Houston Ballet presents its eleventh annual Jubilee of Dance, a special one-night only performance on Friday, December 5, 2014 at 7:00 pm. This year's program will feature the great American ballerina Julie Kent, a principal dancer with New York's American Ballet Theatre, who will make a special guest appearance. Ms. Kent will perform the leading female role in Stanton Welch's Clear (2001), a role she created at the work's premiere in 2001 in New York. Houston Ballet will also pay tribute to beloved first soloist Kelly Myernick, who is retiring after 14 years with the company. The Jubilee of Dance will close the evening with an excerpt of Stanton Welch's high-speed Velocity (2003), a ballet that pays homage to classical conventions in a contemporary manner. The Jubilee of Dance will be held at Wortham Theater Center in downtown Houston. Tickets may be purchased by calling 713 227 2787 or by visiting www.houstonballet.org.
Houston Ballet Principal Dancers Karina Gonzalez and Connor Walsh will travel to Sydney, Australia to perform the leads roles of Nikiya and Solar in Houston Ballet Artistic Director Stanton Welch's lavish production of La Bayadere with The Australian Ballet on Sunday, November 16; Monday, November 17; and Friday, November 21.
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.
In this Broadway World interview, I have a very serious conversation with Lauren Strongin, soloist for the Houston Ballet. Really folks, I just could not think of one joke. But, this interview doesn't need my comedy. Lauren and I discussed FROM HOUSTON TO THE WORLD, in which she dances in all four pieces, overcoming injury, and making the move from Sarasota, Florida to Houston, Texas.
From September 4-14, 2014, Houston Ballet launches its 45th season with the company premiere of John Neumeier's three-act ballet A Midsummer Night's Dream. The ballet is based on Shakespeare's lighthearted play of the same name and follows the hijinks and hilarity that ensues when a well-intentioned plan with a love potion goes awry. Created in 1977, A Midsummer Night's Dream has served as Mr. Neumeier's calling card, being seen as one of his most joyous and popular creations. Houston Ballet is the first American ballet company to perform the famous work and it is the first piece by Mr. Neumeier to enter the Houston Ballet repertoire.
From today, June 15-15, 2014, Houston Ballet will cap its 2013-14 season with Stanton Welch's vibrantly theatrical staging of Swan Lake, which he created for Houston Ballet in 2006.
From June 15-15, 2014, Houston Ballet will cap its 2013-14 season with Stanton Welch's vibrantly theatrical staging of Swan Lake, which he created for Houston Ballet in 2006. Set to the hauntingly beautiful Tchaikovsky score, Swan Lake tells the classic tale of Odette - a beautiful maiden transformed into a swan by an evil knight - and the prince who swears his enduring love for her. It's good and evil in black and white, danced on rich and spectacular sets by the late, great New Zealand designer Kristian Fredrikson. Houston Ballet will give nine performances of Swan Lake at Wortham Theater Center in downtown Houston.
Houston Ballet's current season is wrapping up quickly. Last night they opened a mixed repertory program titled MODERN MASTERS, and in about two weeks they'll be opening SWAN LAKE, this season's closer. As everyone expected, Houston Ballet's current program is filled with beautiful and stunning movement, incredible feats of dance athleticism, and gorgeous emotionality. MODERN MASTERS features four short pieces that highlight the range of the company all while celebrating the best of modern ballet choreographers.
In celebration of Stanton Welch's tenth anniversary as Artistic Director at Houston Ballet, the company is presenting a mixed repertory program that showcases his work as a choreographer. Across the three acts, audiences are treated to stunningly beautiful stage pictures, fascinating movement, and breathtaking feats of agility and poise. With their THE YOUNG PERSON'S GUIDE TO THE ORCHESTRA program, Houston Ballet splendidly illustrates why Houston is truly to lucky to have Stanton Welch in our city.
As Houston Ballet was putting the finishing touches on their production of David Bintley's mesmerizing ALADDIN, I got the opportunity to talk with Houston Ballet Principal Sara Webb. On the night before the production opened at The Wortham Theater Center, we discussed the U.S. Premiere of the ballet and her career.
Last night, Houston Ballet presented the American Premiere performance of David Bintley's spellbinding ALADDIN. The ballet, commissioned by National Ballet of Japan, had its World Premiere on November 15, 2008. For this opulent and mesmerizing theatrical treat, choreographer David Bintley pulls his inspiration from the original story; however, his ballet stills delivers everything fans of the 1992 Disney film expect from the story.
Since its Houston premiere in 1987, THE NUTCRACKER with choreography by Ben Stevenson has been one of Houston's favorite and most cherished ways to kick off the holiday season. Since it first opened 26 years ago, the gorgeous and spectacle filled holiday treat has been seen by over 1,000,000 people. The dazzling production always delights audiences and is, as the Houston Ballet puts it, 'the perfect way to introduce young children to the power and beauty of classical dance. Tchaikovsky's magical score, Desmond Heeley's fairy-tale scenery, and Ben Stevenson's vibrantly theatrical staging combine to create one of the most visually stunning productions of THE NUTCRACKER in the world today.'
The Houston Ballet is notorious for providing audiences with top-notch productions and a supremely talented company. Launching into their 2013-2014 season, Houston Ballet opens with FOUR PREMIERES. Consisting of one American premiere and three world premieres, FOUR PREMIERES is a wonderful evening of dance, with works choreographed by Chrisopher Bruce, Melissa Hough, Garrett Smith, and James Kudelka.
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