28
PULSE
SARATOGA
Week of July 6 - July 12, 2012
TODAY
SPAC Kicks Off NYC Ballet Summer Season July 10 - 21 SARATOGA SPRINGS – New York City Ballet (NYCB) will bring a dazzling, diverse repertory of 16 stunning ballets from its unparalleled repertory to its summer stage at Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC) July 10 - 21, including the July 14 world premiere of a new ballet by NYCB dancer Justin Peck at the annual Ballet Gala. Other major highlights include the Saratoga premieres of new ballets by Christopher Wheeldon and Benjamin Millepied; Peter Martins’ dramatic, full-length production of “Romeo and Juliet”; Balanchine classics including “Firebird,” “Symphony in C” and “Kammermusik No. 2”; and first-ever Saratoga performances of Peter Martins’ “The Waltz Project” and Wheeldon’s “DGV: Danse à Grande Vitesse.”
Repertory Highlights: Opening night will feature an all-Balanchine program of iconic works including “Concerto Barocco,” a neoclassical masterpiece; the enchanting Russian fairytale “Firebird,” featuring
Stravinsky’s brilliant score and lavish sets and costumes by Chagall; “Kammermusik No. 2,” a work of energy, speed and precision last seen at SPAC in 1997; and a major revival of Balanchine’s signature work “Symphony in C,” last performed by NYCB in 2008. Peter Martins’ full-length production of “Romeo and Juliet” returns to SPAC’s stage for the first time since 2007, the year in which it premiered. A production filled with dance, drama and movement, the work is based on Shakespeare’s classic romantic tragedy of starcrossed young lovers and their feuding families. The two-act work is set to Prokofiev’s sweeping score and features striking, abstract scenery and costumes by acclaimed Danish artist Per Kirkeby. Alexei Ratmansky’s masterwork, “Russian Seasons,” returns to SPAC’s stage for the first time since its 2006 Saratoga debut. Created for NYCB’s Diamond Project in 2006, “Russian Seasons” is an inventive, compelling work set to a score for solo voice and
orchestra by contemporary Russian composer Leonid Desyatnikov. Critically acclaimed at its NYCB world premiere, the work has since been performed by dance companies around the world. Also part of the season will be two additional SPAC premieres, Wheeldon’s “DGV: Danse à Grande Vitesse,” and Martins’ “The Waltz Project.” Created for Britain’s The Royal Ballet in 2006, “DGV: Danse â Grande Vitesse” features 26 dancers and is set to a score by composer Michael Nyman, with sets and costumes by Jean-Marc Puissant and lighting designed by Jennifer Tipton. “The Waltz Project,” which had its premiere in 1988, is set to a collection of music by 13 composers including John Cage, Milton Babbitt, Robert Moran and Philip Glass. Other repertory highlights include: George Balanchine’s “Brahms-Schoenberg Quartet,” set to Brahms’ luxurious score and featuring a cast of 55 dancers; Jerome Robbins’ “In the Night,” a 1970 work set to solo piano music
by Frédéric Chopin, and his silent ballet “Moves”; Peter Martins’ “Jeu de Cartes,” featuring whimsical scenery and costume designs by Ian Falconer, author and illustrator of the adored children’s book series “Olivia,” and “Sinfonia,” not seen at SPAC since 1995 and set to a score by Stravinsky. “In conjunction with this spectacular program, audiences can look forward to the return of our popular series of pre-shows including American Girl Night, Family Night, Date Night and Girls’ Night Out, as well as engaging educational programs like NYCB’s “See the Music” and children’s workshops led by NYCB dancers,” said SPAC president and executive director Marcia J. White. “An evening at SPAC offers limitless opportunities to learn, interact and enjoy; it’s a live arts experience at its very best.” Ticket prices for the New York City Ballet's SPAC season start at $22 for lawn seating; inside seating ranges from $30 - $75. To learn more or to purchase your tickets, visit www.SPAC.org.
Gala Program: An Evening at the Moulin Rouge On Saturday July 14, the Hall of Springs transforms into a Parisian lounge, circa 1900, featuring a sparkling champagne and La Fée Verte Absinthe reception, a gourmet feast, special New York City Ballet programming, and a post-performance after party. Outside, the Junior Committee hosts the Gala Lawn Party under the stars. Especially popular with young adults, the Gala Lawn Party is one of the most affordably glamorous events of the season. The evening comprises of post-performance fireworks, live musical entertainment and dancing under the spacious tents on the lawn. Many guests host elaborate candlelight picnics and parties on SPAC’s lawn, which gives the evening a celebratory and whimsical atmosphere. Each year the Junior Committee holds a contest to recognize the best thematically decorated table on the lawn. This year, the très chic winners of the picnic contest will win SPAC tickets and also have their names engraved on a trophy dedicated to Philly Dake. Guests may also purchase tickets to optional black-tie gala activities hosted by the Action Council at the Hall of Springs. Events include the champagne cocktail party, multi-course banquet, prime seating for the ballet performance, and admission to the after party. This year, a rare trio of premieres highlights the gala evening programming. NYCB dancer and rising young choreographer Justin Peck debuts his first work for the company in an exclusive SPAC world premiere. The evening also features the Saratoga premieres of new works, “Two Hearts,” choreographed by Benjamin Millepied and “Les Carillons” by Christopher Weheeldon. Funds raised at the gala, hosted by SPAC’s Action Council, support New York City Ballet's historic SPAC residency, now in its 47th season. For more information, visit www.SPAC.org.