartacus and Macbeth.

His Balanchine repertoire includes The prodigal son, Apollon musagète, Symphony in C, Theme and Variations, and The Four Temperaments. He achieved international acclaim with his interpretations of John Cranko’s Onegin and The Taming of the Shrew.

Maurice Béjart created the role of the colonialist, the Japanese, and the boss especially for Oliver Matz for the world premiere of “À Propos de Shéhérazade.” He starred as the detective in Béjart’s ballet crime thriller “Le Concours.” He performed the Pax de deux “Crime passionnelle” in Roland Petit’s “Dix ou Eros et la Mort.” Pierre Lacotte cast him as Theobald in his romantic ballet “Le Lac des Fées,” and he appeared as the faun in the reconstructed version of Vaslav Nijinsky’s “L’Après-midi d’un faune.”

Patrice Bart choreographed his productions of Don Quixote, Swan Lake, The Nutcracker, and Verdiana especially for Oliver Matz.

He appeared together with the National Ballet of Finland in the television production of Don Quixote. He partnered Steffi Scherzer in the Grand Pas de Deux in the France 3 television screening of Dox Quixote. In 1998, he starred as Prince Siegfried in the television and cinema production of Swan Lake, and a year later as Drossmeier in that of The Nutcracker, choreographed by Patrice Bart and directed by Daniel Barenboim. Both productions are available on DVD.

Guest Appearances

Upon Michael Barischnikow’s invitation, Oliver Matz partnered Susan Jaffe to open the 1988 MET Season as Basilio in Dox Quixote. He appeared on several occasions as Basilio at the Royal Ballet in London, partnering Sylvie Guillem as Kitri.

Oliver Matz has made many guest appearances across the world, among others in Moscow, Warsaw, London (Covent Garden), Rio de Janeiro, New York (MET, Lincoln Center), San Diego, Athens, Milan, Toronto, Tokio, Osaka, Nancy, Marseille, Helsinki, Sevilla, and most recently Peking. For many years, he appeared at the celebrated La Scala, among others in Nurejew’s Swan Lake. He has also performed various title roles as a permanent guest at the Bavarian State Ballet, among others in Die Große Fuge (Hans van Manen), Swan Lake, Don Quixote, La Sylvide, John Cranko’s The Taming of the Shrew (as Petruccio). He was a regular guest as Petruccio at the Stuttgart Ballet. Besides Steffi Scherzer, he has partnered Eva Evdokimova, Isabelle Guérin, Sylvie Guillem, Evelyn Hart, Margaret Illmann, and Alessandra Ferri.

In 1995, Oliver Matz was invited to the celebrated World Ballet Festival in Japan to dance excerpts from Don Quixote, Mac Millan’s Manon, and William Forsythe’s Herman Schmerman together with Sylvie Guillem. Two years later, he partnered Steffi Scherzer at the 1997 World Ballet Festival to perform Uwe Scholz’s Mozart piano concerto and Roland Petit’s Dix ou Eros et la Mort.”

Bidding Farewell to the Stage and Embracing New Challenges

Upon retiring from his active career in 2004, Oliver Matz was the first dancer ever in the history of the German State Opera Berlin to be awarded Honorary Membership in honour of his distinguished artistic career.

From September 2004 to August 2007, Oliver Matz served as Chair of the Department of Dance at the Zurich School of Music, Drama and Dance (HMT). Following his appointment as Director of Dance Studies within the Department of Performing Arts and Film at the newly established Zurich University of the Arts (ZHdK), he continues to teach Classical Male Dance and Repertoire. His students have won many prizes and awards at acclaimed national and international ballet competitions.