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Diablo Ballet has not only rebounded from a funding crisis that threatened to close its doors a year ago, the critically-acclaimed company will mount one of its most ambitious seasons yet to mark a major milestone – its 15th anniversary.
Among the highlights, Diablo Ballet has been granted permission by the estate of author Antoine de Saint Exupery to create a new ballet based on his children's classic, The Little Prince, and the honor of becoming the first ballet company to present selections from the Tony-nominated Swing. As well, the Walnut Creek-based company will stage the Bay Area premiere of the critically-acclaimed Eyes on You by former San Francisco Ballet principal dancer Christopher Stowell, who is now the Artistic Director of Oregon Ballet Theatre.
The 2008-2009 season, presented by the Dean & Margaret Lesher Foundation, will begin on November 21-22 with "An Evening on Broadway," featuring Stowell's tribute to Cole Porter, duets from Lynn Taylor Corbett's Broadway hit, and a celebration of the music of George Gershwin through George Balanchine's Who Cares. On March 20-21, Diablo will present acclaimed choreographer Julia Adams' A Midsummer Night's Dream, followed by the world premiere of The Little Prince on May 8-9.
Also, for the first time, Diablo Ballet will also offer a Saturday matinee series for families, consisting of three 45-minute programs, followed by a reception in which young ticketholders can meet and have their photo taken with the dancers.
"I can't begin to convey our gratitude to our loyal supporters who have made it possible for Diablo Ballet to reach this milestone. I'm pleased to say the company has never been stronger creatively, thanks in particular to our remarkable corps of world-class dancers. So it is with great pride that we can provide patrons with another season – this one featuring an exciting range of work from such accomplished choreographers," says Artistic Director Lauren Jonas, who co-founded the Walnut Creek-based company in 1993. -- www.diabloballet.org
Posted October 17th, 2008 by ruzik_tuzik
