Onstage This Week: A New "Red Shoes," Ballet AZ Prima Retires, Robbins 100 at NYCB, and More
Wonder what’s going on in ballet this week? We’ve pulled together some highlights.
New York City Ballet’s Jerome Robbins Festival Opens with World Premiere by Justin Peck
This week marks the start of NYCB’s Robbins 100 festival, running May 3-20, celebrating the centennial of choreographer Jerome Robbins. The company will dance 19 Robbins’ ballets as well as a world premiere by resident choreographer Justin Peck inspired by Robbins and set to a score by Leonard Bernstein. The centennial of Bernstein, Robbins’ longtime collaborator, will also be celebrated this year. This striking trailer offers glimpses of some of Robbins’ most beloved ballets, including Fancy Free and The Cage.
World Premiere at Royal Winnipeg Ballet
The Canadian company closes its season May 2-6 with a mix repertoire program headlined by Mauricio Wainrot’s Carmina Burana. The program also includes George Balanchine’s Serenade and a world premiere by former RWB dancer Phillipe Larouche titled For Bye and About. Larouche’s work is set to excerpts of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 4 and utilizes an all-male cast.
Nevada Ballet Theatre Presents a World Premiere by Matthew Neenan
NBT’s Ballet & Broadway program runs May 5-6 and features Christopher Wheeldon’s Carousel (A Dance), Balanchine’s Tarantella and Slaughter on Tenth Avenue, and a world premiere by Matthew Neenan titled Until December to a score by Michael Torke. In the below behind-the-scenes video, Neenan discusses his new ballet, and what it’s been like to work again with Roy Kaiser, NBT’s new artistic director. Kaiser was formerly the artistic director of Pennsylvania Ballet, where Neenan is the choreographer in residence.
New Ballet Based on The Red Shoes at Diablo Ballet
Everyone’s favorite classic ballet movie is back on the stage May 4-5. The California-based company’s Celebrated Masters program features the world premiere of Robert Dekker’s The Red Shoes, set to a score by Philip Glass with costumes by celebrity fashion designer Cassidy Haley (known for his work with pop stars such as P!nk and Fergie). The program also includes an excerpt from Val Caniparoli’s Stolen Moments and Lew Christensen’s Four Norwegian Moods.
Ballet Arizona Bids Farewell to Principal Dancer Natalia Magnicaballi
After a 16-year tenure, principal Natalia Magnicaballi will take her final bows with the company on May 6 at the close of its All Balanchine program, opening May 3. Magnicaballi was also a principal with The Suzanne Farrell Ballet, and feels at home in Balanchine ballets. For her final performance, she’ll dance The Siren in Prodigal Son and The Sleepwalker in La Sonnambula, which is one of her signature roles.
