Boston Ballet to Present MINDSCAPE This May

Boston Ballet will present MINDscape, a program featuring the world premieres of William Forsythe's Blake Works III and Resident Choreographer Jorma Elo's Ruth's Dance, plus the return of Forsythe's Blake Works I. MINDscape runs May 5-15 at the Citizens Bank Opera House.

"We are extremely fortunate to have two of the best living choreographers here in Boston creating new works for our Company," said Artistic Director Mikko Nissinen. "When William Forsythe creates a world premiere, it is a major event. I am thrilled that Boston Ballet premieres Bill's newest piece, Blake Works III. I am grateful for our special relationship with Bill and proud to have the richest collection of his ballets in the United States. He continues to push the art form and our dancers further, and I am excited to share these impactful works with you. As our long-time Resident Choreographer, Jorma Elo is on a roll of creating new classical works with ballet technique infused with his distinct individual flavor. From the first glimpses of his rehearsals, I was blown away by the freshness and poignancy. I hope you will enjoy another page from Jorma's amazing ballet book, accompanied by our tremendous Boston Ballet Orchestra."

Blake Works I

Forsythe's Blake Works I is a work for 21 dancers set to music from GRAMMY-nominated British musician James Blake's album "The Colour in Anything." According to Forsythe, the ballet is dedicated to all the teachers who have enabled us to see the joy in rigor. Premiered in 2016 for Paris Opera Ballet, Blake Works I was the first ballet that Forsythe created since 1999 when he choreographed Woundwork I and Pas/Parts for Paris Opera Ballet. It was described as "sheer joy" by Roslyn Sulcas of The New York Times. Boston Ballet made the North American premiere of Blake Works I in 2019.

Blake Works III (The Barre Project)

Making its world premiere, Forsythe's Blake Works III is the latest installment in his evolving work The Barre Project (Blake Works II). The work derives its inspiration from the propulsive and rigorously structured songs of composer James Blake, whose work appears primarily in the popular music idiom. The Barre series began in 2020 at the height of the pandemic as a filmed dance with Tiler Peck, Lex Ishimoto, Brooklyn Mack, and Roman Meijia that was streamed to a global audience facing the restrictions on live performance at the time. The live stage version for Boston Ballet features newly choreographed sections that highlight the diverse and formidable talents of the ensemble and is a version of the ballet that is unique to this Company alone.

William Forsythe is "widely recognized as one of the most important choreographers working today" (Roslyn Sulcas, The New York Times), and his work has been performed by virtually every major ballet company in the world. Forsythe danced with the Joffrey Ballet and Stuttgart Ballet, where he was appointed Resident Choreographer in 1976. He spent the next seven years of his career creating new work for Stuttgart and companies around the world. In 1984, he began a 20-year tenure as director of Ballet Frankfurt. He later served as the director of The Forsythe Company-a new, independent ensemble based in Dresden and Frankfurt am Main-which he directed from 2005 to 2015. Forsythe's work continues to be commissioned by the world's most prestigious companies, and he regularly gives lectures and workshops at universities and cultural institutions around the world. He is an Honorary Fellow at the Laban Centre for Movement and Dance in London and holds an Honorary Doctorate from The Juilliard School. Forsythe is a Professor of Dance and Artistic Advisor for the Choreographic Institute at the University of Southern California Glorya Kaufman School of Dance. Boston Ballet launched a long-term partnership with Forsythe in 2016.

Ruth's Dance

Jorma Elo's world premiere Ruth's Dance features 23 dancers and is set to music by J.S. Bach. This work is in honor of Elo's mother and the theme of losing a loved one. Live music from the Boston Ballet Orchestra accompanies the dancers, featuring two pianists and a small chamber orchestra. An excerpt of Ruth's Dance was called "a neoclassical gem" (The Boston Globe) when it premiered as part of Boston Ballet's virtual program reSTART in 2021.

"This is a deeply personal ballet for me, and I am grateful to be honoring my mother with this new work," said Elo. "Despite the sadness around losing someone, this work is happy, as she was a bundle of energy and joy. She is why I dance and why I love music, and I hope to pass on what I learned from her to inspire the dancers."

Finnish-born Jorma Elo was appointed Resident Choreographer of Boston Ballet in 2005. He has created more than 60 works for over 30 companies worldwide, including New York City Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, San Francisco Ballet, and National Ballet of Canada. Elo danced professionally with Finnish National Ballet and Cullberg Ballet and joined Netherlands Dance Theater in 1990, where he enjoyed a 15-year career. Elo was awarded the Pro Finlandia Medal of the Order of the Lion of Finland, one of Finland's highest honors, in 2015. He was awarded Moscow's prestigious Benois de la Danse prize for best choreography in 2011 for his production of A Midsummer Night's Dream and Slice to Sharp.

All patrons attending a live, indoor Boston Ballet performance must present proof of vaccination or proof of a recent negative COVID test before entering the venue and must wear a mask inside the theater at all times, regardless of vaccination status. For full policy details, please visit bostonballet.org.

All 10 performances of MINDscape will take place at the Citizens Bank Opera House (539 Washington St, Boston, MA 02111):

Thursday, May 5 at 7:30 pm
Friday, May 6 at 7:30 pm
Saturday, May 7 at 1:30 pm
Saturday, May 7 at 7:30 pm
Sunday, May 8 at 1:30 pm
Thursday, May 12 at 7:30 pm
Friday, May 13 at 7:30 pm
Saturday, May 14 at 1:30 pm
Saturday, May 14 at 7:30 pm
Sunday, May 15 at 1:30 pm

Tickets start at $39. For more information, visit bostonballet.org/MINDscape or call 617.695.6955.

MINDscape is approximately 2 hours and 15 minutes with 2 intermissions.

Blake Works I
Choreography: William Forsythe
Music: James Blake
Stage Design: William Forsythe
Costume Design: William Forsythe and Dorothee Merg
Lighting Design: William Forsythe and Tanja Rühl

Ruth's Dance
World Premiere
Choreography: Jorma Elo
Music: J. S. Bach
Lighting Design: Brandon Stirling Baker
Costume Design: Ezra Lovesky

Blake Works III (The Barre Project)
World Premiere
Choreography: William Forsythe
Music: James Blake
Stage Design: William Forsythe
Assistant to the Choreographer: Jodie Gates
Costume Design: William Forsythe
Lighting Design: Brandon Stirling Baker

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