FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE MEDIA CONTACT: February 12, 2016 Gary Tucker 206.441.2426 [email protected] PACIFIC NORTHWEST BALLET PRESENTS Featuring works by ALEJANDRO CERRUDO – PAUL GIBSON – JUSTIN PECK March 18 – 27, 2016 Marion Oliver McCaw Hall 321 Mercer Street, Seattle Center Seattle, WA 98109 March 18 - 19 at 7:30 pm March 19 at 2:00 pm March 24 - 26 at 7:30 pm March 27 at 1:00 pm SEATTLE, WA – For the fourth program of its 44th season, Pacific Northwest Ballet’s artistic director Peter Boal selects three contemporary ballet works: PNB’s Paul Gibson wears several hats: an essential ballet master, scheduler, and teacher. In his spare time, he’s an impressive choreographer, too. Rush premiered in the Mercer Arts Arena in 2003 and through we don’t want to revisit the venue, the ballet deserves another look. Reworked for this program, Gibson’s electrifying Rush kicks off a trio of works featuring PNB premieres by two rising stars in the world of dance – Alejandro Cerrudo’s Little mortal jump and Justin Peck’s trailblazing Year of the Rabbit. Cerrudo is Resident Choreographer for Hubbard Street Dance Chicago and Peck is New York City Ballet’s resident choreographer. This trio of contemporary works offers an energetic mix of speed, sculpture, and fresh musical offerings. DIRECTOR’S CHOICE runs for seven performances only, March 18 through 27 at Seattle Center’s Marion Oliver McCaw Hall. Tickets start at $30. For more information, contact the PNB Box Office at 206.441.2424, in person at 301 Mercer Street, or online at PNB.org. The line-up for DIRECTOR’S CHOICE will include: Rush Music: Bohuslav Martinu (Double Concerto for Two String Orchestras, Piano, and Tympani, H.271, 1938) Choreography: Paul Gibson Costume Design: Mark Zappone Lighting Design: Lisa Pinkham Running Time: 24 minutes Premiere: November 7, 2002 (Mercer Arts Arena); re-staged March 18, 2016 (McCaw Hall); Pacific Northwest Ballet Czech composer Bohuslav Martinu (1890-1959) wrote his Double Concerto for Two String Orchestras, Piano, and Tympani in troubled times, and the moods of anger and despair that pervade this piece reflect his concern for the future of his homeland. The work was finished on September 29, 1938, a day before Czechoslovakia was signed away to Nazi Germany as a result of the Munich Agreement. Choreographer Paul Gibson knew nothing of the concerto’s historical significance when he first heard a recording recommended to him by then PNB conductor Stewart Kershaw. Instead, he was swept away by the dark force and dense textures of the score, one that began almost immediately to inspire dance imagery. Rush was Gibson’s second ballet for PNB and his most ambitious offering to date. A work in three movements, it requires an ensemble of nine couples: a pair of principal dancers, four demi-soloists, and a corps de ballet of twelve. Plotless and free of any literal statements, this abstract neo-classical ballet explores a course that Martinu’s tense and turgid music has inspired. [Notes by Leland Windreich; edited by Doug Fullington, 2015.] Little mortal jump (PNB Premiere) Music: Beirut (“A Call to Arms” and “La Banlieue”), Andrew Bird’s Bowl of Fire (“Beware”), Alexandre Desplat (“See How They Fall—Dans Les Champs De Ble” and “A Self-made Hero—Theme de Heroes”), Philip Glass (“Glassworks/Analog: Orange Mountain Music Archive: Closing”), Max Richter (“The Haunted Ocean 5” and “November”), Tom Waits and Kathleen Brennan (“Fawn”) Choreography: Alejandro Cerrudo Staging: Pablo Piantino Scenic Design: Alejandro Cerrudo Costume Design: Branimira Ivanova Lighting Design: Michael Korsch Running Time: 26 minutes Premiere: March 15, 2012; Hubbard Street Dance Chicago Little mortal jump, resident choreographer Alejandro Cerrudo’s tenth piece for Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, is a bubbling blend of different styles and genres that distills into a fluid, cohesive whole. As a dance, it fuses the technicality of movement, the theatricality of the stage, and the dark humor inherent in relationships. As an experience, Cerrudo aims to transport his audience—to “make them forget what they did today, and what they will do tomorrow,” he says. From cubes that serve as frames and obstructions to diversely characterized couples to vastly contrasting music, Little mortal jump is layered with unexpected twists and turns. This work is a step in the evolution of Cerrudo’s choreographic style, of which he says, “I challenge myself to create more complex works and to do things that I haven’t done before.” [Notes courtesy of Hubbard Street Dance Chicago.] Year of the Rabbit (PNB Premiere) Music: Sufjan Stevens (Enjoy Your Rabbit, 2002), orchestration by Michael P. Atkinson Choreography: Justin Peck Staging: Craig Hall and Janie Taylor Costume Design: Justin Peck Lighting Design: Brandon Stirling Baker Running Time: 30 minutes Premiere: October 5, 2012; New York City Ballet Justin Peck’s acclaimed Year of the Rabbit is a collaboration with American singer-songwriter Sufjan Stevens and is set to Stevens’ Enjoy Your Rabbit, an electronica album and song cycle based on the Chinese zodiac. The ballet features a new orchestration of the score by Michael Atkinson that was created specifically for the ballet. Year of the Rabbit is an elaboration of Peck’s Tales of a Chinese Zodiac, which was created in 2010 for the New York Choreographic Institute. [Notes courtesy of New York City Ballet.] TICKET INFORMATION & DISCOUNT OFFERS Tickets ($30-$187) may be purchased through the PNB Box Office: Phone - 206.441.2424 (Mon.-Fri. 10am–6pm; Sat. 10am–5pm) In Person - 301 Mercer Street, Seattle (Mon.-Fri. 10am–6pm; Sat. 10am–5pm) Online - PNB.org (24/7) Subject to availability, tickets are also available 90 minutes prior to show times at McCaw Hall. GROUP SALES Discounts are available for groups of 10 or more. For group tickets, please call Group Sales Manager Julie Jamieson at 206.441.2416, email [email protected] or use PNB’s online contact form at PNB.org/Season/GroupTickets. GET THE POINTE The Pointe is PNB’s exclusive mailing list for ballet fans between the ages of 20 and 40. Members of The Pointe receive information about special events and flash sales just for them. Born between 1976 and 1996? Visit PNB.org and click on “Offers” for more information and to get The Pointe. TEENTIX PNB is a proud participant of TeenTix. Founded by Seattle Center, TeenTix’s members (13 to 19 years old) can purchase tickets to PNB and other music, dance, theater and arts events for only $5. To join TeenTix or view a list of participating organizations, visit teentix.org. STUDENT AND SENIOR RUSH TICKETS Subject to availability, half-price rush tickets for students and senior citizens (65+) may be purchased in-person with ID, from 90 minutes prior to show time at the McCaw Hall box office. SPECIAL EVENTS FRIDAY PREVIEW Friday, March 11, 6:00 pm The Phelps Center, 301 Mercer St., Seattle PNB’s popular Friday Previews are hour-long studio rehearsals hosted by Artistic Director Peter Boal and PNB artistic staff, featuring Company dancers rehearsing excerpts from upcoming ballets. Tickets are $12. (Note: These events usually sell out in advance.) Friday Previews are sponsored by U.S. Bank. BALLET PREVIEW — FREE Tuesday, March 15, 12:00 noon Microsoft Auditorium, Central Seattle Public Library, 1000 Fourth Avenue, Seattle Join PNB for a FREE lunch-hour preview lecture at the Central Seattle Public Library. Audience Education Manager Doug Fullington will offer insights about DIRECTOR’S CHOICE, complete with video excerpts. FREE of charge. LECTURE SERIES & DRESS REHEARSAL Thursday, March 17 Lecture 6:00 pm, Nesholm Family Lecture Hall at McCaw Hall Dress Rehearsal 7:00 pm, McCaw Hall Join Artistic Director Peter Boal in conversation with Year of the Rabbit stagers Craig Hall and Janie Taylor during the hour preceding the dress rehearsal, discussing the creative process involved in the development of a new ballet. Attend the lecture only or stay for the rehearsal. Tickets are $12 for the lecture, or $30 for the lecture and dress rehearsal. Tickets may be purchased through the PNB Box Office. PRE-PERFORMANCE LECTURES Nesholm Family Lecture Hall at McCaw Hall Join Audience Education Manager Doug Fullington for a 30-minute introduction to each performance, including discussions of choreography, music, history, design and the process of bringing ballet to the stage. One hour before performances. FREE for ticketholders. POST-PERFORMANCE Q&A Nesholm Family Lecture Hall at McCaw Hall Skip the post-show traffic and enjoy a Q&A with Artistic Director Peter Boal and PNB dancers, immediately following each performance. FREE for ticketholders. YOUNG PATRONS CIRCLE NIGHT Friday, March 25 Join members of PNB’s Young Patrons Circle (YPC) in an exclusive lounge for complimentary wine and coffee before the show and at intermission. YPC is PNB’s social and educational group for ballet patrons ages 21 through 39. YPC members save up to 40% off their tickets. For more information, visit PNB.org and search for “YPC.” ABOUT THE ARTISTS Paul Gibson was named assistant ballet master immediately upon retirement from PNB in June 2004. He joined the Company in 1994 as a soloist and was promoted to the rank of principal in 1996. His choreographic work includes ballets for PNB and PNB School's Professional Division, as well as works for San Francisco Ballet School, San Francisco Ballet Choreographic Workshop, and Allegheny Ballet Company. Mr. Gibson has also been a participant in the New York Choreographic Institute. Originally from Altoona, Pennsylvania, Mr. Gibson began ballet training at Allegheny Ballet Academy and later went to summer programs at the School of American Ballet. He won a scholarship at San Francisco Ballet School and joined that company in 1988, where he rose to the rank of soloist.