Texas Ballet Theater to Premiere Three New Productions

Fresh from sold-out performances of its timeless classics Sleeping Beauty and The Nutcracker, Texas Ballet Theater (TBT) will perform an artistic hat trick, producing a series of three premiere ballets to cap off its stellar season.

This February, TBT will present Ronald Hynd's The Merry Widow, a regional premiere. With accompaniment by the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra, Hynd's effervescent choreography brings new life to the music of Franz Lehar's famous operetta of the same name. Featuring sumptuous costumes, lavish sets and bubbly comedic timing, The Merry Widow will take the stage at Bass Performance Hall, Feb. 6-8, with Hynd travelling to Fort Worth personally to rehearse with the Company.

Jiri Kylian's edgy masterwork Petite Mort will be TBT's second featured premiere. Designed as a tribute to Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart on the 200th anniversary of his death, Petite Mort is a surprisingly modern and tantalizing production brimming with sensuality. The piece, so close to Kylian's heart that companies must be personally approved to produce it, will be performed at TBT's Masterworks production at Dallas City Performance Hall, April 17 - 19, and Artistic Director's Choice at Bass Hall, May 29 - 31.

As a truly grand finale to this season of premieres, TBT has commissioned wunderkind choreographer Jonathan Watkins to create a world premiere ballet tailored specifically to TBT's elite dancers. A former dancer with the Royal Ballet and recipient of the prestigious Kenneth MacMillan Choreographic Award, Watkins is highly sought after for both his stage and screen choreography. Watkins will be in residence with the Company for six weeks, and the new as-yet-unnamed work will make its global premiere on stage at Bass Performance Hall for TBT's Artistic Director's Choice, May 29 - 31.

For ticketing information, visit the website at texasballettheater.org.