Mirage – Ballet for 16 Dancers — Introduction

The album by Thomas Bangalter was released on June 5, 2026, on the Erato and Warner Classics labels. The album is available on all streaming platforms and in several physical formats, including digital, CD, vinyl, and a limited edition on Revox magnetic tape aimed at audiophiles and collectors. It presents the original score for a ballet of the same name created for the Ballet du Grand Théâtre de Genève, choreographed by Damien Jalet with scenography by Kōhei Nawa. The work comprises eight continuous parts, titled Mirage, Part I to Mirage, Part VIII, and runs for about fifty minutes, unfolding as atmospheric electronic minimalism that returns Bangalter to synths while citing Iannis Xenakis and using a sculptural approach to sound.

Mirage – Ballet for 16 Dancers is the original score for a ballet of the same name created for the Ballet du Grand Théâtre de Genève. The choreography was created by Damien Jalet and the scenography was produced by Kōhei Nawa, with the project realised as a collaboration between the composer and the Geneva company. The ballet involves a company of sixteen dancers and the music was composed specifically to accompany the staged choreography, reflecting the production’s formal requirements and performative context.

The album is presented as eight continuous parts, titled Mirage, Part I through Mirage, Part VIII, and the complete recorded work runs for approximately fifty minutes. The music is described as atmospheric electronic minimalism that seeks to translate changing states of a ritual, moving between abstraction, tension, and slowness. The score marks a return to synthesizers for the composer, cites Iannis Xenakis, and adopts a sculptural approach to sound in which space, dynamics, and silence are treated as integral elements alongside melody and groove.

The available sources do not provide this information. No additional factual details about the album’s musical style or sound characteristics beyond those already documented are present in the provided materials, and the existing content does not include extended descriptive metrics, technical recording notes, micro-level commentary on compositional procedures, or further analysis of timbral or harmonic language. Specific missing items in the available materials include comprehensive instrumentation lists, names of any session performers or contributors other than the composer, precise recording dates and studio locations, mixing and mastering credits, documentation of microphone or spatialization techniques, exact tempo or meter annotations, dynamic range measurements, or published score excerpts.

Accordingly, no further factual elaboration on the album’s musical characteristics can be provided here. To obtain further verifiable details about instrumentation, performance practice, or production techniques, consult primary release materials, liner notes, or publisher documentation not included in the available content for verification purposes.

Mirage – Ballet for 16 Dancers is offered across multiple formats, including digital release alongside availability on all streaming platforms, and physical editions on CD and vinyl. The release strategy includes conventional digital delivery for general listeners as well as tangible formats for collectors and buyers who prefer physical media. The record label’s distribution spans standard commercial formats while preserving a distinct collector’s option intended for appreciative listeners.

A limited edition on Revox magnetic tape is part of the physical offering and is presented as a format aimed specifically at audiophiles and collectors. That tape edition is described as an object designed for a specific listening context and for maximum sound quality beyond standard streaming services. The packaging and format positioning emphasize high-fidelity playback and a collectible aspect intended to complement the work’s sculptural approach to sound.

“translate the changing states of a ritual for sixteen dancers”

“sculptural approach to sound”

“An object for audiophiles and collectors”

CONCLUSION

Mirage – Ballet for 16 Dancers was released on June 5, 2026, on the Erato and Warner Classics labels, and is available on all streaming platforms as well as in physical formats including digital, CD, vinyl, and a limited edition on Revox magnetic tape. The album presents the original score for a ballet of the same name created for the Ballet du Grand Théâtre de Genève, with choreography by Damien Jalet and scenography by Kōhei Nawa, and it is structured as eight continuous parts, Mirage, Part I through Mirage, Part VIII, with a total duration of about fifty minutes.

The music is described as atmospheric electronic minimalism designed to translate the changing states of a ritual for sixteen dancers, moving between abstraction, tension, and slowness, and the score marks a return to synthesizers for Thomas Bangalter that is distinct from the French touch tradition while citing Iannis Xenakis.

The release is positioned as a specialized, high-quality listening object for audiophiles and collectors, with the Revox magnetic tape edition and packaging described as intended for a specific listening context and for maximum sound quality beyond standard streaming services, and the work adopts a sculptural approach to sound where space, dynamics, and silence are treated as integral elements alongside melody and groove.