COPPELIA Comes To Life With Houston Ballet

For the first time in over a decade, Houston Ballet brings back Copp lia, a family-friendly treasure created by former Houston Ballet Artistic Director Ben Stevenson OBE. Serving as Artistic Director of Houston Ballet from 1976 to 2003, Stevenson developed a wide repertory and is credited with transforming Houston Ballet into one of America's leading ballet companies.

Stevenson's Copp lia takes ballet goers on a sensory journey sure to delight all ages. This lighthearted story follows the young love between Franz and Swanhilda, who encounter the dollmaker Dr. Coppelius and his beautiful creation Copp lia. Fans of the score from Stanton Welch's Sylvia can rejoice, as Copp lia is also set to music by Leo Delibes. Original costumes and scenic designs by the legendary Desmond Heeley bring vast color and life to the Wortham Theater Center stage. The audience experience is enhanced by a dedicated Heeley exhibit on display during the Copp lia run.

Members of the community can explore an integral part of Copp lia, character dance, through its upcoming free Dance talk on May 7 at 7:15 p.m. at Houston Ballet's Center for Dance. During Character Dance and Its Role in Classical Ballet, participants will hear from Houston Ballet Master Steven Woodgate and Houston Ballet Academy Instructors Cheryne Busch and Beth Everitt and see a live demonstration from Houston Ballet Professional Program students.

Join Houston Ballet for all the fun filled Copp lia performances and activities sure to please all ages. Learn more and secure tickets to this long-time favorite by visiting HoustonBallet.org or calling 713.227.ARTS(2787).

Houston Ballet has evolved into a company of 60 dancers with a budget of $33 million, making it the country's fifth largest ballet company. With a state-of-the-art performance space built especially for the company also the largest professional dance facility in America Houston Ballet's $46.6 million Center for Dance opened in April 2011, with an endowment of just over $74.1 million (as of July 2017).

Australian choreographer Stanton Welch AM has served as Artistic Director of Houston Ballet since 2003, raising the level of the company's classical technique and commissioning works from dance makers such as Christopher Bruce, Alexander Ekman, William Forsythe, Ji Kyli n, Trey McIntyre, Julia Adam, Edwaard Liang, and George Balanchine. Executive Director James Nelson serves as the administrative leader of the company, a position he assumed in February 2012 after serving as the company's General Manager for more than a decade.

Houston Ballet has toured extensively both nationally and internationally. Over the past fifteen years, the company has appeared in renowned theaters in Dubai, London, Paris, Moscow, Spain, Montr al, Ottawa, Melbourne, New York City, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, and in cities large and small across the United States.

Houston Ballet's Education and Community Engagement Program reaches more than 60,000 individuals in the Houston area annually. Houston Ballet Academy teaches more than one thousand students every year, and approximately 50 percent of the current company was trained by the Academy.

For more information on Houston Ballet, visit houstonballet.org.

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