Wednesday, August 20, 2008

Atlanta Ballet to Perform in Mexico

Before Atlanta Ballet opens its 2008/2009 Season with Swan Lake at the Cobb Energy Centre, the Company will add another location to its list of international appearances. In step with its Fall Atlanta opener, a full evening of the revered classical Swan Lake will be performed at the Instituto Technologico de Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico.

Atlanta Ballet has a long history of touring internationally. The Company began touring in the 1950’s and made two USO trips that took the dancers from Bermuda to Azores, Iceland to Japan and Korea to Okinawa. In the early 1990, the Company traveled to Taipei at the invitation of the Minister of Culture. More recently, the Company set up shop in London for a run of John McFall’s Peter Pan at Royal Festival Hall as part of their Millennium Celebration.

“We’re particularly excited that Atlanta Ballet’s reputation is such that we’ve been invited to present our work to this new audience thousands of miles away,” said McFall, Atlanta Ballet’s Artistic Director. “What is equally rewarding is the enthusiasm for dance in the year 2008. For the dancers and myself, to be able to present a classic like Swan Lake to an audience who has never seen our work, says great things about the thirst for the performing arts in today’s world.”

Beginning with Russian folk tale and German legend roots, Swan Lake has indubitably become a world favorite. The October 7th, 2008 one time performance will feature the entire company, along with four artistic staff and six production staff. The 8:30 pm performance will be conducted in the Auditorio Luis Elizondo.

Swan Lake premiered in 1877 at the Bolshoy Theatre of Moscow to the musical composition of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, renowned composer of Sleeping Beauty and Nutcracker. Swan Lake narrates the romantic tragedy of Princess Odette, turned into a swan by an evil sorcerer's curse, and her beloved Prince Siegfried.

Swan Lake was the first ballet set to the score of a symphonic composer. Prior to Swan Lake, ballet scores were written by composers known as “specialists” who habitually created light, decorative, and rhythmically clear music. The score of Tchaikovsky follows no such pattern—the structure and emotional content of Swan Lake is deeply sensitive, sensuously rhythmic, and unabashedly heartfelt. After all, Tchaikovsky is the master composer who showed the world that ballet music is by no means inferior to any other form of music.

In recreating this century old classic, McFall hopes to build on this exquisite piece of the world’s cultural heritage and showcase fresh vigor and rich emotion. The dance of love and life and the music of emotion will intertwine to create a rich performance that will touch each heart in the Auditorio Luis Elizondo audience.

Atlanta Ballet will perform Swan Lake at the Cobb Energy Centre October 23 to November 2. For tickets call Ticketmaster at 404-817-8700 or visit atlantaballet.com.

Founded in 1929, Atlanta Ballet is the longest continuously operating ballet company in the United States. Atlanta Ballet 's eclectic repertoire spans ballet history, highlighted by beloved classics and inventive originals.

Among Atlanta Ballet’s proud and unique 75-year history are its three Artistic Directors, Miss Dorothy Alexander, whose vision brought dance to the South; Robert Barnett, who turned Atlanta Ballet into a professional company; and currently, John McFall. Under McFall’s leadership Atlanta Ballet continues its commitment to share and educate audiences on the empowering joy of dance.

Atlanta Ballet opened the Centre for Dance Education in 1996 and is dedicated to nurturing young dancers while providing an outlet for adults to express their creativity. With diverse class offerings and student population, the Centre serves over 150,000 people in metro Atlanta each year. Atlanta Ballet 's roots remain firmly grounded in the Atlanta community and continue to play a vital role in the city's cultural growth and revitalization.
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