Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky News

The curtain comes down on Pacific Northwest Ballet's 41st season with its annual Season Encore Performance, a crowd-pleasing reprise of some of PNB's greatest hits. A thrilling evening of inspired repertory selections and awe-inspiring performances (including Crystal Pite's show-stopper, Emergence), the program will feature PNB's entire Company, along with the mighty PNB Orchestra. The Season Encore Performance will be presented one night only, Sunday, June 8 at 6:30 pm at McCaw Hall, 321 Mercer Street. Tickets may be purchased exclusively through the PNB Box Office (206.441.2424, online at PNB.org, or in person at 301 Mercer Street at Seattle Center.)

Matthew Bourne's Sleeping Beauty sees the popular choreographer return to the music of Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky to complete the trio of the composer's ballet masterworks that started in 1992 with Nutcracker! and, most famously, in 1995, with the international hit Swan Lake. The ballet, on THIRTEEN's Great Performances, airs tonight, April 25 at 9 p.m. on PBS. (Check local listings.)

Matthew Bourne's Sleeping Beauty sees the popular choreographer return to the music of Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky to complete the trio of the composer's ballet masterworks that started in 1992 with Nutcracker! and, most famously, in 1995, with the international hit Swan Lake. The ballet, on THIRTEEN's Great Performances, airs Friday, April 25 at 9 p.m. on PBS. (Check local listings.)

The ballet, on THIRTEEN's Great Performances, airs Friday, April 25 at 9 p.m. on PBS.

Artistic Director Peter Boal has announced to subscribers the line-up for Pacific Northwest Ballet's 2014-2015 season. Highlights include a program devoted to the work of acclaimed choreographer William Forsythe; the return of popular works by George Balanchine, Alexei Ratmansky, David Dawson, and Nacho Duato; a world premiere by New York City Ballet's Justin Peck, a PNB premiere by Annabelle Lopez Ochoa; and a fond farewell to the Northwest's favorite holiday tradition, Kent Stowell and Maurice Sendak's Nutcracker. (PNB will unveil a new production of George Balanchine's The Nutcracker with sets and costumes by Ian Falconer in 2015.)

SEATTLE, WA-Pacific Northwest Ballet's 2013-2014 season continues with the perfect Valentine and a happily-ever-after experience for all ages, Ronald Hynd's The Sleeping Beauty. From fairies that really fly to the Prince's wakening kiss and an imperial wedding celebration, each moment of The Sleeping Beauty faithfully portrays the beloved fairy tale with grand storytelling, Tchaikovsky's beloved score, magnificent sets and costumes, and over 30 leading roles. Long regarded as the ideal classical ballet, The Sleeping Beauty's fairytale world was crafted to mirror the splendor of the Imperial Czars, its first patrons. Although this production is as discernibly English as its choreographer, the ballet remains true to Marius Petipa's 1890 original and each act - from the evil fairy Carabosse's flying entrance in the Prologue to the Rose Adagio's spectacular balances to Act III's celebrated Bluebird pas de deux - offers rich opportunities for dancers to demonstrate technique and artistry, and take star-turns. Ultimately, however, the pivotal brilliance of Beauty rests with Princess Aurora; she must captivate as a teenager, inspire a Prince's love as a vision, and awaken a queen, all while mastering some of the most technically grueling choreography in classical ballet's cannon - a genuine mark of distinction for a great ballerina. The Sleeping Beauty runs for nine performances only, January 31 to February 9, 2014 at Seattle Center's Marion Oliver McCaw Hall, 321 Mercer Street. Tickets may be purchased by calling the PNB Box Office at 206.441.2424, online at pnb.org, or in person at 301 Mercer Street.

SEATTLE, WA-Pacific Northwest Ballet's 2013-2014 season continues with the perfect Valentine and a happily-ever-after experience for all ages, Ronald Hynd's The Sleeping Beauty. From fairies that really fly to the Prince's wakening kiss and an imperial wedding celebration, each moment of The Sleeping Beauty faithfully portrays the beloved fairy tale with grand storytelling, Tchaikovsky's beloved score, magnificent sets and costumes, and over 30 leading roles. Long regarded as the ideal classical ballet, The Sleeping Beauty's fairytale world was crafted to mirror the splendor of the Imperial Czars, its first patrons. Although this production is as discernibly English as its choreographer, the ballet remains true to Marius Petipa's 1890 original and each act - from the evil fairy Carabosse's flying entrance in the Prologue to the Rose Adagio's spectacular balances to Act III's celebrated Bluebird pas de deux - offers rich opportunities for dancers to demonstrate technique and artistry, and take star-turns. Ultimately, however, the pivotal brilliance of Beauty rests with Princess Aurora; she must captivate as a teenager, inspire a Prince's love as a vision, and awaken a queen, all while mastering some of the most technically grueling choreography in classical ballet's cannon - a genuine mark of distinction for a great ballerina. The Sleeping Beauty runs for nine performances only, January 31 to February 9, 2014 at Seattle Center's Marion Oliver McCaw Hall, 321 Mercer Street. Tickets may be purchased by calling the PNB Box Office at 206.441.2424, online at pnb.org, or in person at 301 Mercer Street.

Now in its 50th year, the American Repertory Ballet's holiday presentation of THE NUTCRACKER delights young and old with humor, spectacle, and stirring music.

Following its tremendously successful gala in November—which featured some of the world's top ballet stars from American Ballet Theatre, New York City Ballet, San Francisco Ballet and Boston Ballet—and annual Nutcracker performances, Ballet San Jose will open its first repertory season planned by new Artistic Director José Manuel Carreño February 14-16 at the San Jose Center for the Performing Arts.

HOUSTON, TEXAS - From November 29 - December 29, 2013, Houston Ballet celebrates the holidays with Ben Stevenson's breathtaking production of The Nutcracker, seen by over 1,000,000 people since its premiere 26 years ago. The beloved ballet tells the story of a little girl named Clara who is given a magical nutcracker doll on Christmas Eve. She encounters the frightful King Rat before embarking on a wondrous journey through the Land of Snow and the Kingdom of Sweets. Young and old alike will experience the many special effects, including the Christmas tree which 'grows' to 40 feet, 200 pounds of 'snow' falling during the snow scene, and the firing of cannon onstage. Houston Ballet will give 34 performances of The Nutcracker, to a live orchestra, in the Brown Theater at Wortham Theater Center in downtown Houston. Tickets may be purchased by calling 713-227-2787 or logging on to www.houstonballet.org.

The BSO kicks off its 41st Season with a night at the opera! Come hear your favorite overtures, arias, duets, ensemble numbers and more with an all-star cast of Northwest singers including Rachel DeShon, soprano, Sonia Perez, mezzo-soprano, John Coons, tenor, and Thomas Thompson, baritone in Toi Toi Toi! - An Opera Showcase, running today and tomorrow, November 23 & 24: Saturday @ 7:30 p.m. & Sunday @ 3:00 p.m. at Bainbridge Performing Arts.

Pace University is will host the debut of Gelsey Kirkland Ballet. This 20-member company, under the artistic direction of Gelsey Kirkland and Michael Chernov, is comprised of fourteen dancers and six apprentices, and is based in Lower Manhattan.

HOUSTON, TEXAS - From November 29 - December 29, 2013, Houston Ballet celebrates the holidays with Ben Stevenson's breathtaking production of The Nutcracker, seen by over 1,000,000 people since its premiere 26 years ago. The beloved ballet tells the story of a little girl named Clara who is given a magical nutcracker doll on Christmas Eve. She encounters the frightful King Rat before embarking on a wondrous journey through the Land of Snow and the Kingdom of Sweets. Young and old alike will experience the many special effects, including the Christmas tree which "grows" to 40 feet, 200 pounds of "snow" falling during the snow scene, and the firing of cannon onstage. Houston Ballet will give 34 performances of The Nutcracker, to a live orchestra, in the Brown Theater at Wortham Theater Center in downtown Houston. Tickets may be purchased by calling 713-227-2787 or logging on to www.houstonballet.org.

Dances Patrelle presents the 18th annual production of The Yorkville Nutcracker from December 5-8, 2013 at The Kaye Playhouse at Hunter College, E. 68th Street between Park and Lexington Avenues, NYC. Performances: Thursday - Friday at 7pm; Saturday at 2pm and 7pm; and Sunday at noon and 5pm. Tickets are $45-85 and will be available beginning November 1 online at www.dancespatrelle.org, by phone at 212-772-4448, or in person at The Kaye Playhouse Box Office.

The Leonia Chamber Musicians launches its 40th anniversary season performing chamber music concerts in the borough with the 2013 annual Leonia Chamber Musicians Society, Inc.'s Gala Benefit and follows with three special concerts from November to April in Leonia, New Jersey.

The BSO kicks off its 41st Season with a night at the opera! Come hear your favorite overtures, arias, duets, ensemble numbers and more with an all-star cast of Northwest singers including Rachel DeShon, soprano, Sonia Perez, mezzo-soprano, John Coons, tenor, and Thomas Thompson, baritone in Toi Toi Toi! - An Opera Showcase, running November 23 & 24: Saturday @ 7:30 p.m. & Sunday @ 3:00 p.m. at Bainbridge Performing Arts.

San Francisco Ballet, the oldest professional ballet company in America, has announced that it will perform at New York's Lincoln Center at the David H. Koch Theater, tonight, October 16-27, 2013.