What happens when desire disappears? And what happens when desire becomes too powerful?

Alexander Ekman is the choreographer behind audience favourites such as Midsummer Night’s Dream, Escapist and Cacti. Now he returns to the Royal Swedish Ballet with Lustra, a world premiere created for the Royal Swedish Opera’s new venue, Gasometer.

In Lustra, Ekman explores desire, attraction and our longing for more. The performance begins in a world of control and flawless surfaces. People have learned how to make themselves desirable, but seem to have forgotten how to truly see one another. Then Lustra appears – a character, an energy or a being that slowly awakens desire.

“I want to try to translate desire and sex into poetry through art. To move beyond the images we usually associate with sex, and perhaps find new ways of looking at desire and attraction,” says Alexander Ekman.

With humour, darkness and large ensemble scenes, Ekman takes us from the intimate to the explosive. Surreal characters and unexpected stage designs populate a world where desire takes on ever-changing forms. The music ranges from Yusef Lateef and Brian Eno to Nicola Cruz, Axel Boman and Blawan.

Cast subject to change.