TOMAS KARLBORG

Born in Linköping, Sweden, Tomas Karlborg received his dance training at the Ballet School of the

Royal Swedish Opera. In 1980, he joined the Norwegian National Opera Ballet, moving to

Germany

in 1981 to dance with the Bonn Opera Ballet. In 1983, he became a member of the Deutsche Oper

Berlin ballet company, rising to soloist in 1986 and first soloist in 1989. His most important roles

included Onegin and Prince Gremin in Cranko’s Onegin, the Leader in Béjart’s Le Sacre du

printemps, Wotan and Gunther in Béjart’s Ring um den Ring, the Partisan in Béjart’s Firebird, von

Erztum (partnering Natalia Makarova) in Roland Petit’s The Blue Angel, Phoebus in Petit’s

Notre-Dame de Paris, Swann and Charlus in Petit’s Les Intermittences du cœur, King Marke in

Neumeier’s Tristan and Isolde, the Stepmother (en pointe) in Panov’s Cinderella, the Moor in

Mandafounis’ Petrushka, the Inquisitor (a speaking role) in Bruce’s Cruel Garden, Madge in

Schaufuss’ La Sylphide, and Dr. Coppelius in Hynd’s Coppélia. He also performed an extensive

Balanchine repertoire, including the male leads in Serenade, Symphony in C, and Agon. Over the

years, he shaped a large part of the repertoire at the Deutsche Oper Berlin, appearing equally in

classical, contemporary, and experimental works. In 1999, he became Ballet Master, later joining

Staatsballett Berlin in 2004.

2026 — Guest Performer/Ballet Master with Studio Simkin / Daniil Simkin in Sons of Echo,

presented at The Joyce Theater, New York, and at the Festival dei Due Mondi di Spoleto, Italy.