Texas Ballet Theater announces 2009-2010 season

The season will feature The Russian Master, The Nutcracker, Romeo and Juliet, and The Sleeping Beauty.

For the life of me, I'll never know how ballerinas can do this.

Artistic Director Ben Stevenson, O.B.E. is proud to announce the performance schedule for Texas Ballet Theater’s 2009 – 2010 season at the new Dallas Center for the Performing Arts Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House and the Nancy Lee & Perry R. Bass Performance Hall in Fort Worth. This exciting season includes: The Russian Masters, October 2 – 4, 2009, at Bass Performance Hall; Ben Stevenson’s The Nutcracker, November 27 – December 6, 2009, at the Winspear Opera House, and December 11 – 24, 2009, at Bass Performance Hall; Ben Stevenson’s Romeo and Juliet, February 12 – 14, 2010, at Bass Performance Hall, and March 12 – 14, 2010, at the Winspear Opera House; and Ben Stevenson’s The Sleeping Beauty, April 9 – 11, 2010, at Bass Performance Hall, and June 11 – 13, 2010, at the Winspear Opera House.

“We look to the 2009 – 2010 season with great anticipation,” states Stevenson. “We are proud to be the resident ballet company at the two premiere performance venues in North Texas –- the magnificent Bass Performance Hall in Fort Worth, and the glorious new Winspear Opera House in Dallas. We have a fantastic schedule of performances and we invite you to join us.”

The 2009 – 2010 season begins in October as Texas Ballet Theater presents The Russian Masters. The work of some of ballet’s greatest names is on display in this glorious evening of entertainment by Artistic Director Ben Stevenson. Marvel at George Balanchine’s mastery of ballet in Serenade accompanied by Tchaikovsky’s soaring score. Wonder at the power and grace that envelopes the stage in Michel Fokine’s Polovtsian Dances from Alexander Borodin’s Prince Igor. And be captivated by Texas Ballet Theater’s talented company as they showcase their amazing talents in one breathtaking pas de deux after another. This must-see special engagement is a mix of classic and contemporary ballet that sets the stage on fire!

Ring in the holiday season with Ben Stevenson’s critically-acclaimed production of The Nutcracker. This beloved ballet tells the story of Clara and her magical Nutcracker Prince as they embark on a thrilling adventure. Along the way, they encounter a Christmas tree that grows to 40 feet, toy soldiers battling mischievous mice, waltzing flowers, dancing candy, and sparkling, swirling snowflakes that fall on dancers and the audience alike. Stunning costumes, dazzling sets, and remarkable dancing to holiday music by Tchaikovsky make The Nutcracker a favorite family tradition!

Ben Stevenson’s masterful adaptation brings Shakespeare’s classic story of Romeo and Juliet to life on stage. Set in sixteenth century Verona, Italy, Romeo and Juliet chronicles the tragic romance of two young lovers from families on opposing sides of a bitter feud. After meeting at a masked ball, the couple fall head-over-heels in love during a romantic encounter on Juliet’s balcony and are secretly wed. They then find themselves trapped in a vicious web of circumstance as they rush headlong towards their tragic destiny. With striking music by Prokofiev, Romeo and Juliet features impassioned dancing and acting by Texas Ballet Theater’s talented company.

The Sleeping Beauty springs to life in Ben Stevenson’s magical production. The king and queen host a magnificent party to christen their beautiful new baby, Princess Aurora. Upset by not being invited to the affair, Carbosse, an evil fairy, curses the child to die on her sixteenth birthday when pricked by a needle. The Lilac Fairy uses her powers to save Princess Aurora and alters the curse so that she sleeps for 100 years, only to be awakened by a kiss from the prince. Lavish sets transform the stage with fairy tale wonder as music by Tchaikovsky enraptures the audience and invites us all to join in the story of The Sleeping Beauty and her prince.

Subscriptions for the 2009 – 2010 season are now on sale to the general public. The season ticket package for Bass Performance Hall in Fort Worth ranges from $80 to $336 per person depending upon seating location and includes the productions of The Russian Masters, The Nutcracker, Romeo and Juliet, and The Sleeping Beauty. The season ticket package for the Winspear Opera House in Dallas ranges from $75 to $291 per person depending upon seating location and includes the productions of The Nutcracker, Romeo and Juliet, and The Sleeping Beauty. To subscribe, call the Texas Ballet Theater box office at 877-828-9200. For more information, visit www.texasballettheater.org.

Source: Texas Ballet Theater