Helene Posted April 6, 2019 Share Posted April 6, 2019 From the press release announcement of the 2019 Season Encore program that honors Jonathan Porretta's and Rachel Foster's careers: PACIFIC NORTHWEST BALLET PRESENTS ITS 2018-2019 Season Encore Performance Celebrating the careers of principal dancers Rachel Foster and Jonathan Porretta. Featuring the world-famous PNB Orchestra. ONE NIGHT ONLY! Sunday, June 9, 2019 – 6:30 pm Marion Oliver McCaw Hall 321 Mercer Street at Seattle Center Seattle, WA 98109 SEATTLE, WA –Pacific Northwest Ballet Artistic Director Peter Boal has announced the line-up for the Company’s 2018-2019 Season Encore Performance, a crowd-pleasing reprise of some of PNB’s greatest hits. The evening celebrates the careers of PNB’s retiring principal dancers Rachel Foster and Jonathan Porretta. The program will feature PNB’s entire Company, along with the world-famous PNB Orchestra under the baton of Music Director/Principal Conductor Emil de Cou. Highlights of the evening will include Ms. Foster in Alejandro Cerrudo’s haunting Silent Ghost, and Mr. Porretta dancing the title role of George Balanchine’s Prodigal Son. Other selections for the evening include Matthew Neenan’s Bacchus, Christopher Wheeldon’sAfter the Rain pas de deux, and excerpts from Balanchine’s Theme & Variations, and Nacho Duato’s Rassemblement “Season Encore is a grand celebration of the entire Company,” said Mr. Boal. “This year’s performance will also shine a spotlight on two much-admired principal dancers who have helped to define repertoire from the last two decades at PNB. The list of roles performed by Rachel Foster and Jonathan Porretta is extensive and brimming with dear memories and extraordinary ovations. Rachel and Jonny have helped to select meaningful works for themselves, but also ballets that showcase all of their peers. It promises to be a night to remember.” PNB’s Season Encore Performance will be presented one night only, Sunday, June 9 at 6:30 pm at McCaw Hall, 321 Mercer Street at Seattle Center. Tickets may be purchased exclusively through the PNB Box Office (206.441.2424, online at PNB.org, or in person at 301 Mercer Street at Seattle Center.) The line-up for the 2018-19 Season Encore Performance includes: Theme & Variations (excerpt) Music: Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky Choreography: George Balanchine © The George Balanchine Trust Rassemblement (pas de deux) Music: Toto Bissainthe Choreography: Nacho Duato Bacchus Music: Oliver Davis Choreography: Matthew Neenan After the Rain pas de deux Music: Arvo Pärt Choreography: Christopher Wheeldon Silent Ghost Music: Dustin Hamman, King Creosote & Jon Hopkins, Ólafur Arnalds, Nils Frahm Choreography: Alejandro Cerrudo Prodigal Son Music: Sergei Prokofiev Choreography: George Balanchine © The George Balanchine Trust TICKET INFORMATION Pacific Northwest Ballet’s 2018-2019 Season Encore Performance will be performed one night only, Sunday, June 9 at 6:30 pm at Marion Oliver McCaw Hall, 321 Mercer Street at Seattle Center. Tickets range in price from $37 to $189 (PNB subscribers receive 20% off) and may be purchased exclusively through the PNB Box Office. · Phone - 206.441.2424* · In Person - 301 Mercer Street at Seattle Center* · Online - PNB.org (24/7) · Subject to availability, tickets are also available 90 minutes prior to PNB show times at McCaw Hall. *For Box Office hours, visit PNB.org/Contact. TeenTix members with valid membership ID may purchase day-of-show tickets, subject to availability, for $5. For more information, visit TeenTix.org. Subject to availability, half-price rush tickets for students and senior citizens (65+) may be purchased in-person with valid ID, from 90 minutes prior to show time at the McCaw Hall box office. Link to comment
sandik Posted April 6, 2019 Share Posted April 6, 2019 Trying to predict casting -- Foster will likely do the Wheeldon, and Porretta will reprise his performance of Prodigal. Any other guesses? Link to comment
Helene Posted April 7, 2019 Author Share Posted April 7, 2019 Rachel Foster danced in Silent Ghost, and Jonathan Porretta was in Rassamblement, but I can't tell from the program who danced the pdd, since four women, then four men, are listed in alphabetical order, and I don't remember it well enough. If that's the program order, though, After the Rain pdd and Silent Ghost follow each other. I hope there's a tribute to Larae Hascall, too. She's retiring as head of the costume shop, but she also designed some very beautiful costumes during her tenure. Link to comment
sandik Posted April 7, 2019 Share Posted April 7, 2019 17 hours ago, Helene said: I hope there's a tribute to Larae Hascall, too. She's retiring as head of the costume shop, but she also designed some very beautiful costumes during her tenure. Oh yes, absolutely. She's the guest for the Thursday evening Conversation on the 11th, before the dress rehearsal. She's a very interesting speaker -- it should be a great session. Link to comment
seattle_dancer Posted April 8, 2019 Share Posted April 8, 2019 (edited) On 4/6/2019 at 4:45 PM, sandik said: Trying to predict casting -- Foster will likely do the Wheeldon, and Porretta will reprise his performance of Prodigal. Any other guesses? Not to sound snarky, but the press release states that Foster will dance Silent Ghost. I agree it’s logical After the Rain is programmed for her. Press release also confirms Porretta will dance title role of Prodigal Son. My guess is that he will dance Rassemblement since that is listed as one of his lead roles on his online PNB bio. I have no idea what those two might dance in T&V, maybe nothing at all so they can be rested for their featured pieces. Maybe I’m reading too much into it but the announcement says the line up “includes” rather than something like “will be” so I wonder if something else might be added? I thought Foster’s statement about her leaving and giving others opportunities for roles was really heartfelt and classy. I don’t recall any of her predecessors saying anything like that. Nothing against them, just makes her all the more special. Edited April 8, 2019 by seattle_dancer Link to comment
Helene Posted April 8, 2019 Author Share Posted April 8, 2019 There's a tribute to Hascall in the Queen Anne & Magnolia news, with quotes from Francia Russell and Mark Zappone: https://queenannenews.com/Content/On-the-Town/Out-About/Article/PNB-costume-shop-manager-retiring/3/3/40148 Link to comment
Helene Posted April 8, 2019 Author Share Posted April 8, 2019 So much for my reading comprehension... I wouldn't guess either of them for T&V, especially since it's an excerpt. PNB has done the beginning variations; that was part of Imler and Bold's farewell, and it just peters out when cut that way. NYCB has done the pas de deux through the end with the big corps dance for galas, which is a lot more satisfying. Link to comment
sandik Posted April 8, 2019 Share Posted April 8, 2019 5 hours ago, seattle_dancer said: Not to sound snarky, but the press release states that Foster will dance Silent Ghost. I agree it’s logical After the Rain is programmed for her. Press release also confirms Porretta will dance title role of Prodigal Son. My guess is that he will dance Rassemblement since that is listed as one of his lead roles on his online PNB bio. I have no idea what those two might dance in T&V, maybe nothing at all so they can be rested for their featured pieces. Maybe I’m reading too much into it but the state says the line up “includes” rather than something like “will be” so I wonder if something else might be added? I thought Foster’s statement about her leaving and giving others opportunities for roles was really heartfelt and classy. I don’t recall any of her predecessors saying anything like that. Nothing against them, just makes her all the more special. Oh oops -- I skimmed when I should have read more slowly! Honestly, I'm not sure that Porretta will do T&V if he's doing all of Prodigal -- that's such a grueling work. (not to mention the Duato duet, if he does that as well) And yes, Foster's comments about making way for the next generation was truly generous. Link to comment
Helene Posted May 6, 2019 Author Share Posted May 6, 2019 The program has been finalized, https://www.pnb.org/season/season-encore/https://www.pnb.org/season/season-encore/ The "Theme" excerpt has been clarified to the the Polonaise, and added is "Piano Dances" pas de deux. Link to comment
sandik Posted May 7, 2019 Share Posted May 7, 2019 On 5/5/2019 at 8:33 PM, Helene said: The program has been finalized, https://www.pnb.org/season/season-encore/https://www.pnb.org/season/season-encore/ The "Theme" excerpt has been clarified to the the Polonaise, and added is "Piano Dances" pas de deux. How nice to see a bit of Piano Dances! Link to comment
Recommended Posts