Madeline Skelly

The current offering from the Houston Ballet, MADAME BUTTERFLY with SON OF CHAMBER SYMPHONY, is a study of contrasts - economy and luxury.

Since its debut in 1892, THE NUTCRACKER, based on E.T.A. Hoffman's 'The Nutcracker and the Mouse King,' has been a holiday staple, its music, by Romantic composer Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky, ubiquitous. And, since 1987, Ben Stevenson's THE NUTCRACKER has been a Houston institution.

William Shakespeare's THE TAMING OF THE SHREW is a comedic, character-driven piece about the courtship of volatile Katherina and obnoxious Petruchio. Character pieces require great characters, naturally, and great performers. In his ballet adaptation, John Cranko delivers. In the Houston Ballet production, so do the dancers.

BWW Reviews: Houston Ballet Proves Excellence With MODERN MASTERS

HOUSTON, TEXAS - From November 28 - December 28, 2014, Houston Ballet celebrates the holidays with Ben Stevenson's breathtaking production of The Nutcracker, seen by over 1,000,000 people since its premiere 27 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 35 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.

Houston Ballet Artistic Director Stanton Welch announced plans today for the company's 2013-2014 season, including eight promotions and additions of several new dancers. Houston Ballet's roster now stands at 53 dancers.

Houston Ballet Artistic Director Stanton Welch announced plans today for the company's 2013-2014 season, including eight promotions and additions of several new dancers. Houston Ballet's roster now stands at 53 dancers.

Houston Ballet is kicking off the summer with their resplendent production of JOURNEY WITH THE MASTERS. This amazing treat is made complete with thrilling dance compositions by three of the world's leading modern choreographers, George Balanchine, Ji?i Kylian, and Jerome Robbins. The three acts are vastly different from each other and superbly enchant audiences with their uniqueness.

The Houston Ballet organization is imbued with talent from top to bottom. Last year, they organized an event in which the dancers got to experiment and begin growing their own individual choreographic voices. Thursday, December 13, 2012 was their second event with this goal in mind. A small, invitation only audience was treated to an evening of fantastic talent on display in 14 world première ballets by names that are sure to leave a lasting impression on the world of dance.