Onstage This Week: Roberto Bolle's Farewell at ABT, Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival Opens with Ballet BC, and More!
Wonder what’s going on in ballet this week? We’ve rounded up some highlights.
Roberto Bolle Retires From ABT in “Manon”
American Ballet Theatre performs Sir Kenneth MacMillan’s Manon this week for the first time since 2014. Inspired by the French novel Manon Lescaut by Antoine François Prévost, this June 17-22 run features a number of debuts, including four ballerinas in the title role: Hee Seo, Sarah Lane, Misty Copeland and Isabella Boylston.
On June 20, principal Roberto Bolle will take his final bow with ABT after dancing the role of Des Grieux, which he’ll also perform on June 17. The Milan-born superstar has been dancing with the company since 2007, and has been a principal since 2009. While with ABT he’s taken on full-length classics including Onegin, Romeo and Juliet, Swan Lake and Giselle. Bolle, who has guested with major companies worldwide, will continue to perform as a principal dancer étoile with La Scala ballet. Catch a glimpse of him in rehearsal with Seo above.
Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival Opens With Ballet BC
The 87th season of the Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival opens June 19-23 with Ballet BC. Hailing from Vancouver, Ballet BC returns to the Pillow with a program including artistic director Emily Molnar’s To this day, the U.S. premiere of Bedroom Folk by Sharon Eyal and Gai Behar, and Medhi Walerski’s Petite Cérémonie. Get ready; over the next two months, a number of ballet companies will hit the Pillow’s historic stages.
National Ballet of Canada Presents “The Merry Widow”
June 19-23
National Ballet of Canada brings back Ronald Hynd’s The Merry Widow, based on the 1905 operetta of the same name. The ballet tells the madcap story of Count Danilo, an aristocrat who is persuaded to marry wealthy widow Hanna Glawari. On June 22, longtime principal Xiao Nan Yu will dance Hanna in her final performance with the company.
Ballet Des Amériques Closes Its Season
Westchester, New York-based Ballet Des Amériques closes its 2018-19 season this weekend with two shows on June 23 at the Emelin Theatre in Mamaroneck, New York. The program features the company in both new and old works by artistic director Carole Alexis, as well as a performance by conservatory students in works by Alexis to Beethoven.
