Since the season 2003/2004 the newly formed ballet company is under the artistic direction of the world famous former principle ballerina from Stuttgart Birgit Keil (professor and head of the academy of dance Mannheim since 1997) and Prof. Vladimir Klos, former principal dancer of the Stuttgart ballet. After his international career he is frequently invited as jury member of international dance competitions. Simultaneously to his commitment to the company he is teaching as professor at the Academy of Dance Mannheim. In all 30 dancers from 10 different nations belong to this young company. Seven members from the ballet studio of the Badisches Staatstheater who are studying at the Academy of dance Mannheim complement the ensemble.

In now four seasons since 2003/2004 the company released 14 premieres with 30 different ballets. The diverse repertoire, ranging from classical to modern pieces, which is presented in more than 70 performances per season in the opera house and theatre, containing full length ballets as Don Quijote, Giselle, Coppelia, Anna Karenina, Die Tempeltanzerin and La Bayadere. The Karlsruhe Ballet is the only company in Germany performing Kenneth Macmillan's Romeo and Juliet.

Since May 2006 the repertoire is presenting Terence kohler`s first full length ballet creation for the company Anna Karenina. This premiere, part of the European Culture Days, was frenetically celebrated by the audience and press. As a result Terence Kohler was nominated in the dance magazines Ballet-tanz a "promising choreographer" and principle dancer Anais Chalendard as Anna Karenina a "promising performer".

Synopsis

Act I
Anna Karenina arrives in Moscow to visit her brother Stiva. He meets her up at the train station and introduces Anna to Vronsky who is also on the platform waiting for his mother.

Stiva Oblonsky, his wife Dolly, her sister Kitty Shtsherbatzkaja and friends are enjoying a clear winter day ice-skating in a park in Moscow. Levin, Stiva's friend, joins them and is apparently impressed by the young Kitty. The jocund atmosphere becomes a bit clouded by Dolly's jealousy when she notices that her husband is flirting with the other girls.

Impressed by Anna's personality and full of hope to meet her again Vronsky follows the invitation for a ball in Prince Shtsherbatzkij's Palace in Moscow. Finding her among the guests they soon have eyes only for each other. Kitty who tries to attract Vronsky's attention, recognizes with despair that he is not at all interested in her. Anna, after comprehending the reason of Kitty's distress, leaves the ball followed by Vronsky. Having met Vronsky Anna feels that her married life with her husband is more and more disappointing.

Returning to her summer palace in St. Petersburg she is welcome by her husband and her son Serjosha and some friends of the family. All of them are asked to enter the house. Anna returns alone into the garden to pick up her hat which she left behind and discovers Vronsky who followed her to St. Petersburg. Split between her duties as a married wife and her yearning for real love she finally gives in to Vronsky's courting.


Act II
In her bedroom in Moscow her parents notice with great concern the mental and physical decay of Kitty who can't get over the fact that Vronsky had rejected her. Whereas Levin even after leaving Moscow to return to his manor can't stop thinking of Kitty.

Anna's affair with Vronsky becomes more and more intimate. With melancholic forebodings Anna enters her new life. Back in the study of his summer palace in St. Petersbrug Karenin is confused by his jealousy. Levin is still in love with Kitty and at a reception in Stiva's and Dolly's house in Moscow Kitty accepts to marry him. United in their love Kitty and Levin discover the unlimited possibilities to share a mutual future.

Anna can't live any longer with her lie, abandons her husband and lives openly with Vronsky in St. Petersburg. But she suffers from the loss of her son Serjosha. Secretly enters Anna the garden of Karenins summer palace in St. Petersburg where she finds her son Serjosha playing. The tender moments between mother and son are interrupted by Karenin who forbids her to see Serjosha ever again.

In the opera house the St. Petersburg society is mocking the unacceptable relation of Anna and Vronsky. Full of doubts and desperation about the obvious downfall of her love and reflecting her former life Anna understands that she has lost everything. Giving up herself she commits suicide.