Edward Villella News

Today, November 21, the Metropolitan Opera Guild's 80th Annual Luncheon presents 'Brava, Jessye!' to salute the legendary Jessye Norman, who recently wrote about her life in a memoir titled Stand Up Straight and Sing!

The magic of the holiday season returns to Morristown when the New Jersey Ballet presents its 44th season of Nutcracker beginning Friday, December 12 at 7:30 pm. The ballet, with more than 100 performers and full orchestra, will run for fourteen performances, December 12 through 24 at the Mayo Performing Arts Center in Morristown, New Jersey.

ROLEX Presents NEW YORK NEW YORK a helluva town Career Transition For Dancers' 29th Anniversary Jubilee at the Hilton New York Hotel 6th Ave (bet 54 & 55 Sts) on Monday, Oct. 6th.

Pacific Northwest Ballet sweeps onstage and into a spectacular new season arrayed in emerald green, ruby red, and luminous white. A triple-treat for both eyes and ears, the trio of gems in George Balanchine'sJewels pay tribute to golden ages of music and dance: Emeralds' graceful clouds of tulle whisper French fashion and fragrance; Rubies' jazzy, sassy merger with Stravinsky mirrors the carefree candor of America; and Diamonds' glittering splendor recalls the great choreographer's heritage, so that 'if the entire Imperial Russian inheritance of ballet were lost, Diamonds would still tell us of its essence' (Mary Clarke and Clement Crisp). Jewels runs from tonight, September 26 through October 5 at Seattle Center's Marion Oliver McCaw Hall.

The Miami City Ballet opens its 28th season in October with Romeo and Juliet. This season brings about many changes to the ballet. Artistic director Lourdes Lopez has asserted her vision with increasing authority since she took over two years ago from founder Edward Villella.

On Friday, November 21, the Metropolitan Opera Guild's 80th Annual Luncheon presents "Brava, Jessye!" to salute the legendary Jessye Norman, who recently wrote about her life in a memoir titled Stand Up Straight and Sing!

Pacific Northwest Ballet sweeps onstage and into a spectacular new season arrayed in emerald green, ruby red, and luminous white. A triple-treat for both eyes and ears, the trio of gems in George Balanchine'sJewels pay tribute to golden ages of music and dance: Emeralds' graceful clouds of tulle whisper French fashion and fragrance; Rubies' jazzy, sassy merger with Stravinsky mirrors the carefree candor of America; and Diamonds' glittering splendor recalls the great choreographer's heritage, so that 'if the entire Imperial Russian inheritance of ballet were lost, Diamonds would still tell us of its essence' (Mary Clarke and Clement Crisp). Jewels runs fromSeptember 26 through October 5 at Seattle Center's Marion Oliver McCaw Hall. Tickets and more information are available through the Pacific Northwest Ballet Box Office, 301 Mercer Street at Seattle Center, 206.441.2424, or online at PNB.org.

Pacific Northwest Ballet raises the velvet curtain on its 2014-2015 season with George Balanchine's Jewels. Costumed in emerald green, ruby red and luminous white, the trio of gems in Jewels pays tribute to golden ages of music and dance. Evoking the birthplace of Romantic ballet, Emeralds' graceful clouds of tulle whisper French courtesy, fashion, and fragrance. A sassy, jazzy collaboration with composer Igor Stravinsky, Rubies mirrors the carefree spontaneity of America, Balanchine's beloved adopted country. The splendor of Diamonds recalls the great choreographer's heritage, so that "if the entre Imperial Russian inheritance of ballet were lost, Diamonds would still tell us of its essence" (Mary Clarke and Clement Crisp). Jewels runs from September 26 through October 5 at Seattle Center's Marion Oliver McCaw Hall. Tickets and more information are available through the PNB Box Office, 301 Mercer Street at Seattle Center, 206.441.2424, or online at PNB.org.

Pacific Northwest Ballet opens its Box Office for 2014-2015 ticket sales on Monday, July 21. As is its tradition, PNB is offering a special money-saving deal for early-bird ticket-buyers, to celebrate the company's 42nd season: Pay no service fees on tickets purchased thru July 31.* Tickets (as well as money-saving subscriptions) may be purchased either by phone (206.441.2424), online (PNB.org) or in person at the PNB Box Office, 301 Mercer Street at Seattle Center.

If I ever become famous-the odds are against me--but if I do, I want Patricia Ward Kelly to give a talk about me. Bright, articulate, witty, insightful, eloquent, compassionate, she spoke about her late husband, the very famous Gene Kelly, for over two and a half with not an 'uh, er or' to be heard. Yes, it's entertainment, but it's much more: professional speaking of the highest caliber. To say that I was impressed is an understatement. I wanted to hand her a prize. I'll zing to the point: Patricia Ward Kelly, you were superb. I can't think of a higher compliment.

This summer, it's 'almost like being in love!' Goodman Theatre produces the first large-scale, professional revival of Brigadoon -- Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick's Loewe's legendary musical of Broadway's Golden Age -- in more than three decades. Under director/choreographer Rachel Rockwell, a company of 28 actors, dancers and singers breathe new life into the enchanting tale of an 18th century Scottish village that appears every century for one day only -- and the complications that arise when it's discovered by two 20th century Americans. With adapter Brian Hill, Rockwell revisits the libretto for this production, while music director Roberta Duchak and an orchestra of 13 use new orchestrations to enhance Loewe's lilting score.

This summer, it's "almost like being in love!" Goodman Theatre produces the first large-scale, professional revival of Brigadoon -- Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick's Loewe's legendary musical of Broadway's Golden Age -- in more than three decades. Under director/choreographer Rachel Rockwell, a company of 28 actors, dancers and singers breathe new life into the enchanting tale of an 18th century Scottish village that appears every century for one day only -- and the complications that arise when it's discovered by two 20th century Americans. With adapter Brian Hill, Rockwell revisits the libretto for this production, while music director Roberta Duchak and an orchestra of 13 use new orchestrations to enhance Loewe's lilting score.

This year's Jacob's Pillow Dance Award, a coveted honor carrying a $25,000 cash prize, will be presented to choreographer John Heginbotham in recognition of his talent and outstanding contributions to the dance field. Heginbotham, an alumnus of The School at Jacob's Pillow, has garnered critical and popular acclaim for his contemporary works, eclectic and rich with “movement that exhibits sharpness, energy, formality and, yes, oddity” (Alastair Macaulay, The New York Times). His company, Dance Heginbotham, will perform the evening-length world premiere of Chalk and Soot in the Doris Duke Theatre July 30-August 3. In Chalk and Soot, Heginbotham joins forces with composer Colin Jacobsen to create a work featuring imaginative, theatrical choreography, live music performed by superstar string quartet Brooklyn Rider, the vocal stylings of Shara Worden (lead singer of My Brightest Diamond), and singer/songwriter Gabriel Kahane on harmonium.

The rarely-seen 1966 TV adaptation of Golden Age classic BRIGADOON starring Robert Goulet and Sally Ann Howes is set to be seen in a special screening today at the Paley Center.

New York City Ballet hosts its 2014 Spring Gala tonight, May 8 at 7pm, featuring a special one-time-only program designed by NYCB's Ballet Master in Chief Peter Martins to pay tribute to the 50th anniversary of the opening of the New York State Theater (now the David H. Koch Theater) at Lincoln Center, as well as celebrate its future with a World Premiere ballet by choreographer Justin Peck and composer Sufjan Stevens.

New York City Ballet announced today that its 2014 Spring Gala on Thursday, May 8 at 7pm will feature a special one-time-only program designed by NYCB's Ballet Master in Chief Peter Martins to pay tribute to the 50th anniversary of the opening of the New York State Theater (now the David H. Koch Theater) at Lincoln Center, as well as celebrate its future with a World Premiere ballet by choreographer Justin Peck and composer Sufjan Stevens.

The School of American Ballet's 2014 Winter Ball, in celebration of SAB's 80th Anniversary, took place at Lincoln Center's David H. Koch Theater on Monday, March 3, 2014 and raised more than $1.2 million for scholarships and school programs. Sponsored by legendary French jewelry Maison, Van Cleef & Arpels for the seventh consecutive year, the evening began with cocktails at 7pm and dinner at 8pm, followed by a student performance choreographed specially for the occasion, and The Encore dessert and dancing, sponsored by fifth-generation luxury house, J. Mendel. The proceeds from this event enable SAB to distribute $1.9 million annually in student scholarships as well as support the School's renowned faculty and state-of-the-art facilities at Lincoln Center.

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.)

The Dance Institute of Washington has named Crista Villella to its artistic staff. In her new role, Villella will be rebuilding DIW's ballet program, seeking new development opportunities and teaching ballet to DIW students.

Below, we continue our 'Meet the Staff' series by profiling our photographer Genevieve Rafter Keddy!