Announcing Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre’s 2018-2019 Season
Artistic Director Terrence S. Orr is proud to announce the company’s 2018-2019 Season lineup, featuring a new production of The Great Gatsby, a reunion with Dance Theatre of Harlem and the official kickoff of PBT’s 50th-anniversary season in February.
The five-ballet season runs October 2018 through May 2019 and includes: Mozart in Motion with the PBT Orchestra, The Nutcracker, The Great Gatsby with the PBT Orchestra, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre + Dance Theatre of Harlem, and The Sleeping Beauty with the PBT Orchestra over Mother’s Day weekend.
“This season offers something for every palette. Audiences will see masterworks by George Balanchine and Jiří Kylián alongside great classics like The Nutcracker and The Sleeping Beauty,” said PBT Artistic Director Terrence S. Orr. “We also look forward to continuing our partnership with Dance Theatre of Harlem and retelling The Great Gatsby through the fresh eyes of choreographer Jorden Morris. I think this season speaks to ballet’s versatility of technique, musical influences and meaning, and we look forward to sharing it all with our audiences.”
Subscriptions start at $81 and are on sale now at pbt.org or 412-454-9107. Season ticket packages feature 20 percent savings over single tickets and a variety of subscriber benefits. Single ticket sales will open Aug. 7, at pbt.org or 412-456-6666.
2018-2019 Season Lineup
Mozart in Motion with the PBT Orchestra
Oct. 26-28, 2018 — Benedum Center
Choreography: George Balanchine & Jiří Kylián| Music: W.A. Mozart’s Divertimento No. 15, Six German Dances, and piano concertos in A Major KV 488 (Adagio) and C Major KV 467 (Andante)
Experience Mozart’s music as muse for three works by dance icons George Balanchine and Jiří Kylián. Balanchine considered Mozart’s Divertimento No. 15 one of the finest ever written, and he named this majestic neoclassical ballet after its spirited score. Kylián’s Sechs Tänze, set to Mozart’s Six German Dances, is a comedic clash of the classical and contemporary, sophisticated and absurd, peppered with powdered wigs and dry wit. By contrast, Kylián’s profound Petite Mort juxtaposes the slow movements of three Mozart piano concertos with powerful dancing that integrates baroque dresses, fencing foils and black silks to striking effect.
The Nutcracker
Nov. 30-Dec. 27, 2018 — Benedum Center
Choreography & Staging: Terrence S. Orr | Music: P.I. Tchaikovsky
A winter wonderland awaits at Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre’s “The Nutcracker”! It’s Christmas Eve in turn-of-the-century Pittsburgh when a mysterious gift sparks a wondrous adventure. Journey to a Land of Enchantment filled with swirling snowflakes, waltzing flowers and exciting dances set to Tchaikovsky’s glorious score. Five lavish scenes, dozens of dancers and over 150 costumes make this one of Pittsburgh’s most cherished holiday traditions.
50TH-ANNIVERSARY KICKOFF
The Great Gatsby with the PBT Orchestra – A new production by Jorden Morris
Feb. 8-17, 2019 — Benedum Center
Choreography: Jorden Morris | Music: Carl Davis
Rediscover the revelry and recklessness of the roaring ‘20s in Jorden Morris’ poignant restaging of “The Great Gatsby.” In the summer of 1922 a romance rekindles between two of the Long Island elite: married Daisy Buchanan and mysterious Jay Gatsby. Morris brings F. Scott Fitzgerald’s drama to life with emotive dancing, an original Carl Davis score and cinematic sets that draw audiences into Gatsby’s exclusive soirees. At the heart of this story is a man who, beneath the glitz and glamor, sees love as his guiding light to the American dream.
Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre + Dance Theatre of Harlem
March 15-24, 2019 — August Wilson Center
In partnership with the August Wilson Center for African American Culture
Choreography & Music: Mixed repertory
When Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre and Dance Theatre of Harlem joined forces in 2017 for a sold-out run at the August Wilson Center, the Post-Gazette called it “a pas de deux of voluminous proportions.” Audiences called encore. In March, the companies will reunite for a mixed repertory production, featuring repertoire signatures from both companies and a collaborative staging of Stanton Welch’s expressive “Orange,” a sweeping contemporary ballet set to music by Antonio Vivaldi.
The Sleeping Beauty with the PBT Orchestra
May 10-12, 2019 | Benedum Center | Mother’s Day Weekend
Choreography: after Marius Petipa | Staging: Terrence S. Orr | Music: P.I. Tchaikovsky
“The Sleeping Beauty” ranks among the great story ballets — a tour de force of classical choreography and fairy-tale charm driven by a magnificent Tchaikovsky score. The tale comes to life with storybook scenery, glittering costumes and pristine choreography, which many consider the gold standard for classical technique. Audiences of all ages will revel in a suite of delightful dances by Princess Aurora and Prince Desire, six fairies, and storybook characters like Puss ‘n Boots, White Cat and the Bluebirds.