OKC Ballet: “En pointe” for 2015-2016 season

Staff Report

Oklahoma City Ballet is poised for an extraordinary 2015-2016 season with Exurgency – A Triple Bill (add-on performance) coming in September, Giselle and The Nutcracker with the Oklahoma City Philharmonic, Scheherazade – 1001 Arabian Nights – A Triple Bill at the OKC Civic Center and ending the season with the ever-classic Peter Pan also performed with the Oklahoma City Philharmonic.

Under the artistic direction of Robert Mills who is credited with bringing the company local acclaim and national attention, the growth of Oklahoma City Ballet has been vital to the growth of OKC and has made immeasurable contributions to classic art in the city over the past seven years.

With a desire to ensure the company will be at the forefront of creating new work for the 21st century, he has also commissioned new ballets from some of the industry’s most creative contemporary choreographers. Since he began in 2008, the number of dancers in the company has more than doubled, the number of performances has doubled and the annual budget of the organization has tripled.

Exurgency – A Triple Bill (add-on performance)
September 18-19, 2015 - Oklahoma City Community College Visual and Performing Arts Center Theater.
Headlining this amazing evening of dance is our runaway hit of the 2013-14 Season, Matthew Neenan’s Exurgency. Neenan’s ballet wowed audiences during its 2014 premiere. Using the music of cellist and virtual one woman orchestra, Zoë Keating, the ballet will be performed this time with Keating performing live onstage.

Don’t miss this incredible musical artist and composer, performing with the beautiful dancers of Oklahoma City Ballet, featuring the ingenious choreography of Neenan. Two world premieres will round out the program. One from up and coming choreographer, Brian Enos, who has created work at Houston Ballet, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, and Ballet Met, to name a few. The other new creation comes from budding choreographer, one of Oklahoma City Ballet’s own Principal Dancers, Yui Sato.

Giselle - With the Oklahoma City Philharmonic
October 23-25, 2015 - Civic Center Music Hall

Love, betrayal, and forgiveness are woven together with the unfolding of the story of Giselle. From the time of its 1841 premiere in Paris, this dramatic and gorgeous ballet has inspired generations of dancers with its tale of a young peasant girl who has a passion for dancing but dies of a broken heart. The Oklahoma City Philharmonic joins us to bring Adolphe Adam’s score vividly to life in this, the quintessential ballet of the romantic era.

The Nutcracker - with the Oklahoma City Philharmonic
December 12-22, 2015 - Civic Center Music Hall
A family trip to the Civic Center Music Hall to see The Nutcracker creates special holiday memories that will last a lifetime. With fanciful new set and costume designs that debuted in 2014 to audience and critical rave reviews, the story of Clara, her Nutcracker prince, and the Sugar Plum Fairy will enchant with ten performances this holiday season. Presented by Devon Energy.

Scheherazade – 1001 Arabian Nights – A Triple Bill
February 26-28, 2016 - Civic Center Music Hall

Scheherazade enraptures the senses and consumes the soul. A visual feast of exotic scenery and costumes showcase Dennis Spaight’s sensual choreography. Nickolai Rimsky-Korsakov’s sweeping dramatic score rounds out a uniquely memorable interpretation of the classic 1001 Arabian Nights. Nacho Duato’s Without Words refers to six songs by Franz Schubert, transcribed for cello by Mischa Maisky.

The songs are instrumental music, or music “without words,” where love and death appear as the central subjects derived from the music. Originally choreographed for American Ballet Theatre, Without Words is a signature piece of Duato, one of today’s most prolific international choreographers. Rounding out the evening is a world premiere from up and coming choreographer Ma Cong.

Peter Pan - With the Oklahoma City Philharmonic
April 15-17, 2016 - Civic Center Music Hall

Complete with a villainous Captain Hook, man-eating crocodile, and meddling Tinker Bell, the story of Peter Pan takes Wendy and her two brothers on a fantastic adventure to Neverland. Choreographed by Paul Vasterling, dance and on-stage flight enhances the classic story of the Lost Boys – who will never grow up – in grand form. Beautiful costumes and grand stage effects make this full-length ballet entertaining for all ages.

Tickets may be purchased by calling (405) 848-TOES (8637) or by visiting okcballet.com/performances. The Oklahoma City Ballet Box Office is open Monday through Friday from 9am-5pm, and is located at 7421 North Classen, Oklahoma City.

About Oklahoma City Ballet: Founded in 1972 by Ballet Russe dancers Yvonne Chouteau and Miguel Terekhov, Oklahoma City Ballet has been the city’s professional ballet company for more than 40 years. It is the resident dance company of the Civic Center Music Hall and currently boasts 31 dancers from around the world. Led by Artistic Director Robert Mills, the company produces four main stage productions per season in Oklahoma City and tours across Oklahoma and the surrounding states. It is the only ballet company of its size to regularly debut world premiere story ballets with original commissioned scores and commissions new works from the industry’s leading choreographers.

The Gayly – August 17, 2015 @ 4:30pm.