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| Ria Adachi in Summer Performance 2023, Into Dust Photography |
Summer Performance
Featuring excerpts from the classical ballet “Raymonda” and a contemporary work “A Gentle Prelude” by Donald Byrd
June 1, 2024, at 7 PM
Edmonds Center for the Arts (ECA)
410 4th Ave N, Edmonds, WA 98020Edmonds, WA – Olympic Ballet Theatre (OBT) closes the 2023-24 performance season with an eclectic production showcasing the diversity of ballet styles. This annual production honors tradition and celebrates innovation, featuring excerpts from classical ballets by famed choreographers of the past and exciting works by contemporary choreographers of today.
The 2024 production of Summer Performance presents Raymonda Suite, excerpts from Marius Petipa’s famed classical ballet Raymonda, and A Gentle Prelude, choreographed by Donald Byrd, Seattle-based Artistic Director of Spectrum Dance Theatre.
Raymonda (Suite)Choreography: Marius Petipa
Music: Alexander Glazunov
Premiere: Imperial Mariinsky Theatre, Saint Petersburg, Russia, 1898
Raymonda is a classical ballet in three acts known for its exquisite choreography and beautiful music. Set in the 12th century, this ballet tells the love story of the beautiful young countess, Raymonda, and her fiancé who saves her from being abducted by a Saracen knight. Olympic Ballet Theatre will present excerpts from this timeless ballet, showcasing the technical prowess of its dancers.
A Gentle PreludeChoreography: Donald Byrd
Music: Duke Ellington
Premiere: February 29, 2000
A Gentle Prelude is a movement from Donald Byrd's evening-length three-act abstract dance work, "In A Different Light," that explores the lesser-known musical compositions of the great Duke Ellington. Ellington (1899-1974), who achieved success as a composer, orchestrator, bandleader, and pianist, is often considered the greatest composer in the history of jazz music and one of the greatest musicians of the 20th century.
A Gentle Prelude focuses on the solo piano and small ensemble works of Ellington as opposed to his more well-known "big band" pieces. The dance is a work for 7 dancers who appear to be in an imaginary 1930s romantic ballroom, and it details different types of relationships among shifting groups of dancers. Solos, duets, trios, and quartets variously describe how people connect and miss making connections.
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| Ria Adachi in rehearsal for A Gentle Prelude, Into Dust Photography |
TICKET INFORMATION
Summer Performance will be at the Edmonds Center for the Arts on Saturday, June 1, 2024. Tickets range from $24 to $45 and
can be purchased here or the OBT box office 425-774-7570.
Donald Byrd is the Artistic Director of Spectrum Dance Theater in Seattle. Formerly, he was Artistic Director of Donald Byrd/The Group, a critically acclaimed contemporary dance company, founded in Los Angeles and later based in New York, that toured nationally and internationally. He is a Tony-nominated (The Color Purple) and Bessie Award-winning (The Minstrel Show) choreographer.
Throughout the 40+ years of his choreographic career, Mr. Byrd has created over 100 works for his companies as well as works for many leading classical and contemporary companies.
This list includes Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Pacific Northwest Ballet, Dayton Contemporary Dance Company, The Joffrey Ballet, The Philadelphia Dance Company (Philadanco), Dance Theater of Harlem, and many others.
He has worked extensively in theater and opera, both in America and abroad, including Seattle Opera, San Francisco Opera, The Israeli Opera, New York City Opera, The New York Shakespeare Festival/Public Theater, Intiman Theatre, and Baltimore Center Stage.
Mr. Byrd’s many awards, prizes, and fellowships include the Doris Duke Artist Award; Honorary Doctorate of Fine Arts, Cornish College of the Arts; Masters of Choreography Award, The Kennedy Center; Fellow at The American Academy of Jerusalem; James Baldwin Fellow of United States Artists; Resident Fellow of The Rockefeller Foundation Bellagio Center; Fellow at the Institute on the Arts and Civic Dialogue, Harvard University; and the Mayor’s Arts Award for his sustained contributions to the City of Seattle.
ABOUT OLYMPIC BALLET THEATRE
Olympic Ballet Theatre is a professional ballet company presenting four classical and contemporary ballet productions during each performance season.
Founded in 1981 and now under the leadership of co-artistic directors Mara Vinson and Oleg Gorboulev, OBT has become a mainstay of the north Puget Sound arts scene, regularly touring theaters in Everett and Edmonds.
With the support of local patrons and organizations, OBT brings high-quality original and classical ballet productions featuring renowned and emerging choreographers.
OBT offers audiences of all ages opportunities to experience the joy and magic of ballet with affordable ticket pricing, intimate venues, and a diverse repertoire of performances.
OLYMPIC BALLET THEATRE
700 Main Street, Edmonds, WA 98020 | 425.774.7570 |
OlympicBallet.org
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