About the work
"The Butterfly Effect" is a triple bill by Ballett Zürich (with the Junior Ballett Zürich), choreographed by ballet director Cathy Marston together with Ihsan Rustem and Lucas Valente. The project was created in close dialogue with climate and futures researchers at ETH Zurich – led by Chris Luebkeman and with the participation of, among others, Sonia Seneviratne and David Bresch – and attracted considerable attention. The title refers to the "butterfly effect": the insight that in nature everything is interconnected and the smallest interventions in the balance can trigger major effects.
Plot
The evening comprises three pieces that approach the climate theme from different perspectives. "A Question of Time" questions our restless way of life. "Point of No Return" addresses the changing seasons. "What if?" imagines how our world might look if we all lived more consciously. For Lucas Valente, a dancer with Ballett Zürich since the 2017/18 season, it was his first choreography on the opera house's main stage. The project thus combines artistic reflection with scientific expertise into an appeal for a more conscious relationship with nature.
Cultural significance
"The Butterfly Effect" exemplifies the growing entanglement of dance and science: the collaboration with ETH Zurich turns ballet into a medium for raising awareness of climate change. Under Cathy Marston, an internationally sought-after narrative choreographer, Ballett Zürich also opens itself to emerging choreographers from within its own ranks. The project shows how classically grounded companies take up socially relevant themes and forge new alliances with research and education.