“One of the nation’s best ballet companies.”
-The New York Times
Houston Ballet
Sat, Oct 19 | 7:30PM
Houston Ballet makes its highly anticipated return for the first time in 15 years with a stunning program that showcases the artistic depth and technical virtuosity of one of America’s premier ballet companies. George Balanchine’s Tschaikovsky Pas de Deux is described by New York City Ballet as “an eight-minute display of ballet bravura and technique.” Stanton Welch’s Velocity, created for The Australian Ballet in 2003, is a study in speed, characterized by rapid precision. It serves as a compelling and dynamic showcase of the athleticism of the company dancers. The Sydney Morning Herald calls it “a headlong gallop of virtuosic dance that is stamped with the classical technique, yet races ahead with explosive twists which test the dancers’ skills.” Choreographer Aszure Barton—whose eclectic works have graced countless international stages worldwide—sets a hypnotic, meditative tone with the powerful Come In, performed by 13 male dancers and crafted for her friend and mentor Mikhail Baryshnikov in 2006. After a critically-acclaimed debut in 2019, choreographer Disha Zhang’s Elapse returns to the stage for an encore not to be missed. Exploring the idea of aging and the passage of time, her first piece choreographed for an American company is set to a captivating original score by Zeng Xiaogang.
Stanton Welch AM
The Harris Masterson III Artistic Director
Julie Kent
Artistic Director
For wheelchair seating needs, please call NOBA’s box office at 504-522-0996 ext. 201 between 10am-5pm, M-F. Wheelchair seating includes one wheelchair and one companion.
Tickets
SAT, OCT 19 | 7:30PM
Mahalia Jackson Theater
New Orleans, Louisiana
Ticketing Notice
Tickets sold on any other website are not guaranteed to be legitimate and will not be honored.
ABOUT HOUSTON BALLET
With over 50 years of rich history, Houston Ballet has evolved into a company with a budget of $37.6 million and an endowment of $97.5 million (as of June 2023), making it the country’s fourth-largest ballet company. Its $46.6 million state-of-the-art performance space, the Houston Ballet Margaret Alkek Williams Center for Dance opened in April 2011. In addition, Houston Ballet’s reach is global, touring theaters in Dubai, London, Paris, Moscow, Spain, Montréal, Ottawa, Melbourne, New York City, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, Tokyo and more.
Australian choreographer Stanton Welch AM has served as Artistic Director of Houston Ballet since 2003. Welch has choreographed 43 new works for Houston Ballet during his tenure while ensuring the growth of the Company’s repertoire by presenting works from George Balanchine, William Forsythe, Jiří Kylián, Sir Kenneth MacMillan, John Neumeier, and Jerome Robbins. Welch continues the legacy of Houston Ballet being a choreographic Eden by commissioning over 30 works from world-renowned choreographers including Aszure Barton, Trey McIntyre, Annabelle Lopez Ochoa and Justin Peck. Julie Kent joined Welch as Artistic Director in 2023, after serving as Artistic Director of The Washington Ballet from 2016 – 2023 and following a storied career as a Principal ballerina of American Ballet Theatre – the longest-tenured dancer in ABT’s 85-year history. Executive Director James Nelson serves as the administrative leader of the organization, a position he assumed in February 2012 after serving as the Company’s General Manager for more than a decade.
Beyond its stage presence, Houston Ballet maintains a strong foothold in continuing to foster a love for dance in future generations. Its Education and Community Engagement program reaches more than 85,000 individuals in the Houston area annually. Houston Ballet Academy trains more than 1,000 students every year, producing more than 60 percent of the extraordinary artists that comprise Houston Ballet’s current Company.
For more information on Houston Ballet, visit houstonballet.org
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