Tulsa Ballet presents Signature Series May 6-8 & 13-15, 2016
Tulsa, OKLA. – April 18, 2016 – Tulsa Ballet is closing out the successful 2015-16 Season with a triple bill featuring some of Artistic Director Marcello Angelini’s favorite works. When asked about his choice of repertory for the program he says, “We are at the doorstep of a very important milestone for Tulsa Ballet with the upcoming 60th anniversary season. I envision the second half of the current season as a statement of who we are 60 years after the inception of the company. Romeo and Juliet, the first full story ballet commissioned by the company, is the embodiment of the company’s commitment to create quality classical works for audiences and the country. This spring, Masters of Dance characterized the company’s pledge to present the best works by the best dance makers of the world, right here in Tulsa. The Italian tour that followed took Italy by storm and reaffirms Tulsa Ballet’s commitment to serve Tulsa and the State of Oklahoma as a cultural ambassador.”
Of the last program of the season, Angelini says, “Signature Series is the quintessence of my artistic vision for the company’s future: the best of the American dance tradition, with Balanchine’s’ Serenade; the return of a modern masterpiece of choreography Remansos, created by a Nacho Duato; and Infra, a work by one of the top dance makers of our times, Wayne McGregor, who is changing the trajectory of classical and modern dance for generations to come. On the basis of these three programs, and with the momentum generated by a remarkably successful tour, we welcome our 60th anniversary season!”
Performed at The University of Tulsa’s Lorton Performance Center, a perfectly fashioned theater for the visual and emotional absorption of contemporary works, Mr. Angelini is honored to assemble such a program as Signature Series that will delight, engage, charm and entertain audiences.
SERENADE
Choreography by George Balanchine, Music by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Serenade will open the program and is one of the masterpieces of George Balanchine, the unchallenged master of American ballet. While ‘Mr. B’, as he is affectionately referred to, was an advocate for abstract dance, Serenade is emotionally charged. With his ability to visualize the music through movement, the audience will witness a work of unequaled beauty and a timeless treasure.
REMANSOS
Choreography by Nacho Duato, Music by Enrique Granados
Remansos is a delicate work for three women and three men. Created for the American Ballet Theater in 1997, Remansos makes use of a single rose as the connection between the dancers and a large silver wall at the back of the stage, where dancers enter and exit. This ballet is quintessential Duato, mixing the angular shapes and flowing movement of his choreography to invade our minds and hearts with a sense of beauty, romance and emotion.
INFRA
Choreography by Wayne McGregor, Music by Max Richter
Infra by Wayne McGregor is an exceptional work by a unique dance maker. Infra, translated from its Latin roots as “below”, is an introspective investigation into the emotional life of people in large cities. The dancers, in perpetual movement, appear unemotional on the surface hiding an intense and poignant life that is hidden below. This unforgettable ballet incorporates a large LED screen to project multi-media images along with the live performance which will be the first time Oklahoma audiences can experience this work of world class dance. Created for The Royal Ballet of London by its Choreographer in Residence, Infra represents a groundbreaking moment in the evolution of dance and choreography. Last August, it was performed by The Royal Ballet at The Metropolitan Opera House in New York as a visualization of the excellence of British dance in the 21st century! This will be the Oklahoma premiere of this haunting yet hopeful ballet.
Artistic Director Marcello Angelini concludes, “If there is a thread that connects these three works, I would say it is the fact that abstract ballets can pack an emotional punch, at times greater than story ballets. While in works like Romeo and Juliet you will follow a story, in a triple bill like Signature Series you will be taken on a rollercoaster ride by an invisible hand that will steer your feelings, punch your gut, stimulate your intellect and delight your senses.”
TULSA BALLET Signature Series
QUICK FACTS
Tickets for Signature Series start at just $25. For tickets call (918) 749-6006 or visit www.tulsaballet.org.
WHAT Signature Series, a triple bill ballet featuring three of Artistic Director Marcello Angelini’s favorite works including:
Infra by Wayne McGregor (Oklahoma premiere)
Serenade by George Balanchine
Remansos by Nacho Duato
WHEN: 8:00pm, Friday, May 6, 2016
8:00pm, Saturday, May 7, 2016
3:00pm, Sunday, May 8, 2016
8:00pm, Friday, May 13, 2016
8:00pm, Saturday, May 14, 2016
3:00pm, Sunday, May 15, 2016
WHERE: The performance will take place at Lorton Performance Center on The University of Tulsa Campus, 550 S. Gary Pl, Tulsa, OK.
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Visit Tulsa Ballet at www.tulsaballet.org.
Hi-Res images and interview opportunities available:
Ryan Allen, Community & Public Relations Manager
918.392.5949, ryan.allen@tulsaballet.org
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