Calgary/Edmonton, AB – Alberta Ballet Artistic Director Jean Grand-Maître today announced the company’s 2010/2011 Season: Beauty Beyond Words. This landmark season includes the Canadian premiere of Kirk Peterson’s The Sleeping Beauty and the anticipated continuation of the company’s contemporary music series featuring Canadian music icon, Sarah McLachlan, choreographed by Mr. Grand-Maître.
Alberta Ballet’s 44th season will showcase the company’s internationally acclaimed roster of dancers as never before. The season includes a world premiere, a Canadian premiere, the welcome return of a major Canadian dance company and the first visit to Canada in over 13 years, of one of the world’s great innovative dance companies. Alberta Ballet also continues its support of live music through its ongoing partnership with the Calgary Philharmonic and Edmonton Symphony Orchestras.
"As the world around us seems to be losing its light, next season we hope to inspire everyone to remember how great this odyssey we live truly is, through the celebration that is the arts", says Mr. Grand-Maître.
Opening the company’s season, Pilobolus Dance Theater brings its riveting dance stylings back to Canada for the first time in over a decade. Celebrating their 40th season, Pilobolus has been featured around the world on television shows such as the Academy Awards and Oprah. Renowned for its imaginative and athletic fusion of extreme acrobatics and pure dance, Pilobolus has produced over 100 choreographic works and has become an institution and a genre unto itself. Alberta Ballet, in association with the Fluid Movement Arts Festival and the Brian Webb Dance Company, are pleased to bring Pilobolus and their unique style to Calgary from September 16 – 18, 2010 and to Edmonton from September 21 - 22, 2010.
Next, imagine a beautiful princess, some fairies both good and bad, add a prince, challenging classical choreography, a glorious score and finally a little magical fairy dust and voilá, you have one of classical ballet's greatest masterpieces: The Sleeping Beauty. Sets and costumes originally designed for London’s Royal Ballet by David Walker, this Canadian Premiere is filled with wonder and brilliant dancing as American Dance Master, Kirk Peterson, brings his family classic to life with the dancers of Alberta Ballet. The Sleeping Beauty runs October 21 – 23, 2010 in Calgary accompanied by the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra and November 5 – 6, 2010 in Edmonton accompanied by the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra.
Over the holidays, children will be changed for life by Edmund Stripe's magnificent new telling of The Nutcracker. The most lavish ballet ever mounted by Alberta Ballet, The Nutcracker features Tchaikovsky’s nobly elegant score, magical sets, hundreds of colourful costumes and riveting story telling that will usher young and old alike into a rich and festive holiday mood. This Christmas tradition, has broken records and delighted audiences across western Canada an the US over the past two years and next season, Alberta Ballet is honoured to be invited to tour this sparkling production, for the first time ever, to Ottawa’s prestigious National Arts Centre in December 2010. The company then returns to Alberta for a limited run in Edmonton and Calgary before wrapping up the festive season with the Vancouver premiere of its new production as part of Ballet BC’s season in late December. The Nutcracker runs in Edmonton from December 10 – 12, 2010 and in Calgary from December 17 – 23, 2010 only. All performances are accompanied by the Calgary Philharmonic and Edmonton Symphony Orchestras.
In February Alberta Ballet is pleased to present the return after a decade of one of Canada’s most celebrated ballet companies Les Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montréal. The company will propel Alberta into a Mediterranean heat wave in February with Mauro Bigonzetti’s Four Seasons and Cantata. After so many centuries, the music of Vivaldi’s Four Seasons can still stir the heart of human beings and Cantata explodes with the vibrant colours of the South as it pays homage to the Italian culture and its musical traditions Accompanied Live by Gruppo Musicale Assurd. Les Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montréal ignites Alberta stages February 10 – 12, 2011 in Calgary and February 15 – 16, 2011 in Edmonton.
As spring arrives, two encore presentations grace the Alberta Ballet stage in what Artistic Director Jean Grand-Maitre is calling "an evening of personal favourites". This program will feature George Balanchine’s Serenade and Jean Grand-Maître’s Vigil of Angels and will offer audiences one of the most spiritually intense and moving performances ballet can offer. Filled with soothing and soaring angels of beauty and accompanied by one of the greatest ballet masterpieces ever choreographed in the 20th Century, our dancers' spiritual athleticism will inspire us to remember all that is good in life. Vigil of Angels and Serenade run March 24 – 26, 2011 in Calgary and April 1 – 2, 2011 in Edmonton.
Finally, following our triumphant tribute to the music of Canadian music icon Joni Mitchell and with our upcoming world premiere of Love Lies Bleeding, set to the music of international superstars Sir Elton John and Bernie Taupin, we are honoured to announce the world premiere of a new self-titled creation to the music of Canadian music icon Sarah McLachlan. Along with Artistic Director Jean Grand-Maître and a world-class design team, Sarah McLachlan, one of the most gifted and acclaimed singer-songwriters of her generation will participate with Alberta Ballet to create a new, full length ballet set to her magnificent music. This Grammy, Juno and Gemini Award-winning artist, who has sold over 40 million recordings worldwide and raised more than $7 million for charities, is the perfect continuation to the company’s exciting series of creations inspired by the music of living icons. Costumes will be designed by fashion designer Paul Hardy; video projections will be by Adam Larsen, set design by Jean Grand-Maitre and lighting by Pierre Lavoie. Sarah McLachlan premieres May 5 – 7, 2011 in Calgary and May 13 – 14, 2011 in Edmonton.
Alberta Ballet’s 2010-2011 Beauty Beyond Words will be a season to remember.
Alberta Ballet’s 2010 | 2011 Season
Pilobolus Dance Theater
Calgary: September 16 - 18, 2010
Edmonton: September 21 - 22, 2010
The Sleeping Beauty – Canadian Premiere
Calgary: October 21 - 23, 2010
Edmonton: November 5 - 6, 2010
The Nutcracker
Ottawa: December 1 - 5, 2010
Edmonton: December 10 - 12, 2010
Calgary: December 17 - 23, 2010
Vancouver: December 29, 2010 - January 1, 2011
Four Seasons and Cantata – performed by Les Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montréal
Edmonton: February 10 - 12, 2011
Calgary: February 15 - 16, 2011
Vigil of Angels and Serenade
Calgary: March 24 - 26, 2011
Edmonton: April 1 - 2, 2011
Sarah McLachlan – World Premiere
Calgary: May 5 - 7, 2011
Edmonton: May 13 - 14, 2011
All performances take place at the Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium in Edmonton and the Southern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium in Calgary.
Alberta ballet has also frozen ticket prices for 2010/2011. Subscriptions are now available and start at $152 for adults. Single tickets for select performances will go on sale August 3, 2010 and may be purchased by calling Alberta Ballet’s Box Office at 403.245.4549 in Calgary or 780.428.4589 in Edmonton or may be purchased online at albertaballet.com.
Alberta Ballet gratefully acknowledges the ongoing support of the Canada Council for the Arts; the Alberta Foundation for the Arts; the City of Calgary through Calgary Arts Development, the City of Edmonton through the Edmonton Arts Council and its sponsors Nexen (season sponsor), Enbridge (subscription sponsor), Calgary Herald and Edmonton Journal.