2011 Spring Season JUN 2011 Alexandre Arrechea, The Wind on My Face, 2010 Published by: BAM 2011 Spring Season sponsor: BAM 2011 Spring Season Brooklyn Academy of Music Alan H. Fishman, Chairman of the Board William I. Campbell, Vice Chairman of the Board Adam E. Max, Vice Chairman of the Board Karen Brooks Hopkins, President Joseph V. Melillo, Executive Producer presents La Magia de la Danza Approximate Ballet Nacional de Cuba running time: two hours, BAM Howard Gilman Opera House including one Jun 8—11 at 7:30pm intermission Created by Alicia Alonso Orquesta Cubano Conducted by Giovanni Duarte Part of the ¡Sí Cuba! festival, a New York celebration of Cuban arts and culture BAM 2011 Spring Season sponsor: Leadership support for La Magia de la Danza provided by The Jerome Robbins Foundation, Inc. Additional support provided by The Harkness Foundation for Dance and Diane & Adam E. Max. Major support for dance at BAM provided by The SHS Foundation. Support for ¡Sí Cuba! programming at BAM provided by The Mary Duke Biddle Foundation, The Reed Foundation, Blanchette Hooker Rockefeller Fund, and the Shelley & Donald Rubin Foundation. Major support for ¡Sí Cuba! provided by Robert Sterling Clark Foundation, Ford Foundation, and Rockefeller Brothers Fund. Ballet Nacional de Cuba Alicia Alonso General Director Primeros bailarines Ernesto Álvarez | Sadaise Arencibia | Anette Delgado | Bárbara García | Dani Hernández | Yanela Piñera | Viengsay Valdés | Alejandro Virelles Bailarines principales Ernesto Díaz | Jessie Domínguez | Osiel Gounod | José Losada | Camilo Ramos | Amaya Rodríguez | Félix Rodríguez | Javier Sánchez Primeros solistas Lissi Báez | Ivis Díaz | Verónica Corveas | Yanier Gómez | Ivette González | Alfredo Ibáñez | Arián Molina | Grettel Morejón | Leandro Pérez | Aymara Vasallo Solistas Serafín Castro | Estheysis Menéndez | Omar Morales | Analucía Prado | Alejandro Silva | Roberto Vega Corifeos Amanda Fuentes | Marizé Fumero | Carolina García | Maureen Gil | Maikel Hernández | Mayrel Martínez | Ginett Moncho | Eliécer Pérez | Mercedes Piedra | Ariadna Súarez Corps de ballet Claudia Alvaré | Wendy Cardoso | Randy Crespo | Yinet Fernández | Glenda García | Antonio González | Edward González | Vanessa Haidar | Yilian Pacheco | Victoria Prada | Víctor Santana | David Martínez PRINCIPAL BALLET MISTRESS TECHNICAL DIRECTOR MARÍA ELENA LLORENTE SALVADOR FERNÁNDEZ Stage Manager Luis Carlos Benvenuto Sound Technician Juan Filloy | Wardrobe Roger Casteleiro & Oleida Llaugert Props and cargo Ernesto Peón Simón | Carpenter Eduardo Peón Simón Lighting Technician Ruddy Artiles | Rehearsal Pianist Leonardo Milanés Orchestra Conductor Giovanni Duarte Director Cuba en el Ballet Magazine and Nacional Dance Museum Pedro Simón Public Relations Heriberto Cabezas Manager Oscar Pérez Front curtain / Set designs Ricardo Reymena The US tour of the Ballet Nacional de Cuba is managed by JPH Consultants LLC in association with the Cuban Artists Fund La Magia de la Danza by Nancy Reyes Photo THE GREAT CLASSICS IN THE REPERTORY OF THE BALLET NACIONAL DE CUBA One of the Ballet Nacional de Cuba’s treasures is its famous choreographic versions of great works from the traditional, romantic, and classical ballet repertoire. These interpretations, almost all created by Alicia Alonso based on the original traditional choreographic elements, have received praise by critics, ballet artists, and audiences all over the world. Outstanding characteristics include: authenticity of the style, dramatic coherence, and a rich choreo- graphic vocabulary. Some of the world’s most famous theaters—Paris Opera, La Scala (Milan), Teatro di San Carlos (Naples), Vienna Opera, and Teatro Colón (Buenos Aires), among others—have included in their repertoire the Cuban versions of these works. Why are these versions successful? How do they differ from other stagings that are frequently per- formed around the world? We truly believe in the validity of the classics and in their functional nature for the contemporary viewer. Without changing the classic’s essence or particular dynamic, the pro- cess of change assimilates new elements as part of its historical development. The style is honored, as well as the spirit of the times, but new elements that contribute to the evolution of dance in general are incorporated, as are influences from other arts—theater, visual art, music, even film. A classic is an organic thing; its performers see tradition through contemporary eyes, honoring the spirit of the time to which the audience, and the performers, belong. A historical revival is not made for a museum; rather, it is is the art of another time seen as a vital means of expression. With this in mind, Alicia Alonso has created her versions of Giselle, Swan Lake, The Sleeping Beauty, Coppélia, The Nutcracker, La fille mal gardée, and the Grand Pas de Quatre according to her own principles, as well as other productions such as the Cuban version of Don Quixote, regarded as a remarkable stylistic exercise. Photo: Sadaise Arencibia in Swan Lake, by Nancy Reyes Program GISELLE (scenes from Act II) Choreography by Alicia Alonso after the original version by Jean Coralli and Jules Perrot Libretto by Théophile Gautier, Vernoy de Saint-Georges, and Jean Coralli, inspired by a German folk legend as told by Heinrich Heine Music by Adolphe Adam Set design by Ricardo Reymena Wardrobe by Salvador Fernández Giselle, the most famous romantic ballet, premiered on June 28, 1841 at the Paris Opera with Carlotta Grisi and Lucien Petipa in the leading roles. This selected scene depicts the moment when the gamekeeper Hilarion visits Giselle’s grave. The Wilis, souls of maidens who died before their weddings, are leaving their graves and performing their mysterious dance. The vengeful ghosts capture Hilarion and engage him in a dance to his death. Duke Albrecht, who has been caught by the Wilis, dances with Giselle, who tries to save her beloved with the power of her love. This choreographic version by Alicia Alonso is included in the repertoire of the Paris Opera, Vienna Opera, Teatro San Carlo (Naples), and Teatro Colón (Buenos Aires), among other companies. Performers (performance dates follow names) Giselle Anette Delgado (8), Sadaise Arencibia (9), Bárbara García (10), Yanela Piñera (11) Albrecht Dani Hernández (8), Arián Molina (9), Ernesto Álvarez (10), Camilo Ramos (11) Hilarion Ernesto Díaz (8, 10 & 11), Ernesto Álvarez (9) Queen of the Willis Amaya Rodríguez (8 & 9), Verónica Corveas (10 & 11) Willis and peasants Corps de ballet THE SLEEPING BEAUTY (scenes from Act III) Choreographed by Alicia Alonso after Marius Petipa’s original version Music by Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Set design and wardrobe by Salvador Fernández This ballet premiered in 1890 at the Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg. Alicia Alonso has also staged her version at the Paris Opera and La Scala (Milan). Act III is a grand divertissement on the occasion of the wedding of Princess Aurora and Prince Desiré. Performers Princess Aurora Yanela Piñera (8), Viengsay Valdés (9 & 11), Anette Delgado (10) Prince Desiré Alfredo Ibáñez (8), Alejandro Virelles (9 & 11), Dani Hernández (10) Polonaise Corps de ballet THE NUTCRACKER (scenes from Act II) Choreographed by Alicia Alonso, after the original by Lev Ivanov Music by Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Set design by Isabel Santos Costumes by Salvador Fernández (Grand pas de deux) and Félix Avila (Waltz of the Flowers) The Nutcracker premiered on December 18, 1892 at the Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg. This ballet is based on the story “The Nutcracker and the King of Mice,” written by Ernst Theo- dore Amadeus Hoffmann, who was inspired by a Slavic legend. In this scene the well-known Waltz of the Flowers is danced, ending with the Grand pas de deux, one of the most beautiful classical duets in the history of dance. Program Performers Waltz of the Flowers Lissi Báez & Marizé Fumero (8), Verónica Corveas & Jessie Domínguez (9), Grettel Morejón & Aymara Vasallo (10), Amaya Rodríguez & Estheysis Menéndez (11), and corps de ballet Sugarplum Fairy Bárbara García (8 & 11), Anette Delgado (9), Yanela Piñera (10) Her Cavalier Ernesto Álvarez (8 & 11), Dani Hernández (9), Alfredo Ibáñez (10) INTERMISSION COPPÉLIA (scenes from Acts I & II) Choreographed by Alicia Alonso, based on the original by Arthur Saint-Léon and after Marius Petipa’s version Music by Léo Delibes Set design and wardrobe by Ricardo Reymena Coppélia or The girl with enamel eyes premiered at the Paris Opera on May 25, 1870. Swanilda and Franz, the main characters, celebrate their wedding. In Act III they dance the well-known pas de deux, to which the Mazurka of Act I has been added. Performers Mazurka Soloists Aymara Vasallo & Javier Sánchez (8 & 11), Mercedes Piedra & Javier Sánchez (9 & 10), and Corps de ballet Swanilda Grettel Morejón (8 & 11), Estheysis Menéndez (9), Amaya Rodríguez (10) Franz Osiel Gounod (8 & 11), Alfredo Ibáñez (9), José Losada (10) DON QUIXOTE (scenes from Acts I & III) Choreographed by Alicia Alonso, Marta García, and María Elena Llorente after Marius Petipa’s original version and Alexander Gorsky’s version Music by Ludwig Minkus Set design by Frank Alvarez Wardrobe by Salvador Fernández The ballet Don Quixote premiered on December 26, 1869 at the Bolshoi Theatre of Moscow, inspired by an episode of the famous same-titled work by Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra. The Cuban version of this work premiered on July 6, 1988 at the Grand Theatre of Havana. Act I shows the bullfighters entering the square of a Castillian village.