Septime Webre Named Artistic Director of Hong Kong Ballet

June 5, 2017


Just last year, we announced that Septime Webre was stepping down as The Washington Ballet’s artistic director after 16 years at the helm. Since then, he’s staged his work at companies all over the country, choreographed a cheeky ’60s-themed ad campaign and stepped in as artistic director of DC–based arts incubator Halcyon. Now, he’s about to make another big move.

This morning Webre announced via email that he will assume directorship of Hong Kong Ballet in July. He succeeds Madeleine Onne, who will be heading to the Houston Ballet Academy as its new academy director.

Hong Kong will gain a prolific choreographer and an experienced leader, while Webre will inherit a 50-dancer company with a diverse repertoire. “Hong Kong Ballet has a long legacy both as an international powerhouse and as one of Asia’s boldest and most vibrant ballet companies,” Webre said in a statement. Next season he’ll oversee the Asian premiere of Le Corsaire and Christopher Wheeldon’s Rush, as well as a European tour.

Hong Kong Ballet’s Jiang Xin and Chen Zhiyao.
Photo by Kyle Froman for Pointe.

Webre plans on having his hands in several pots: In an email, he noted that he will remain artistic director of Halcyon, and he’s even launching a creativity festival in DC in June 2018. He also has projects next year at Royal Winnipeg Ballet, Kansas City Ballet, Colorado Ballet and Oregon Ballet Theatre, to name a few. Those are some serious frequent flyer miles! We’re looking forward to seeing how Hong Kong Ballet’s next chapter unfolds.

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