Romeo…. in Sergei Prokofiev’s Roméo et Juliette with choreography by Jean-Christophe Maillot at Pacific Northwest Ballet through 2/14/16. Photo: Angela Sterling
This is the final weekend for Pacific Northwest Ballet’s production of Sergei Prokofiev’s Roméo et Juliette with choreography by Jean-Christophe Maillot and they’re only half way through their current 2015/2016 season, but PNB has just announced their line-up for their 44th season which kicks off in September with Tricolore and a special scheduled visit from ballet superstar, Benjamin Millepied, who might be best known to your average American as the husband/baby daddy to Natalie Portman. The two met on the set of Black Swan, the ballet themed film that won Portman the Best Actress Oscar in 2011. Millepied is currently in the news for having just announced he is leaving his position as Director of Dance at Paris Opera Ballet effective July of this year. The dancer/choreographer wants to spend more time in Los Angeles with this family and work on dance projects with his own company.
Two works by Millepied will be featured in the season opener, Tricolore, which will run from September 23 to October 2, 2016 at McCaw Hall with the special opening night party happening on 9/23. Tricolore will feature the PNB premiere of Beethoven’s Appassionata Sonata, a brand new piece which just had its debut in Paris earlier this month.
The full press release:
February 13, 2016, SEATTLE, WA— Artistic Director Peter Boal has announced the line-up for Pacific Northwest Ballet’s 44th season, running from September, 2016 to June, 2017. Highlights include a program of PNB premieres by George Balanchine, Jerome Robbins, and Alexei Ratmansky; a full-length story ballet from Jean-Christophe Maillot (Roméo et Juliette) based on the story of Cinderella; a world premiere from Jessica Lang (The Calling); PNB premieres by Benjamin Millepied and David Dawson; and the return of audience favorites by Balanchine, Robbins, Millepied, Twyla Tharp, William Forsythe, Jiri Kylian, and Christopher Wheeldon. For family audiences, PNB is bringing back its popular matinee production of Hansel & Gretel (performed by students of the Pacific Northwest Ballet School), and – of course – George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker™.PNB will begin accepting season subscription renewals and new full-season subscription orders on Tuesday, February 16; tickets to George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker™ go on sale to the public on Monday, May 16. The Box Office opens for 2016-2017 season single ticket sales on Monday, July 18. For further information, contact the PNB Box Office by phone at 206.441.2424, online at PNB.org, or in person at 301 Mercer Street. Discounted subscription rates are available for senior citizens and students with ID. All programming and dates are subject to change. For more information, visit PNB.org.
Ballet superstar Benjamin Millepied scheduled to attend PNB’s season opener in September.
2016-2017 SEASON LINE-UP (programming subject to change):
First Look Gala
Friday, September 23, 2016
(Not part of PNB’s subscription season. Tickets go on sale July 18.)
Celebrate the opening of PNB’s 44th season with a glamorous cocktail party, an elegant backstage dinner, and a dance party onstage after the performance! Featuring special guest Benjamin Millepied (former director of Paris Opera Ballet). For information, visit PNB.org. (Performance tickets sold separately.)
Rep 1 – TRICOLORE
September 23 – October 2, 2016
3 Movements
Music: Steve Reich
Choreography: Benjamin Millepied
Scenic Design: Benjamin Millepied
Costume Design: Isabella Boylston, assisted by Larae Theige Hascall
Lighting Design: Brad Fields
Premiere: November 6, 2008, Pacific Northwest Ballet
Appassionata Sonata (PNB Premiere)
Music: Ludwig van Beethoven
Choreography: Benjamin Millepied
Premiere: February 5, 2016, Paris Opera Ballet (Paris, France)
Symphony in C
Music: Georges Bizet
Choreography: George Balanchine © The School of American Ballet
Costume Design: Mark Zappone
Lighting Design: Randall G. Chiarelli
Premiere: July 28, 1947, Paris Opera Ballet (originally titled Le Palais de Cristal); March 22, 1948, New York City Ballet (renamed Symphony in C)
PNB Premiere: March 25, 1987
Rep 2 – BRIEF FLING
November 4 – 13, 2016
Brief Fling
Music: Michel Colombier and Percy Grainger
Choreography: Twyla Tharp
Original Costume Design: Isaac Mizrahi
Original Lighting Design: Jennifer Tipton
Premiere: February 28, 1990, American Ballet Theatre (San Francisco, CA)
PNB Premiere: September 27, 2013
Forgotten Land
Music: Benjamin Britten
Choreography: Jiri Kylian
Scenic and Costume Design: Jiri Kylian
Lighting Design: Joop Caboort
Lighting Re-Design: Kees Tjebbes
Premiere: April 12, 1981, Stuttgart Ballet
PNB Premiere: November 8, 2013
Stravinsky Violin Concerto
Music: Igor Stravinsky
Choreography: George Balanchine © The George Balanchine Trust
Staging: Paul Boos and Colleen Neary
Lighting Design: Randall G. Chiarelli
Premiere: June 18, 1972, New York City Ballet
PNB Premiere: March 5, 1986
George Balanchine’s THE NUTCRACKER™
November 25 – December 29, 2016
(Not part of PNB’s subscription season. Tickets go on sale Monday, May 16, 2016.)
Music: Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Choreography: George Balanchine © The George Balanchine Trust
Staging: Judith Fugate, with Peter Boal and Garielle Whittle
Scenic & Costume Design: Ian Falconer
Lighting Design: James F. Ingalls
Original Lev Ivanov Production Premiere: December 6, 1892, Imperial Ballet, St. Petersburg
Balanchine Production Premiere: February 2, 1954, New York City Ballet
PNB Premiere: November 27, 2015
Rep 3 – Cendrillon (PNB Premiere)
February 3 – 12, 2017
Music: Sergei Prokofiev
Choreography: Jean-Christophe Maillot
Scenic Design: Ernest Pignon-Ernest
Costume Design: Jérôme Kaplan
Lighting Design: Dominique Drillot
Premiere: December 23, 1996, Les Ballets de Monte-Carlo
Rep 4 – DIRECTOR’S CHOICE
March 17 – 26, 2017
New Suite
Music: George Frideric Handel, Luciano Berio, Johann Sebastian Bach
Choreography: William Forsythe
Scenic and Lighting Design: William Forsythe
Costume Design: William Forsythe and Yumiko Takeshima
Premiere: February 25, 2012, Dresden Semperoper Ballet
PNB Premiere: March 13, 2015
World Premiere
Choreography: Jessica Lang
Premiere: August 24, 2016, Pacific Northwest Ballet at Jacob’s Pillow, Becket, Massachusetts
Commissioned by Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival
Empire Noir (PNB Premiere)
Music: Greg Haines
Choreography: David Dawson
Scenic Design: John Otto
Costume Design: Yumiko Takeshima
Lighting Design: Bert Dalhuysen
Premiere: June 17, 2015, Dutch National Ballet
Hansel & Gretel
March 19 – 26, 2017 (Part of PNB’s “Family Matinees” series. Call the PNB Box Office for details.)
Featuring students of Pacific Northwest Ballet School and the Seattle Youth Symphony Orchestra.
Music: Oskar Nedbal
Concept and Choreography: Bruce Wells
Staging: Michele Curtis and Otto Neubert
Scenic Design: Edith Whitsett
Costume Design: Pacific Northwest Ballet Costume Shop
Witch Costume Design: Victoria McFall
Lighting Design: Randall G. Chiarelli
Premiere: March 18, 2007, PNB School
Rep 5 – BALLET ON BROADWAY
April 14 – 23, 2017
Carousel (A Dance)
Music: Richard Rodgers
Choreography: Christopher Wheeldon
Costume Design: Holly Hynes
Lighting Design: Mark Stanley
Premiere: November 26, 2002, New York City Ballet
PNB Premiere: March 12, 2009
Slaughter on Tenth Avenue
Music: Richard Rodgers
Choreography: George Balanchine © The George Balanchine Trust
Scenic and Lighting Design: Randall G. Chiarelli
Costume Design: Holly Hynes
Premiere: May 2, 1968, New York City Ballet
PNB Premiere: September 20, 2008
West Side Story Suite
Music: Leonard Bernstein
Lyrics: Stephen Sondheim
Choreography: Jerome Robbins with Peter Genarro
Scenic Design: Oliver Smith
Costume Design: Irene Sharaff
Lighting Design: Jennifer Tipton
Premiere: May 18, 1995, New York City Ballet
PNB Premiere: March 12, 2009
REP 6 – PICTURES AT AN EXHIBITION
June 2 – 11, 2017
La Source (PNB Premiere)
Music: Léo Delibes
Choreography: George Balanchine © The George Balanchine Trust
Staging: Peter Boal
Original Costume Design: Karinska
Original Lighting Design: Ronald Bates
Premiere: November 23, 1968, New York City Ballet
Opus 19 / The Dreamer (PNB Premiere)
Music: Sergei Prokofiev
Choreography: Jerome Robbins
Staging: Peter Boal
Costume Design: Ben Benson
Original Lighting Design: Ronald Bates
Lighting Design: Jennifer Tipton
Premiere: June 14, 1979, New York City Ballet
Pictures at an Exhibition (PNB Premiere)
Music: Modest Mussorgsky
Choreography: Alexei Ratmansky
Costume Design: Adeline Andre
Lighting Design: Mark Stanley
Projection Design: Wendall K. Harrington
Premiere: October 2, 2014, New York City Ballet
SEASON ENCORE PERFORMANCE
Sunday, June 11, 2017
(Not part of PNB’s subscription season. Tickets to this event go on sale in 2017.)
NEXT STEP Choreographers’ Showcase
Friday, June 16, 2017
(Not part of PNB’s subscription season. Tickets to this event go on sale in 2017.)
36th Annual PNB School Performances
Saturday, June 17, 2017
(Not part of PNB’s subscription season. Tickets to this event go on sale in 2017.)
PNB ON TOUR
(Tickets not available through the PNB Box Office.)
August 24 – 28, 2016
Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival, Becket, MA
Sum Stravinsky (Stravinsky/Gaines); 3 Movements (Reich/Millepied); World Premiere (Jessica Lang)
For more information, visit JacobsPillow.org.
TICKET INFORMATION:
Money-saving full-season (six-show) subscriptions, starting at $150, go on sale beginning Tuesday, February 16. Subscriber benefits include free and easy ticket exchanges, discounts off additional single ticket purchases, pre-sale privileges for special performances, the opportunity to purchase pre-paid parking, 20% off PNB School Open dance classes for adults, a subscriber discount card, and more. (Single tickets to the 2016-2017 season go on sale to the general public on Monday, July 18; Tickets to George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker go on sale Monday, May 16.)
Subscriptions may be purchased through the PNB Box Office:
- Phone: 206.441.2424
- In Person: 301 Mercer Street at Seattle Center
- Online: PNB.org (beginning March 1.)
For information on discount offers including The Pointe, TeenTix, and Group Sales, visit PNB.org. While there, sign up on PNB’s email list, or connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram! Be among the first to learn about PNB news, casting and performance updates, ticket offers, and more.
PNB offers a variety of free or affordably-priced special events for most of its productions, including previews, conversations, lectures, and Q&As. For more information, visit PNB.org and click on the “Events & Offers” tab under each specific production’s listing.
About the Author: Michael Strangeways
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