Jochen Ulrich

Ulrich, Jochen (b Osterode, 3 Aug. 1944). German dancer, choreographer, and company director. He studied at the Cologne Institute of Theatre Dance (1964-7). He joined the Cologne Opera Ballet in 1967, becoming a leading soloist and choreographer whose works gave the company a more contemporary emphasis. In 1971 the company was renamed the Dance Forum of the Cologne State Opera, with Ulrich as one of three directors. In 1978 he became sole director and chief choreographer. In 1995 the Cologne Dance Forum, by now one of Germany's leading modern dance outfits, became an independent company; two years later, however, it folded. The company had collaborated with many leading modern choreographers, including Christopher Bruce, Hans van Manen, and Glen Tetley. A large part of the repertoire was made up of works by Ulrich, many of them full length. A list of his works includes Lewis C. (mus. Ivo Malec, 1970), The Miraculous Mandarin (mus. Bartók, 1980), American Landscapes (mus. Gershwin and Ives, 1983), Lyric Suite (mus. Berg, 1984), Neue und Curieuse Theatralische Tantz-Schul (mus. Mauricio Kagel, 1988), Lulu (mus. Nino Rota, 1990), Graf Dracula (mus. Samuelina Tahija, 1991), Carmen (mus. Egberto Gismondi, 1993), Peer Gynt (mus. Sibelius and Górecki, 1994), Goya (mus. Bo Spaenc, 1995), and Get Up Early (mus. Joachim Kühn, 1996).