Scottish Ballet to Bring A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE to The Music Center

Dance reveals its powerful theatricality as The Music Center, L.A.'s performing arts destination, welcomes Scottish Ballet on May 19 - 21, 2017 as part of the Glorya Kaufman Presents Dance at The Music Center 2016-2017 season.

The company will perform A Streetcar Named Desire, its multi-award winning production of the Tennessee Williams play that reimagines the passionate story through the powerful fusion of drama and dance. This classic tale is transformed into an emotional narrative ballet that delves more deeply into Blanche DuBois's troubled past beyond the original plotline, and allows the audience to experience the story through a different point of view. With this production, Dance at The Music Center offers a new perspective on a powerful theme of male and female relationships, tackling the important issues of sexual violence and identity.

In collaboration with director Nancy Meckler and international choreographer Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, Scottish Ballet incorporates both theatrical and film elements into the production to tell the iconic story through a distinctive lens using movement to reinterpret the intense drama. Together, Meckler and Ochoa foster a ballet with a unique female voice that incorporates a range of styles that accentuate the sensuality of the dancers, set to a specially commissioned, jazz-inspired score by Peter Salam. The Telegraph callEd Scottish Ballet's production "Heartbreakingly beautiful," and The Evening Standard said, "... the result is everything you could want of Tennessee Williams. - florid, poetic, poisonously beautiful."

"The Music Center is excited to provide a platform for female choreographers, which helps advance efforts by the arts to address diversity, and, at the same time, offer audiences the opportunity to experience new ideas and approaches," said Rachel Moore, president and CEO of The Music Center. "Scottish Ballet's 21st century interpretation of A Streetcar Named Desire uses the power of the female voice and the language of dance to bring even more compelling emotions, sensuality and intensity to this production than perhaps the more well-known theatrical or film presentations of this beloved masterpiece."

"This vibrant adaptation of A Streetcar Named Desire provides a wonderful opportunity for The Music Center to introduce the uninitiated to dance through a familiar and classic American storyline," said Michael Solomon, vice president, presentations and education, The Music Center. "We are thrilled to present such an accessible ballet that highlights how this art form can be used to portray a significant piece of literature without the use of words."

As Scotland's national Dance Company, Scottish Ballet presents a wide range of high-quality dance to audiences across Scotland, the UK and around the world. With strong classical technique at the root of all of its work, the company presents new versions of classic titles, as well as seminal works from 20th century choreographers, significant pieces from living choreographers and new commissions.

IF YOU GO:

A Streetcar Named Desire

Choreography: Annabelle Lopez Ochoa

Director: Nancy Meckler

Music: Peter Salem

Lighting Design: Tim Mitchell

Set & Costume Design: Niki Turner

Tickets for Scottish Ballet's A Streetcar Named Desire performances at The Music Center start at $34 and are available online at musiccenter.org/streetcar; at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion Box Office, 135 N. Grand Avenue, Los Angeles, CA, 90012; or by calling (213) 972-0711. For groups of 10 or more, call (213) 972-8555 or email mcgroupsales@musiccenter.org.

Glorya Kaufman Presents Dance at The Music Center is one of the leading presenters of dance on the West Coast. The celebrated series offers significant works by prestigious ballet and contemporary dance artists from around the world. Entering its second decade, Dance at The Music Center continues to be a powerful commissioning force through the support of new works and artists-in-residence projects by today's most influential companies and choreographers. Performances take place throughout The Music Center, including the historic Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, the distinctive Ahmanson Theatre and the iconic Walt Disney Concert Hall, providing the ideal setting for inspiring dance experiences.

As L.A.'s performing arts destination, The Music Center is L.A.'s home to the world's greatest artistic programs and events. With four iconic theaters and four renowned resident companies - Center Theatre Group, the LA Master Chorale, the LA Opera and the LA Philharmonic - and recognized for its illustrious dance programming, Glorya Kaufman Presents Dance at The Music Center, The Music Center is a destination where audiences find inspiration in the very best of live performance, as well as nationally recognized arts education and participatory arts experiences. The Music Center also programs and manages Grand Park, a 12-acre adjacent greenspace, with year-round free programming. For more information, visit musiccenter.org Follow The Music Center on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat (@MusicCenterLA).

Pictured: Scottish Ballet's A Streetcar Named Desire. Photo by Andy Ross.

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