John Neumeier was born in 1939 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA, and received ballet training in his hometown as well as in Chicago, Copenhagen, and London. In 1973, he became director and chief choreographer of the “Hamburg Ballet”; since 1996, he has also held the title of ballet director. As a choreographer, John Neumeier consistently focuses on preserving the ballet tradition while simultaneously giving his works a modern, dramatic framework. His ballets range from new versions of full-length narrative ballets to musicals and symphonic ballets, as well as choreographic interpretations of sacred music. His most recent creations for the “Hamburg Ballett” include “Ghost Light” (2020), “Beethoven Project II,” “Hamlet 21,” and the new version of “Sleeping Beauty” (2021). John Neumeier has received numerous awards. He is a recipient of the Federal Cross of Merit.