SUMMER PERFORMANCE
June 1, 2024
Edmonds Center for the Arts
Olympic Ballet Theatre closes its performance season with an eclectic production celebrating the diversity of ballet with classical ballet excerpts from famed choreographers of the past and new works by outstanding choreographers of today. The 2024 Summer Performance features an excerpt from Raymonda by Marius Petipa and A Gentle Prelude by Donald Byrd, Artistic Director of Spectrum Dance Theater.
Raymonda (Suite)
Choreography: Marius Petipa
Music: Alexander Glazunov
Premiere: Imperial Mariinsky Theatre, Saint Petersburg, Russia, 1898
Raymonda is a classical ballet in three acts that is known for its exquisite choreography and beautiful music. Set in the 12th century, this ballet tells the love story of the beautiful young countess, Raymonda, and her fiancé who saves her from being abducted by a Saracen knight. Olympic Ballet Theatre will present excerpts from this timeless ballet, showcasing the technical prowess of its dancers.
Excerpts include:
ACT II: Jongleurs, Children’s Dance, Saracene’s Dance, Panaderos with Abdur Rahman
ACT III: Grand Pas Classique
A Gentle Prelude
Choreography: Donald Byrd
Music: Duke Ellington
Premiere: February 29, 2000
A Gentle Prelude is one movement of Donald Byrd’s evening-length 3 Act abstract dance work, “In A Different Light”, which explores the lesser-known musical compositions of the great Duke Ellington. Ellington (1899-1974), who achieved success as a composer, orchestrator, bandleader, and pianist, is often considered the greatest composer in the history of jazz music and one of the greatest musicians of the 20th century.
A Gentle Prelude focuses on the solo piano and small ensemble works of Ellington as opposed to his more well-known “big band” pieces. The dance is a work for 7 dancers who appear to be in an imaginary 1930s romantic ballroom, and it details different types of relationships among shifting groups of dancers. Solos, duets, trios, and quartets variously describe how people connect and miss making connections.
Estimated Performance Length: 1 hour, 30 minutes.
(Including one 15 minute intermission)
TICKETS
Edmonds Center for the Arts
Saturday, June 1, 2024, 7:00 pm
Ticket Price: $24–$45
(varies by age and seating location)
Please note this performance is NOT the Olympic Ballet School end of year annual student performance. Olympic Ballet School parents, information regarding the end of year annual student performance will be sent out over email.
Raymonda (Suite)
Raymonda is a grand classical ballet in three acts, with music composed by Alexander Glazunov and choreography by Marius Petipa. It was first staged for the Imperial Ballet at the Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg on January 19, 1898, and is a celebrated example of the rich storytelling and elaborate choreography that characterizes Petipa’s work.
Raymonda has retained its popularity over the years, with its Grand pas de deux and variations becoming staples in the classical ballet repertoire. While the full-length version of this ballet is rarely performed today, many ballet companies stage excerpts from Raymonda, particularly the Grand pas classique, which showcases a series of technical variations and exquisite choreography.
Photo: Taylor Lim and Mara Vinson
Meet Donald Byrd
Choreographer of “A Gentle Prelude”
Donald Byrd is the Artistic Director of Spectrum Dance Theater in Seattle. Formerly, he was Artistic Director of Donald Byrd/The Group, a critically acclaimed contemporary dance company, founded in Los Angeles and later based in New York, that toured nationally and internationally. He is a Tony-nominated (The Color Purple) and Bessie Award-winning (The Minstrel Show) choreographer.
Throughout the 40+ years of his choreographic career, Mr. Byrd has created over 100 works for his companies as well as works for many leading classical and contemporary companies. This list includes Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Pacific Northwest Ballet, Dayton Contemporary Dance Company, The Joffrey Ballet, The Philadelphia Dance Company (Philadanco), Dance Theater of Harlem, and many others. He has worked extensively in theater and opera, both in America and abroad, including Seattle Opera, San Francisco Opera, The Israeli Opera, New York City Opera, The New York Shakespeare Festival/Public Theater, Intiman Theatre, and Baltimore Center Stage. Mr. Byrd’s many awards, prizes, and fellowships include the Doris Duke Artist Award; Honorary Doctorate of Fine Arts, Cornish College of the Arts; Masters of Choreography Award, The Kennedy Center; Fellow at The American Academy of Jerusalem; James Baldwin Fellow of United States Artists; Resident Fellow of The Rockefeller Foundation Bellagio Center; Fellow at the Institute on the Arts and Civic Dialogue, Harvard University; and the Mayor’s Arts Award for his sustained contributions to the City of Seattle.
OUR GRANT SPONSORS
We graciously thank the following sponsors for their support of our exciting performance season!
Without you, our special programming would not be possible!
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