PACIFIC NORTHWEST BALLET PRESENTS. Featuring works by ULYSSES DOVE WILLIAM FORSYTHE EZRA THOMSON

Size: px

Start display at page:

Download "PACIFIC NORTHWEST BALLET PRESENTS. Featuring works by ULYSSES DOVE WILLIAM FORSYTHE EZRA THOMSON"

Philip Gaines
5 years ago
Views:

1 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE MEDIA CONTACT: January 22, 2018 Gary Tucker Updated, February 28, 2018* PACIFIC NORTHWEST BALLET PRESENTS Featuring works by ULYSSES DOVE WILLIAM FORSYTHE EZRA THOMSON March 16 25, 2018 Marion Oliver McCaw Hall 321 Mercer Street at Seattle Center Seattle, WA Seven Performances Only! March 16 and 17 at 7:30 pm March 17 at 2:00 pm March at 7:30 pm March 25 at 1:00 pm Seattle, WA For the fourth offering of its 45th season, Pacific Northwest Ballet s Artistic Director Peter Boal has selected four contemporary works a riveting duet, a favorite work, a little controversy, and a world premiere by Company dancer Ezra Thomson for PNB s perennially popular DIRECTOR S CHOICE. The limbs of a bonded pair sculpt open air in William Forsythe s Slingerland Duet, and pure athleticism surges like reverb from the electric violin in Ulysses Dove s Red Angels. Audiences have another chance to debate Forsythe s One Flat Thing, reproduced, as the dancers take cues from each other on, under, and around 20 tables. (See SPECIAL EVENTS, below, for information on the special studio presentation exploring this challenging work.) Each of the three choreographers represented in Director's Choice was just that, said Mr. Boal in describing the line-up. As young dancers, each demonstrated an interest and affinity for choreography. Their respective directors saw their potential and offered them the opportunity to choreograph for their company. Recognizing and rewarding potential and conviction will always be a priority of mine. Ezra Thomson's got it, and just as Marcia Haydee and Alvin Ailey saw the promise in William Forsythe and Ulysses Dove, I see it in Ezra. Together these three innovative choreographers offer a program that challenges, inspires and rewards.

2 DIRECTOR S CHOICE runs for seven performances only, March 16 through 25 at Seattle Center s Marion Oliver McCaw Hall. Tickets start at $30. For more information, contact the PNB Box Office at , in person at 301 Mercer Street, or online at PNB.org. The line-up for DIRECTOR S CHOICE will include: The Perpetual State (World Premiere) Music: Francis Poulenc (Concerto for Two Pianos and Orchestra in D minor, FP 61, 1932) Choreography: Ezra Thomson Costume Design: Larae Theige Hascall and Ezra Thomson Lighting Design: Reed Nakayama Running Time: 22 minutes After my father s memorial service had concluded, I turned to my childhood friend. When we were 11 or 12, his father had passed away. I asked him whether these terrible feelings I had would get better. His response was, No, they just become a part of you. You learn to live with them and they shape the rest of your life. This is the perpetual state we find ourselves in when we lose someone. But there is another perpetual state, the state of love--the amazing state of love that I have and will continue to have for my wife for my entire life. We carry all these feelings with us throughout our lives and find ourselves in these perpetual states. Ezra Thomson The 2018 world premiere of Ezra Thomson s The Perpetual State is principally supported by Joan Fitzmaurice, Anne Holmes, and H. David Kaplan. Slingerland Duet (Pas de deux) Music: Gavin Bryars (String Quartet No. 1, Between the National and the Bristol ) Choreography: William Forsythe Staging: Stefanie Arndt Stage, Costume and Lighting Design: William Forsythe Running Time: 6 minutes Premiere: April 13, 2000; Ballet Frankfurt PNB Premiere: March 13, 2015 (New Suite) William Forsythe s pas de deux Slingerland Duet is drawn from his larger work, Slingerland (Part I), which featured music by British composer Gavin Bryars (Three Viennese Dancers, in addition to String Quartet No. 1), stage design and film by Cara Perlman, and costume and lighting design by the choreographer. Parts II, III, and IV followed in 1990 to form Slingerland (Parts I-IV), a full-length ballet in four acts. In 2000, Slingerland Duet was first presented, made up of two duets from Slingerland (Part I) and additional choreography. William Forsythe s Slingerland Duet was first performed by Pacific Northwest Ballet as part of New Suite. The 2015 PNB premiere of William Forsythe s New Suite was generously underwritten by Jeffrey & Susan Brotman. [Notes compiled by Doug Fullington.] Red Angels Music: Richard Einhorn (Maxwell s Demon, ) Choreography: Ulysses Dove Staging: Peter Boal Costume Design: Holly Hynes Lighting Design: Mark Stanley Running Time: 14 minutes Premiere: May 9, 1994; New York City Ballet (Diamond Project) PNB Premiere: September 17, 2005 Red Angels is a ballet of intense dramatic impact that is calculated to charge all the senses. Dressed in scarlet leotards and bathed in white and red hot light, four dancers perform with powerful athleticism to a

3 riveting score for electric violin. Ulysses Dove commented on working with the dancers of New York City Ballet: I wanted to deal with aspects of the Balanchine aesthetic I find appealing: the speed, legginess, the formality. As for the title, I think the dancers are angelic. And for me, the angels of the senses are red. Composer Richard Einhorn has described Maxwell s Demon as a conscious attempt...to transmute American popular music into art...with a nod towards direct expression and to an audience steeped in American rock n roll. [Notes compiled by Doug Fullington.] One Flat Thing, reproduced Music: Thom Willems (2000) Choreography: William Forsythe Staging: Ayman Harper, Jill Johnson, and Richard Siegal Scenic and Lighting Design: William Forsythe Costume Design: Stephen Galloway Running Time: 17 minutes Premiere: February 2, 2000; Ballett Frankfurt PNB Premiere: March 13, 2008 William Forsythe s One Flat Thing, reproduced caused a stir when it premiered at PNB in March Set to a rumbling sound construction by the choreographer s frequent collaborator, composer Thom Willems, and performed by fourteen dancers on and around twenty metal tables, One Flat Thing thrilled some, angered others, and, for some, called into question the definitions of ballet and dance. Forsythe s eclectic, intellectual starting point was a consideration of the risk and adventure of Robert Scott s Antarctic expeditions in the early 20th century, during which explorers relied on each other for survival, juxtaposed with his own interest in the idea of a baroque machinery, an ornamental, highly organized construct that runs like clockwork. The melding of these thoughts manifested itself in the collaborative development of a movement vocabulary involving high-speed choreography performed within the confines of a tightly spaced set of tables with the requirement that the dancers play off each other, rather than a musical score, in timing their moves. The result is a thrilling sequence of team choreography, a baroque machinery running dangerously close to reckless abandon. [Notes by Doug Fullington. For more information about One Flat Thing, reproduced, click here to visit the PNB Blog.] The 2008 PNB premiere of William Forsythe s One Flat Thing, reproduced was generously underwritten by Jeffrey & Susan Brotman. TICKET INFORMATION & DISCOUNT OFFERS Tickets ($30-$187) are on sale through the PNB Box Office: Phone In Person Mercer Street at Seattle Center Online - PNB.org Subject to availability, tickets are also available 90 minutes prior to show times at McCaw Hall. GROUP SALES Discounts are available for groups of 10 or more. For group tickets, please contact Group Sales Manager Julie Jamieson at , or JulieJ@PNB.org, or visit PNB.org/Season/Group-Tickets. GET THE POINTE The Pointe is PNB s exclusive mailing list for ballet fans between the ages of 20 and 40. Members receive information about special events and flash sales tailored just for them. Born between 1978 and 1998? Visit PNB.org/ThePointe for more information and to sign up.

4 TEENTIX PNB is a proud participant of TeenTix. Originally founded by Seattle Center, TeenTix s members (13 to 19 years old) can purchase tickets to PNB and other music, dance, theater and arts events for only $5. To join TeenTix or view a list of participating organizations, visit TeenTix.org. STUDENT AND SENIOR RUSH TICKETS Subject to availability, half-price rush tickets for students and senior citizens (65+) may be purchased inperson with ID, from 90 minutes prior to show time at the McCaw Hall box office. SPECIAL EVENTS SPRING FLING Sunday, March 4, 1:00 pm The New Francia Russell Center, th Place NE., Bellevue Join PNB dancers and hosts Ezra Thomson and Sarah Pasch at Spring Fling, PNB School s largest annual fundraising event. This family-friendly affair will include a silent auction with items from PNB and local businesses, dance performances by Level VII and VIII students, a DJ dance party, Bonbon Barre candy buffet, a cake walk, and more. All proceeds benefit PNB School. Tickets may be purchased through PNB Special Events at or by ing Events@PNB.org. STUDIO PRESENTATION: Inside William Forsythe s One Flat Thing, reproduced Tuesday, February 27, 5:00 pm The Phelps Center, 301 Mercer St., Seattle Did you know that William Forsythe s modern masterwork, One Flat Thing, reproduced, was inspired in part by Robert Scott s early-20th century Antarctic expeditions? Learn more about this truly fascinating work and dancer favorite during this studio presentation featuring PNB dancers, guest stagers, Artistic Director Peter Boal, and twenty metal tables. Tickets are $25, available through the PNB Box Office. Note: This event will sell out in advance! FRIDAY PREVIEW Friday, March 9, 5:00 pm The Phelps Center, 301 Mercer St., Seattle PNB s popular Friday Previews are hour-long studio rehearsals hosted by Artistic Director Peter Boal and PNB artistic staff, featuring Company dancers rehearsing excerpts from upcoming ballets. Tickets are $15. (Note: These events sell out in advance.) Friday Previews are sponsored by U.S. Bank. PNB CONVERSATIONS & DRESS REHEARSAL Thursday, March 15, 6:00 pm Nesholm Family Lecture Hall at McCaw Hall Join PNB Audience Education Manager Doug Fullington in conversation with choreographer Ezra Thomson during the hour preceding the dress rehearsal. The conversation begins at 6:00 pm, followed by the dress rehearsal at 7:00 pm. Tickets ($30) may be purchased through the PNB Box Office. BALLET TALK Nesholm Family Lecture Hall at McCaw Hall Join Audience Education Manager Doug Fullington for a 30-minute introduction to each performance, including discussions of choreography, music, history, design and the process of bringing ballet to the stage. One hour before performances. FREE for ticketholders. MEET THE ARTIST Nesholm Family Lecture Hall at McCaw Hall Skip the post-show traffic and enjoy a Q&A with Artistic Director Peter Boal and PNB dancers, immediately following each performance. FREE for ticketholders.

5 YOUNG PATRONS CIRCLE NIGHT Friday, March 23 Join members of PNB s Young Patrons Circle (YPC) in an exclusive lounge for complimentary wine and coffee before the show and at intermission. YPC is PNB s social and educational group for ballet patrons ages 21 through 39. YPC members save on their subscriptions and additional tickets. For more info, visit PNB.org/YPC. ABOUT THE ARTISTS Ulysses Dove ( ) was an independent choreographer who worked in both the modern dance and ballet idioms. After attending a Martha Graham performance in 1967, Dove gave up his pre-med studies at Howard University to dance professionally with Merce Cunningham, Alvin Ailey, and Anna Sokolow. His first choreography, I See the Moon...and the Moon Sees Me (1979), was commissioned by Ailey. Although he never maintained a company of his own, Dove worked closely with Jeraldyne Blunden's Dayton Contemporary Dance Company and created works for American Ballet Theatre, Ballet France de Nancy, the Basel Ballet, Cullberg Ballet of Sweden, Les Ballets Jazz de Montreal, New York City Ballet, and the Swedish National Ballet, for which he created the transcendent Dancing on the Front Porch of Heaven (1993). In 1980, he became the assistant director of the experimental Choreographic Research Group of the Paris Opera. Dove s choreography is famous for its speed, force and eroticism. Dove died on June 11, 1996 at the age of 49, from an AIDS-related illness. William Forsythe has been active in the field of choreography for more than 45 years. His work is acknowledged for reorienting the practice of ballet from its identification with classical repertoire to a dynamic 21st-century art form. Mr. Forsythe s deep interest in the fundamental principles of organization has led him to produce a wide range of projects including installations, films, and web-based knowledge creation. Raised in New York, Mr. Forsythe danced with Joffrey Ballet and Stuttgart Ballet, where he was appointed resident choreographer in He also created works for Stuttgart and ballet companies in The Hague, London, Berlin, Paris, New York, and San Francisco. In 1984, he began a 20-year tenure as director of Ballet Frankfurt, where he created works such as Artifact (1984), Impressing the Czar (1988), Limb s Theorem (1990), The Loss of Small Detail (1991, in collaboration with composer Thom Willems and designer Issey Miyake), Kammer/Kammer (2000), and Decreation (2003). In 2004, Mr. Forsythe established The Forsythe Company and produced Three Atmospheric Studies (2005), Human Writes (2005), Heterotopia (2006), Yes we can t (2008/2010), and Sider (2011), among others. Mr. Forsythe has been commissioned to produce architectural and performance installations worldwide. In 2002, he was chosen as the founding Dance Mentor for The Rolex Mentor and Protégé Arts Initiative. He was A.D. White Professor-at-Large at Cornell University ( ) and as of fall 2015, Professor of Dance and Artistic Advisor for the Choreographic Institute at the University of Southern California Glorya Kaufman School of Dance. Ezra Thomson is from San Bernardino, California, and studied on scholarship at Riverside Ballet Arts, Orlando Ballet School, and Pacific Northwest Ballet School. He attended summer courses at PNB School, the School of American Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, National Ballet School (Toronto), the Rock School, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, and Burklyn Ballet Theatre. Mr. Thomson was a 2009 recipient of the Flemming Halby Exchange with the Royal Danish Ballet School. He danced with Orlando Ballet before joining PNB as an apprentice in He was promoted to corps de ballet in 2010 and soloist in As a freelance choreographer, Mr. Thomson has created works for Spectrum Dance Theatre, Seattle International Dance Festival, and PNB School, as well as other companies and schools around the U.S. His works for NEXT STEP, PNB s annual choreographic showcase, include Passages (2011), The Sole in my Shoe is the One I Love (2012), Ich Liebe Dich (2013), Win, Lose or Draw (2014), There are no rules (2015), and Measure Twice, Cut Once (2016). In 2016, he choreographed Stinger for Sculptured Dance, a collaboration between PNB and Seattle Art Museum presented at Seattle s Olympic Sculpture Park. This is his first work for PNB s mainstage. # # #

6 DIRECTOR S CHOICE is made possible by presenting sponsor The Boeing Company. Thanks also to major sponsor Nesholm Family Foundation and supporting sponsor U.S. Bank. The 2018 world premiere of Ezra Thomson s new commission is principally supported by Joan Fitzmaurice, Anne Holmes, and H. David Kaplan. The 2008 PNB premiere of William Forsythe s One Flat Thing, reproduced was generously underwritten by Jeffrey & Susan Brotman. William Forsythe s Slingerland Duet was first performed by Pacific Northwest Ballet as part of New Suite. The 2015 PNB premiere of William Forsythe s New Suite was generously underwritten by Jeffrey & Susan Brotman. Pacific Northwest Ballet s season is proudly sponsored by ArtsFund and Microsoft. Special thanks also to 4Culture, National Endowment for the Arts, The Shubert Foundation, Seattle Office of Arts & Culture, and The Wallace Foundation. PNB media sponsorship provided by The Seattle Times and KOMO 4. *This press release was updated to include the new title and program notes for the world premiere of Ezra Thomson s The Perpetual State. Publicity Contact Gary Tucker, Media Relations Manager / GTucker@PNB.org / PNB.org/press Schedule and programming subject to change. For further information, please visit PNB.org. PACIFIC NORTHWEST BALLET 301 Mercer Street Seattle, WA PNB.org

PACIFIC NORTHWEST BALLET PRESENTS. June 1 10, 2018 Marion Oliver McCaw Hall 321 Mercer Street at Seattle Center Seattle, WA 98109

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 23, 2018 MEDIA CONTACT: Gary Tucker 206.441.2426 GTucker@PNB.org PACIFIC NORTHWEST BALLET PRESENTS June 1 10, 2018 Marion Oliver McCaw Hall 321 Mercer Street at Seattle Center