Sergei Prokofiev News

The Joffrey Ballet's 2013-14 "Masters of Dance" season comes to a close this spring with the U.S. Premiere of Krzysztof Pastor's Romeo & Juliet. Pastor, Director of the Polish National Ballet and Resident Choreographer of the Dutch National Ballet, originally created this new version of Romeo & Juliet in 2008 for the Scottish Ballet. His work has never before been seen in Chicago. Romeo & Juliet runs for 10 performances only at the Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University, 50 East Congress Parkway, April 30 - May 11.

Christopher Wheeldon's playful choreography perfectly matches Sergei Prokofiev's talent for combining characters, story and music. Both artists have a unique quality that makes their work instantly recognizable. So it's only fitting that Wheeldon should take on Prokofiev's 'Cinderella.' And he partners with a long list of scenic, lighting and puppet designers, most with experience working in the Broadway, film and opera industries. The result led to sold-out crowds for last year's run at San Francisco Ballet. Now the production returns for a limited time with the audience anticipation and enthusiasm just as strong.

Sir Andrew Davis will return to the New York Philharmonic to conduct the U.S. Premiere of Julian Anderson's The Discovery of Heaven, a New York Philharmonic Co-Commission with the London Philharmonic Orchestra; Franck's Symphonic Variations for Piano and Orchestra, with Marc-Andre Hamelin as soloist in his Philharmonic subscription debut; and selections from Prokofiev's Romeo and Juliet Suites Nos. 1 and 2. These performances mark the 40th anniversary of Sir Andrew's New York Philharmonic debut.

American Ballet Theatre's 2014 season at the Metropolitan Opera House, May 12-July 5, will be highlighted by the Company Premiere of Frederick Ashton's Cinderella and a Shakespeare Celebration to include Ashton's The Dream and Alexei Ratmansky's The Tempest. Season revivals include Leonide Massine's Gaite Parisienne and Kenneth MacMillan's Manon. Tickets for ABT's Spring Season at the Metropolitan Opera House go on sale at the box office on Sunday, March 30 at Noon.

Two world premieres by Maurice Causey and Charles Moulton headline the spring program of Company C Contemporary Ballet April 25-May 11 at ODC Theater in San Francisco and the Lesher Theater in Walnut Creek. The 12-year-old Company will close its 2014 season with a program featuring the world premiere of a new ballet by Maurice Causey (title to be announced) and the world premiere of Charles Moulton'sNew Country along with reprises of Charles Anderson's What's Behind Door #3 (which received its premiere on the Company C gala program in February, 2014), excerpts from Anderson's Aposiopesis and excerpts from Patrick Corbin's Partly Cloudy. [Editor note: the program has changed since originally announced in August, 2013]. Complete program details are listed below. For more information, visit www.companycballet.org .

Philadelphia, PA

Two captivating displays of youthful musicality take place this month as Pacific Symphony Youth Orchestra (PSYO) and Pacific Symphony Youth Wind Ensemble (PSYWE) perform an impressive range of music for their individual spring concerts.

Ballet Conservatory dancers from the Franklin School for the Performing Arts (FSPA) will perform Sergei Prokofiev's Peter and the Wolf and Benjamin Britten's The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra with the Metrowest Symphony Orchestra, under the baton of Music Director Peter L. Cokkinias. The collaborative performance is part of the Hopkinton-based Orchestra's "Artists in Bloom" Family Concert, to be presented on Sunday, March 9 at 3 p.m. at the Joseph P. Keefe Technical School Auditorium, 750 Winter Street, in Framingham. The program also features Aaron Copland's Outdoor Overture and Maurice Ravel's Tzigane, with 16-year-old violin soloist Elizabeth Kim, winner of the Orchestra's annual Young Artist Competition.

When you are dealing with one of the most beloved children's love stories of all time, there is a delicate balance between the story and the dance.

The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra and Victor de Sabata Guest Conductor Gianandrea Noseda join with multi-award winning pianist, Jean-Efflam Bavouzet, for a BNY Mellon Grand Classics program infused with the power of hope, comedy and tragedy. The program runs tonight, Feb. 21 and Feb. 23 at Heinz Hall.

Ashley Wheater, Artistic Director of The Joffrey Ballet, announces programming for the company's 2014-15 season celebrating 20 years of the Joffrey calling Chicago home. The 2014-15 anniversary season features both company favorites and a slate of eight premieres.

River Oaks Chamber Orchestra continues its 2013 – 2014 ROCO Chamber Series on Sunday, March 9 at 4 p.m. with a concert titled Rhythms of Paris and New Orleans at Gremillion &Co. Fine Art Annex located at 2504 Nottingham in the Rice Village area. The concert features chamber music by Sergei Prokofiev and Dave Anderson, selected for their ability to transport listeners to the cities the composers hail from.

Colorado Ballet Artistic Director Gil Boggs announced the 2014-2015 season, which will feature technically-challenging classical ballet and innovative contemporary pieces.

Two captivating displays of youthful musicality take place next month as Pacific Symphony Youth Orchestra (PSYO) and Pacific Symphony Youth Wind Ensemble (PSYWE) perform an impressive range of music for their individual spring concerts. The students are bonded more than at any other time during the year, having recently returned from winter retreats, and have prepared some challenging repertoire to perform for the community. Led by Music Director Alejandro Gutiérrez, PSYO travels for the first time to Soka Performing Arts Center in Aliso Viejo, on Saturday, March 1, at 3 p.m., to perform a concert of 20th-century music by Prokofiev, John Williams, James Newton Howard, Ginastera and more. Then, the exuberant sounds of PSYWE are heard the following weekend on Sunday, March 9, at 3 p.m., in the Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall. Led by Music Director Joshua Roach, the wind ensemble performs and narrates Mussorgsky's masterwork, “Pictures at an Exhibition,” and plays exciting music by Shostakovich, Grainger, Barber and Barnes. Tickets are $12, general admission; for more information or to purchase, call (714) 755-5799 or visit www.PacificSymphony.org.

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.)

Colorado Ballet will present the classic fairy tale Cinderella, February 14-23, 2014 at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House with choreography by Ben Stevenson, O.B.E. and music by Sergei Prokofiev, performed live music by the Colorado Ballet Orchestra. Scroll down for a first look at the dancers!

This winter, The Joffrey Ballet revisits its contemporary roots with a mixed repertory program titled 'Contemporary Choreographers,' an evening of three pieces, two by some of contemporary ballet's most luminous choreographers working today and one by a local 'rising star' choreographer. 'Contemporary Choreographers' is presented in 10 performances only at the Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University, 50 E. Congress Parkway, February This winter, The Joffrey Ballet revisits its contemporary roots with a mixed repertory program titled 'Contemporary Choreographers,' an evening of three pieces, two by some of contemporary ballet's most luminous choreographers working today and one by a local 'rising star' choreographer. 'Contemporary Choreographers' is presented in 10 performances only at the Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University, 50 E. Congress Parkway, tonight, February 12-23.12-23.

The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra and Victor de Sabata Guest Conductor Gianandrea Noseda join with multi-award winning pianist, Jean-Efflam Bavouzet, for a BNY Mellon Grand Classics program infused with the power of hope, comedy and tragedy. The program runs Feb. 21 and Feb. 23 at Heinz Hall.

The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra and Victor de Sabata Guest Conductor Gianandrea Noseda join with multi-award winning pianist, Jean-Efflam Bavouzet, for a BNY Mellon Grand Classics program infused with the power of hope, comedy and tragedy. The program runs Feb. 21 and Feb. 23 at Heinz Hall.

Magic and wonder await as Deputy Headmaster Vladimir Kulenovic conducts the Utah Symphony through the music and fantasy of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry on February 18 and 19 at Abravanel Hall. Songs from the 'Harry Potter' movie soundtracks composed by John Williams are scattered throughout the concert including the musical flights of 'Nimbus 2000' and 'Hedwig's Theme' and the mystical spells of 'The Sorcerer's Stone' and 'Witches, Wands and Wizards'.