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Boston's season opener


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It's a bit early, but I guess they want you to mark your calendar NOW! A press release from Boston Ballet on its season opener:

Boston Ballet Opens Nissinen's First Season with a Powerful Performance

Morris, Forsythe, And A World Premiere offers sensual delights of movement

and music, artistic ingenuity and dancer's versatility

(BOSTON)- Boston Ballet opens its 39th season, and Artistic Director Mikko

Nissinen's first, with a dynamic program, Morris, Forsythe, And A World

Premiere, from September 19-29, 2002 at The Wang Theatre. On the program: Mark Morris's Maelstrom, William Forsythe's In the Middle, Somewhat Elevated and a world premiere of a modernist creation by Jorma Elo.

"These poignant works will engage the audience in new and different ways.

The entire season represents an exciting direction for Boston Ballet, marked by engaging classical and contemporary ballet and an emphasis on the finest choreography," said Mr. Nissinen. The program opens with Maelstrom, the work of distinguished American choreographer Mark Morris. Considered one of the most innovative artists of modern time, Morris was described as, "an intensely musical, deceptively cerebral, insinuatingly sensual, fabulously funky choreographer," by Los Angeles Times writer Martin Bernheimer. Morris founded the Mark Morris Dance

Group in 1981 at the age of 24. Morris's company presents eclectic mixtures of flamenco, ballet and modern movement set to music ranging from Baroque masters to contemporary groups such as the

Violent Femmes. Many consider Morris an important artist, including dance

legend Mikhail Baryshnikov. "Since meeting Mark Morris in 1987, I have

danced in eight of his premieres; I don't think anything else I can do or

say would offer a more eloquent

testimonial of how I feel about him and his work. He's one of the greatest

choreographers of the time," said Mr. Baryshnikov. Morris' Maelstrom was

created in 1994 for the San Francisco Ballet, and Mr. Nissinen was a dancer

in the original cast. The ballet is set to the music of Ludwig van Beethoven's Ghost Trio.

Notable choreographer and director of the Frankfurt Ballet, William

Forsythe presents his thrilling masterpiece, In the Middle, Somewhat

Elevated. Created for the Paris Opera Ballet in 1987, it won the 1992

Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement in Dance for the Royal Ballet. Set to a bracing electronic score by Thom Willems, with whom Mr. Forsythe has created more than 25 ballets, In the Middle, Somewhat Elevated is acknowledged as one of Forsythe's greatest works. Mr. Forsythe has created masterpieces for many major companies including New York City Ballet, the Royal Ballet, Netherlands Dans Theater, The National Ballet of Canada and

San Francisco Ballet. "Forsythe's choreography challenges the dancers to arch and bend to the rhythm of the fast music; and finish each movement

sharply and precisely. The score is pulsating and loud, creating a

surrealistic atmosphere on the bare stage," said Mr. Nissinen.

Choreographer Jorma Elo, from Netherlands Dans Theater, is considered one of Europe's most interesting new choreographers. He has worked with master horeographers Jiri Kylian and Mats Ek and was educated at the National

Ballet School in Helsinki and the Vaganova Institute of Choreography in

Leningrad. At the age of 16,

Elo was offered a contract with Finnish National Ballet. He danced there

until his career took him to Cullberg Ballet of Sweden in 1984. He joined

Nederlands Dance Theater I, the main company, in 1990. Nissinen is bringing

this emerging talent, new to the American stage, to Boston Ballet audiences. "Mr. Elo's dancers seem to be forever intertwining and extending from one another like tiny insects caught in massive pools of light. His original movement vocabulary and use of light and music are exceptional," said Mr. Nissinen. This new work will be set to J.S. Bach's Goldberg Variations.

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