THE WASHINGTON BALLET ANNOUNCES 2012.2013 SEASON: SEDUCTION
THE WASHINGTON BALLET SEASON OVERVIEW
Dracula (1996) – October 24 – November 4, 2012
(Company Premiere)
One of the entertainment events of the year, The Washington Ballet presents Michael Pink’s chilling blockbuster Dracula. This wildly theatrical and voluptuous ballet is a breathtaking story of passion, yearning, cruelty and sacrifice. Dracula stakes its claim as this Halloween’s most thrilling adventure. Pink’s Count is a mesmerizing seducer of the darkest order, providing a fresh interpretation of one of Western culture’s most haunting stories.
Music: Philip Feeney
Choreography: Michael Pink
Sets & Costumes: Lez Brotherston
Lighting: Paul Pyant
Performed at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Eisenhower Theater
The Nutcracker (2004) - November 29 – December 23, 2012
Septime Webre’s critically acclaimed The Nutcracker transports us back in time to historic Washington, DC and stars George Washington as the heroic Nutcracker. Full of swirling snowflakes, magnificent sets and costumes and Tchaikovsky’s beloved score, the curtain rises and the stage bursts with waltzing cherry blossoms, dancing sugar plums and other enchanting adaptations that have made Webre’s Nutcracker a Washington tradition with raves from critics and sold-out crowds.
Music by Pyotr Ilych Tchaikovsky
Choreography by Septime Webre
Scenic Design by Peter Horne
Costume Design by Judanna Lynn
Lighting Design by Tony Tucci
Performed at the Warner Theatre
L ‘Amour (love, baby) – February 13 – 17, 2013
From three of today’s most exciting choreographers come stories about the many aspects of love. Dangerous Liaisons, a world premiere by David Palmer, is a high stakes game of opulent lust, passion and betrayal as only 18th century French aristocrats can play. Set to Vivaldi’s lush Four Seasons, The Marquise challenges Valmont to seduce an innocent girl before she marries. Set to an alluring score by Philip Glass, Edwaard Liang’s dazzling Wunderland evokes a myriad of feelings, especially longing in its incredibly passionate partnerings. And, a soon to be announced world premiere on the theme of “love” by one of the ballet world’s up-and-coming choreographers.
Dangerous Liaisons (2013)
World Premiere
Music: Antonio Vivaldi’s Four Seasons
Choreography: David Palmer
Wunderland (2009)
Music: Philip Glass
Choreography: Edwaard Liang
Tour-de-Force: Stars & Stripes – February 21 -24, 2013
With its first Tour-de-Force showcase evening of classical and contemporary works, The Washington Ballet pays tribute to the Presidential inaugural season. The evening begins with magnificent excerpts of classical ballets (Le Corsaire and Don Quixote) and contemporary masterpieces (Opposites Distract). Set to the marches of Conrad Sousa, the evening’s centerpiece, Balanchine’s exuberantly patriotic Stars and Stripes, contains as much pure dance as many full-length ballets.
Performed at The Harman Center, Sidney Harman Hall
Program includes excerpts from:
Le Corsaire (1856)
Music: Adolphe Adam, Cesare Pugni, Léo Delibes, Riccardo Drigo, Prince Oldenburg
Choreography: Anna Marie Holmes after Marius Petipa and Konstantin Sergeyev
Don Quixote (1869)
Music: Leon Minkus
Choreography: Anna Marie Holmes after Marius Petipa and Alexander Grosky
Opposites Distract (1999)
(Company Premiere)
Music: Ottmar Leibert
Choreography: Elaine Kudo
Stars and Stripes (1958)
(Company Premiere)
Music: Conrad Sousa
Choreography: George Balanchine
Cinderella (2003) -, March 20 – 24, 2013
Septime Webre’s Cinderella combines magnificent beauty, ravishing costumes and Prokofiev’s ultra-lush score in the retelling of this popular romance of a poor girl whose fairy godmother helps her win the love of a Prince. Storytelling at its finest—magic pumpkins, evil step-sisters and handsome courtiers in a swirling mirrored ballroom scene from Versailles. Crackling with wit, lavish costumes and dazzling dance, Cinderella will sweep you off your feet.
Music: Sergei Prokofiev
Choreography: Septime Webre
Sets: James Kronzer
Costumes: Judanna Lynn
Lighting: Joshua Michaels
Performed at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Eisenhower Theater
Hemingway: The Sun Also Rises (2013) – May 8 – 12, 2013
(World Premiere)
As part of The Washington Ballet American Experience, TWB unveils a new ballet based on Ernest Hemingway’s American classic, The Sun Also Rises. Considered by many to be his finest novel, the story follows an American journalist, Jake Barnes, a member of the “lost generation” of 1920s American expatriates, from the seedy café life of Paris’ Westbank to the thrilling “running of the bulls” at the Pamplona Festival. Through the extraordinary vision and choreography of Septime Webre, this newest exploration into the American literary canon will capture the imagination of dance lovers everywhere.
Choreography: Septime Webre
Performed at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Eisenhower Theater
Peter and the Wolf (2006) – May 18 -19, 2013
Against his grandfather’s wishes, brave Peter sets out to capture a wolf. Along the way he encounters some animal friends and becomes the hero of his village. Based on the popular Russian children’s story and set to Prokofiev’s world-famous music, this captivating ballet performed by The Washington Ballet Studio Company in the intimate THEARC Theater, will delight audiences of all ages.
Music: Sergei Prokofiev
Choreography: Brian Reeder
Performed at THEARC Theater
SUBSCRIPTIONS
Five-Series and Family Series subscriptions range in price from $106 to $478, depending on seat location and date of performance. To subscribe, visit The Washington Ballet’s website or call 202.362.3606 x605.
SINGLE TICKETS
Single tickets for the 2011.2012 Season go on sale September 10 (tentative) and may be purchased by visiting the Washington Ballet’s website or the Kennedy Center’s website.
ABOUT THE WASHINGTON BALLET
Originally founded as The Washington School of Ballet in 1944 by legendary ballet pioneer Mary Day and incorporated as a professional company in 1976, The Washington Ballet (TWB) is one of the pre-eminent ballet organizations in the United States. TWB built an international reputation presenting bold works by choreographers from around the world, including Choo-San Goh, Christopher Wheeldon, Mark Morris, Twyla Tharp and Nacho Duato, as well as Neoclassical masterworks and fresh stagings of 19th century classics. Under the leadership of Artistic Director Septime Webre and Executive Director Peter M. Branch, TWB has embraced a three-part mission: ensuring excellence in its professional performance company; growing the next generation of dancers through its Washington School of Ballet; and serving the community in which it resides through robust community engagement programs.
July 17, 2012
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