Artistic Director:
Opera National Bucharest - 2014-2016
Artistic Director:
Out of Denmark - Queen Elizabeth Hall London- 2003, Sarasota Ballet, Sarasota/USA - 2011.
Opera National Bucharest in New York - Lincoln Center - 2015
Verdens Balletten - (Denmark/Sweden/Norway), 2005/06/07/08/09/10/11/12/13/14.
Tivoli International Ballet Gala - Copenhagen, Denmark - 2001.
Co-Artistic Director:
Alina Cojocaru - Dream Project - Tokyo, Japan - 2012/2014/2020.
Alina at Sadler's Wells - Sadler's Wells Theatre, London, UK - 2020.
Hospices of Hope Gala - Sadler's Wells, London - 2013.
Hospices of Hope Gala - Queen Elizabeth Hall, London - 2008.
The Bournonville Group - Genzano, Italy - 1999.
Alina Cojocaru, Johan Kobborg & Friends - Sarasota Ballet, Sarasota/USA - 2014.
Alina and Friends - China Tour - Beijing, Shanghai, Hangzhou, Xian - 2023.
Co-Producer:
La Strada - Sadler's Wells Theatre, London - January 2024.
Alina and Friends - Tour of China - Beijing, Shanghai, Hangzhou, Xian - 2023.
Alina at Sadler's Wells - Sadler's Wells Theatre, London, UK - 2020.
Artistic Director - Opera National Bucharest (2014-2016)
Under Johan Kobborg's leadership, the ballet company experienced a significant renaissance, marked by an increase in both the quantity and quality of performances. This period saw an influx of young, creative talent into the Romanian company, which not only revitalised the troupe but also attracted larger audiences. The repertoire was enriched with works by acclaimed choreographers such as Alexei Ratmansky, Yuri Possokhov, Jiri Kylian, William Forsythe, Frederick Ashton, Kenneth MacMillan, George Balanchine, Jerome Robbins, Ethan Stiefel and Johan Kobborg, significantly boosting attendance figures.
Also in the repertoire were works and productions by Edward Clug, Gheorghe Iancu, Vasili Medvedev, August Bournonville, Jaroslav Slavicky and others.
Kobborg introduced an annual event dedicated to nurturing in-house choreographic talent, providing a platform for artistic development and creative expression. This initiative fostered a culture of innovation and growth within the company.
The company's collaborations expanded to include some of the world's leading choreographers, teachers, ballet masters, and guest artists, which infused new energy and inspiration into the troupe. Additionally, health specialists from abroad were brought in to enhance the dancers' well-being and performance capabilities.
In 2014, the Bucharest Opera House underwent a renovation, a pivotal moment that included the installation of sprung floors in all studios and on stage for the first time, greatly improving dancer safety and performance quality.
Highlighting the company's international acclaim, alongside stars like Alina Cojocaru, Ulyana Lopatkina, Friedemann Vogel and Osiel Gouneo, they performed at Lincoln Center in New York in 2015, under the banner "Opera National Bucharest in New York." This and other performances, not only showcased their talent on a global stage but also earned them nominations for "Performance of the Year" by Dance Europe and "Company of the Year" by both Dance Europe and Tanz Magazine in 2015, underscoring their rise as a premier ballet company on the world stage.
Read → DANCE MAGAZINE ARTICLE by Gia Kourlas (NYT)
