TULSA, Okla. – August 2018 – Following a successful residency at The Joyce Theater in New York in the spring of 2018, Tulsa Ballet will return to the international stage in April 2019, proudly representing the arts and culture of our city and state. The 2019 tour will see the company presenting a series of performances throughout Italy, Spain and Switzerland making this the fifth international tour for Tulsa Ballet. The company made its international debut in 2002, when it performed as part of the Sintra Festival in Sintra, Portugal. In 2007, the company performed in Serbia and Croatia, and Oklahoma Governor, Brad Henry, issued a proclamation decreeing Tulsa Ballet the official “Oklahoma Cultural Ambassador.” In 2008, the company traveled to Seoul, South Korea and made its Italian premiere in 2016. Between 2009 and 2016 the company focused on US appearances, performing at The Joyce in New York and The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC.
Artistic Director Marcello Angelini says, “Since our last appearance in Italy the requests to have Tulsa Ballet tour have intensified. We were invited back to Italy in the spring of 2017, a tour we had to decline, and appeared in New York again in the spring of 2018.”
Tulsa Ballet will present a triple-bill program showcasing the company’s versatility and appeal to a diverse audience. The program will include Annabelle Lopez Ochoa’s Shibuya Blues, created especially for Tulsa Ballet, along with two very diverse classics of the 20th century: George Balanchine’s Who Cares? and Kurt Jooss’s The Green Table. Tulsa Ballet will begin their tour in Verona, Italy, at the Teatro Ristori on April 6th, 2019 followed by a performance in Pordenone, Italy, at Teatro Comunale Verdi on April 7th. The company will then fly to Seville, Spain at the Teatro della Maestranza, on April 9th. Tulsa Ballet will return to Italy for one more yet to be finalized performance before heading to Lugano, Switzerland, at Sala Teatro LAC, for their first Swiss appearance. From there the company will move to Turin, for a final performance at the Teatro Astra. Additional dates are still being added to the tour.
Tulsa Ballet is excited to showcase the culture of the Tulsa community with the world. Angelini says, “We will continue to make good on our plan to make Oklahoma known for its cultural vibrancy. Tulsa is experiencing a cultural renaissance and Tulsa Ballet is the perfect vehicle for the city to expand its horizons and show others what we are all about. The strong national and international reputation of the company shines an international spotlight on the city of Tulsa and the state of Oklahoma as a leader in world-class arts and culture.”
Touring is made possible in part by support from Tulsa Ballet’s family of donors. Patron opportunities in support of this tour, along with the corresponding benefit packages at each level, can be found at www.tulsaballet.org. Donors will be provided an exclusive preview of the production on April 3 in Studio K. Single tickets to that performance will be available in November.
Additionally, audiences will be able to see George Balanchine’s Who Cares? at the 2018/19 Season closing performance of Signature Series: From Ballet to Broadway May 9-12, 2019. The Season opens with Creations in Studio K, featuring three exciting works by choreographers: Jennifer Archibald, Alejandro Cerrudo, and Ma Cong. Creations in Studio K will be showcased two weekends (Sept 14-16 and 20-23) in Tulsa Ballet’s intimate 300-seat Brookside theater Studio K. For tickets, please call (918) 749-6006 or visit us online 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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