Setting the barre
2 exciting premieres leap into lineup of new Texas Ballet Theater season
Texas Ballet Theater will premiere two new pieces and bring back recent favorites during its 2019-2020 season, which the company announced March 4.
The season will awaken with The Sleeping Beauty, September 6-8, accompanied by the Dallas Opera Orchestra at Dallas’ Winspear Opera House. It moves to Bass Hall in Fort Worth on October 18-20 and will be accompanied by the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra. The beloved piece, choreographed by TBT Artistic Director Ben Stevenson, also opened the company's 2014-15 season. It is an epic story ballet performed in three acts, with a running time of about three hours.
The holiday season brings the return of Stevenson’s The Nutcracker, always the biggest and most opulent production of the holiday classic anywhere in Dallas-Fort Worth. It will be staged first at Winspear Opera House, November 29-December 1 and December 6-8. Then it moves to Bass Hall, December 13-15; 19-22; and 23-29.
The Nutty Nutcracker, Stevenson’s witty twist on the holiday classic, will have one performance only, at Bass Hall, December 20.
Both of the company's world premieres will come in the spring, sprinkled in with pieces that TBT also has premiered in recent years.
The first mixed repertoire will give the world premiere of choreographer Ma Cong’sFirebird alongside a returning Crash, choreographed by Jonathan Watkins. While not much is known yet about Firebird, TBT premiered Crash in spring 2015 to rave reviews. It features the electronic music of Dallas composer Ryan Cockerham. The performance will take place February 14-16, 2020, only at Bass Hall.
Stevenson’s Image and Bartok, together with choreographer Garrett Smith’s Imbue, will be featured on the second mixed repertoire, taking place March 27-29, 2020 at Bass Hall. TBT also gave Imbue its world premiere, in spring 2017; it features the music of Philip Glass.
The season will conclude with A Midsummer Night’s Dream at Bass Hall, May 8-10, 2020, accompanied by Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra. It will move to the Winspear Opera House May 15-17, 2020, with accompaniment by the Dallas Opera Orchestra. The work is a U.S. premiere by renowned choreographer Liam Scarlett, who is an artist-in-residence with the Royal Ballet in London. Scarlett, once hailed by a British newspaper as "dance's hottest property," created his version of Shakespeare's masterpiece for the Royal New Zealand Ballet.
“Celebrating my 17th season with Texas Ballet Theater, this is sure to be an exceptional season with a delightful mix of contemporary and never-before-seen pieces, with well-loved classics” says Stevenson in a release. “We enjoy bringing world-class art in an exciting and moving way to our audience.”
Subscriptions are on sale now and single tickets will be available July 1, 2019. For more information and tickets, visit the company's website.
