Ballet San Jose today announced its 2013 repertory season, which includes Don Quixote, one world premiere, six company premieres, and the return of Stanton Welch’s Clear, which I remember enjoying from last season, especially as it showcases the guys! (Check out this video–jump to 2:07–for clips of Clear at Houston Ballet where Welch is artistic director.)
While I’m not as amped up to see Don Quixote (for some reason I feel Don Q‘d out, but by next year I’m sure I’ll be ready again), I’m excited about all the company premieres. I’m looking down the list, and these are all pieces that I either haven’t seen before elsewhere or am not otherwise familiar with.
The prelude to the season will be a gala performance in November 2012, and a newly choreographed Nutcracker in December. Hmm, I hadn’t planned on any formal events this year; time to spiff up my tuxedo even sooner?
Another welcome announcement is the return of live music! Last season was my first to see and get to know Ballet San Jose, and I was a little disappointed by the lack of live music (perhaps a casualty of the company’s recent administrative turmoil), so I am glad to hear there will be musicians in the pit again soon.
Subscriptions to the three-program rep season are available for purchase or renewal now; single tickets go on sale September 24 for The Nutcracker, and December 1 for the rep programs. Below is the season summary; what do you think? Are some of these your favorites or not-so-favorites?
» See also the Mercury News and the Ballet San Jose press release (PDF) for more details.
The Nutcracker — December 8-23, 2012
Choreographer: Karen Gabay
Composer: Peter Ilyitch Tchaikovsky
Program 1 — February 15-17, 2013
Don Quixote (company premiere)
Choreographer: After Marius Petipa and Alexander Gorsky
Composer: Ludwig Minkus
Program 2 — March 22-24, 2013
Les Rendezvous (company premiere)
Choreographer: Sir Frederick Ashton
Composer: Daniel François Esprit Auber
Music: From the opera L’Enfant prodigue
Thaïs pas de deux (company premiere)
Choreographer: Sir Frederick Ashton
Composer: Jules Massenet
Music: “Meditation” from Thaïs
Clear (encore performance)
Choreographer: Stanton Welch
Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach
Music: Concerto for Violin and Oboe in C minor and 1st and 2nd movements from Violin Concerto in G minor
The Green Table (company premiere)
Choreograper: Kurt Jooss
Composer: Fritz Cohen
Music: Commissioned score
Program 3 — April 19-21, 2013
Duets (company premiere)
Choreographer: Merce Cunningham
Composer: John Cage
Music: Improvisation III
Glow-Stop (company premiere)
Choreographer: Jorma Elo
Composers: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Philip Glass
Music: Symphony No. 28 in C, 4th Movement (Mozart); and Tirol Concerto for Piano and Orchestra, 2nd Movement (Glass)
(world premiere)
Choreographer: Jessica Lang
Composer: Jakub Ciupinski
Music: Commissioned score
It will be very interesting to see how the company evolved after its recent changing of the guard. Should be a great season and live music is always a plus.
Definitely. I went to Don Quixote a couple of weeks ago (guest José Manuel Carreño as Basilio), and everything looked and sounded great!
Let’s hear it for live music!