California Posted May 7, 2019 Share Posted May 7, 2019 Washington Ballet has just announced their 2019-20 season: https://www.washingtonballet.org/seasons/2019-20/ NEXTsteps October 23-27, 2019 New works by Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, John Heginbotham, and Jessica Lang The Nutcracker November 23 – December 29 Choreography by Septime Webre Music by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky BALANCHINE + ASHTON February 19-23, 2020 Swan Lake April 9-19, 2020 Choreography after Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov Additional Staging & Choreography by Julie Kent & Victor Barbee Music by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Featuring The Washington Ballet Orchestra Coppélia May 13-17, 2020 Choreography after Arthur Saint-Leon Additional Staging and Choreography by Julie Kent and Victor Barbee Music by Leo Delibes Featuring The Washington Ballet Orchestra Link to comment
Roberta Posted May 8, 2019 Share Posted May 8, 2019 Thank you, California. I am especially excited that the Feb 2019 Ashton+Balanchine program includes Ashton's Birthday Offering. I'm a bit surprised, though, that next year's Swan Lake is being marketed as a first for the company. Wasn't there a Swan Lake in 2015 that starred ABT guest Misty Copeland? The 2015 full-length SL was staged by Kirk Petersen so maybe Julie Kent is referring to a totally-new staging by herself and her husband. It's not as if the company has never danced a full-length Swan Lake. In all cases, it is exciting to see three full-length classics in next season's rep: SL, Coppelia and Nutcracker. https://www.washingtonballet.org/events/swan-lake/ Julie Kent on SWAN LAKE: Presenting Swan Lake, the beloved, iconic ballet that is arguably the backbone of our art form, is a very exciting moment for The Washington Ballet. This production is the logical next step in building the repertoire for the company. All the romantic ballets the company has performed over the last few years – Giselle, Les Sylphides, The Sleeping Beauty – have prepared our dancers for this very moment. Link to comment
California Posted May 8, 2019 Author Share Posted May 8, 2019 4 hours ago, Roberta said: Thank you, California. I am especially excited that the Feb 2019 Ashton+Balanchine program includes Ashton's Birthday Offering. I'm a bit surprised, though, that next year's Swan Lake is being marketed as a first for the company. Wasn't there a Swan Lake in 2015 that starred ABT guest Misty Copeland? The 2015 full-length SL was staged by Kirk Petersen so maybe Julie Kent is referring to a totally-new staging by herself and her husband. It's not as if the company has never danced a full-length Swan Lake. In all cases, it is exciting to see three full-length classics in next season's rep: SL, Coppelia and Nutcracker. https://www.washingtonballet.org/events/swan-lake/ Julie Kent on SWAN LAKE: Presenting Swan Lake, the beloved, iconic ballet that is arguably the backbone of our art form, is a very exciting moment for The Washington Ballet. This production is the logical next step in building the repertoire for the company. All the romantic ballets the company has performed over the last few years – Giselle, Les Sylphides, The Sleeping Beauty – have prepared our dancers for this very moment. Here's the NY Time review of Copeland's Swan Lake with Brooklyn Mack in 2015: https://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/14/arts/dance/review-misty-copeland-in-the-washington-ballets-swan-lake.html I wish people would be more generous in acknowledging the contributions of their predecessors. There's no shame in that, just class and honesty. I, too, thought the Ashton-Balanchine program looked very interesting. Link to comment
Roberta Posted May 9, 2019 Share Posted May 9, 2019 I remember having read about Misty's US debut as O/O in Swan Lake; thanks for the confirmation, California. I'm sure that Kent/Barbee's version will be interesting. They consulted the Harvard Stepanov notes and spoke with Ratmansky for certain details in their recent Sleeping Beauty for the Washington group so perhaps they'll do the same for their Swan Lake? Link to comment
California Posted February 10, 2020 Author Share Posted February 10, 2020 A nice surprise: Marcelo Gomes will be a guest artist in the Washington Ballet's Balanchine-Ashton mixed bill at the Kennedy Center Feb 19-23. He'll dance in Allegro Brillante and Meditation for Thais. Their site doesn't say which performances he'll be in. https://www.washingtonballet.org/events/balanchine-ashton/ Link to comment
California Posted February 11, 2020 Author Share Posted February 11, 2020 UPDATE: Casting is listed by clicking on the name of each ballet here and clicking "read more": https://www.washingtonballet.org/events/balanchine-ashton/ Marcelo is doing Meditation Saturday matinee and Sunday night. He's doing Allegro Thursday and Saturday nights. Link to comment
California Posted February 25, 2020 Author Share Posted February 25, 2020 On a short professional trip to the East Coast, I was able to see Marcelo Gomes at the Saturday evening performance of Allegro Brillante. He seemed radiant and happy - joyous to be performing at the Kennedy Center, perhaps? The entire company shines in that ballet, but he is special. I miss seeing him on stage, as I'm sure many of you do, too. The company was best, otherwise, I thought in Slaughter. They seemed so young and carefree, and the ballet's style works for them. I am not an Ashton expert, to be sure; I did appreciate the Birthday Offerings, although it seemed like a museum piece from another era. Link to comment
YouOverThere Posted March 12, 2020 Share Posted March 12, 2020 The WB has adjusted their schedule, moving Swan Lake to June 13-21. As of right now, the Kennedy Center has only cancelled performances through the end of March, but I guess they didn't want to take the chance of a last-minute cancellation. Link to comment
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