Małgorzata Dzierżon awarded the Arlekin Prize 2025 for choreography to "The Snow Queen" at the Wrocław Opera

During the ceremony on the occasion of International Theatre Day, which took place on March 27 in the Grand Hall of the Wrocław Town Hall, we met the winners of this year's Arlekin Awards. In the 'Choreography' category, the award was given to Małgorzata Dzierżon for her moving and innovative choreography to the ballet 'The Snow Queen' at the Wrocław Opera.

This poetic staging, based on the classic fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen, was created based on the music of Max Richter – an innovative reinterpretation of Vivaldi's 'Four Seasons'. The composer drew on this timeless material to give it a completely new dimension, combining classical motifs with minimalism and contemporary expression. Małgorzata Dzierżon's choreography – created specifically for the ballet company of the Wrocław Opera – captivated the audience with its depth of emotion and exceptional finesse of stage expression.

–The Arlekin Prize is a great honor for me. The performance 'The Snow Queen' was created with the thought of the Wrocław audience and for the ballet company of the Wrocław Opera. It tells one of my favorite Andersen fairy tales. As a choreographer, I wanted to reflect the diversity of the characters in this story, which requires the dancers to have a wide range of dance, acrobatic, and acting skills. Thanks to their talent and interpretation, the effect of my work can be seen. I thank the dancers, but also the teachers and guest teachers of the ballet. The music of Max Richter is a great inspiration for me. I would like to express my gratitude to the conductor and musical director Rafał Karczmarczyk and to the musicians of the Wrocław Opera Orchestra for their collaboration on this project. 'The Snow Queen' is the result of the work of all the creators and many teams of the Wrocław Opera. I sincerely thank everyone for their work and support, and our audience for their warm reception– says Małgorzata Dzierżon.

Małgorzata Dzierżon – an acclaimed choreographer, producer, and pedagogue – joined the Wrocław Opera as the Ballet Director in 2022. She has built her career on international stages, including collaborations with the Rambert, Gothenburg Ballet, and Royal Danish Ballet, and as a choreographer, she has realized projects in Europe and Asia, working with institutions such as the Royal Academy of Dance, English National Ballet, and Serpentine Gallery. In 'The Snow Queen', she played a key role as the author of the choreographic concept, creating a coherent narrative of movement filled with symbolism and emotional depth, which connected Andersen's fairy tale world with the refined language of contemporary dance.

–For us – colleagues and friends of Ms. Małgorzata, people who know 'The Snow Queen' very well, the choice was obvious– admits Agnieszka Franków-Żelazny, director of the Wrocław Opera. –'The Snow Queen' is an enchanting performance, permeated with subtlety and emotional strength, and Małgorzata Dzierżon's choreography is a complete work – polished, deeply thought out, and utterly moving. The audience immediately succumbed to its charm. It is a ballet story in its purest, most delightful form.

The Arlekin Prize is awarded to artists for outstanding stage achievements in performances presented on Wrocław stages in the past year. The winners receive a statuette designed by Marzena Krzemińska-Baluch and a cash prize funded by the President of Wrocław.