Kansas City Ballet's 2016-17 Season to Feature A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM & More

Kansas City Ballet Artistic Director Devon Carney today announced the 2016-2017 season. The 59th season will open with the full length, lighthearted Shakespearian frolic, A Midsummer Night's Dream, choreography by Bruce Wells with music by Felix Mendelssohn.

Immediately following will be the return of Kansas City Ballet's The Nutcracker. This celebrated production premiered last year to unparalleled success. With imaginative choreography by Devon Carney, spectacular sets by Alain Vaës, and exquisite costumes by Holly Hynes, it is an entertainment delight for the holidays.

Following this holiday classic, will be the first-ever presentation by Kansas City Ballet of the renowned fairy tale The Sleeping Beauty. This sumptuous production will be choreographed by Devon Carney inspired after Marius Petipa, and featuring the luscious score of Peter I. Tchaikovsky.

Concluding the mainstage season Kansas City Ballet will be featuring masters of the past and present. George Balanchine's classical masterpiece Theme and Variations, Jerome Robbins' Interplay, and contemporary ballet choreographer Val Caniparoli's The Lottery, based on Shirley Jackson's shocking short story by the same name.

Rounding out the season, Kansas City Ballet will continue its New Moves series at the Bolender Center for Dance & Creativity. New Moves is an intimate performance event designed to search out, develop and showcase new emerging choreographers.

All performances at The Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts will be accompanied by the Kansas City Symphony, conducted by Kansas City Ballet Music Director Ramona Pansegrau.

In discussing the 2016-2017 season, Kansas City Ballet Artistic Director Devon Carney said, "I love presenting our new season to our audiences. From the glorious and gorgeous romance, The Sleeping Beauty, the charming A Midsummer Night's Dream and the reverberating surprise of The Lottery, this season is an expression of my commitment to artistic excellence in expanding our repertoire with more challenging classics, great 20th century masterworks by Robbins and Balanchine and finding new and fresh works for our audiences to enjoy. Additionally, I am delighted to showcase the growth and stunning talent of our Company artists in this mix-repertoire for the season. I am convinced our audiences will be delighted with this variety not only on the Kauffman stage but also at our home at the Todd Bolender Center through our engaging New Moves program."

Visit www.kcballet.org for more information about Kansas City Ballet's 2016-2017 season and www.kauffmancenter.org for a downloadable media kit about the Kauffman Center. High resolution photos of the 2016-2017 season can be found here.

Kansas City Ballet

2016-2017 Season at a Glance

Kansas City Ballet ticket office 816.931.8993

Single tickets for all performances will go on sale Mon., Aug. 15. The Nutcracker tickets will go on sale Mon., Aug. 29. Purchase tickets online at www.kcballet.org.

Kansas City Dance Day

Aug. 27, 2016 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. | Todd Bolender Center for Dance and Creativity

Kansas City's 6th annual celebration of dance and movement features FREE dance performances, dance and fitness classes, demonstrations and FUN for the whole family.

A Midsummer Night's Dream

October 7-16, 2016 | Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts

Choreography: Bruce Wells

Music: Felix Mendelssohn with music performed by Kansas City Symphony

Fri., Oct. 7 7:30 p.m.

Sat., Oct. 8 7:30 p.m.

Sun., Oct. 9 2 p.m.

Fri., Oct. 14 7:30 p.m.

Sat., Oct. 15 7:30 p.m.

Sun., Oct. 16 2 p.m.

The Nutcracker

December 3-24, 2016 | Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts

Choreography: Devon Carney

Music: Peter I. Tchaikovsky with music performed by Kansas City Symphony

Kansas City Ballet Artistic Director Devon Carney presents the critically-acclaimed production of this favorite holiday classic. Presented by Bank of America.

Sat., Dec. 3 2 p.m. (*) & 7:30 p.m.

Sun., Dec. 4 1 p.m. & 5 p.m.

Thur., Dec. 8 7:30 p.m.

Fri., Dec. 9 7:30 p.m.

Sat., Dec. 10 2 p.m. & 7:30 p.m.

Sun., Dec. 11 1 p.m. & 5 p.m.

Wed., Dec. 14 7:30 p.m.

Thurs., Dec. 15 7:30 p.m.

Fri., Dec. 16 7:30 p.m.

Sat., Dec. 17 2 p.m. & 7:30 p.m.

Sun., Dec. 18 1 p.m. & 5 p.m.

Wed., Dec. 21 7:30 p.m.

Thur., Dec. 22 2 p.m. & 7:30 p.m.

Fri., Dec. 23 2 p.m. & 7:30 p.m.

Sat., Dec. 24 1 p.m.

(*) Sugar Plum Fairy Children's Ball Luncheon

New Moves

February 10-18, 2017 | Todd Bolender Center for Dance and Creativity

A unique performance event designed to search out, develop and showcase new emerging choreographers both locally, some from within Kansas City Ballet, and from the national dance scene. No subscriptions available for these performances.

Fri., Feb. 10 7:30 p.m.

Sat., Feb. 11 7:30 p.m.

Thurs., Feb. 16 7:30 p.m.(*)

Fri., Feb. 17 7:30 p.m.

Sat., Feb. 18 2 p.m.(*) & 7:30 p.m.

Sun., Feb 19 1 p.m.

(*)Tentative Performances

The Sleeping Beauty

March 31-April 9, 2017 | Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts

Choreography: Devon Carney after Marius Petipa

Music: Peter I. Tchaikovsky with music performed by Kansas City Symphony

Fri., March 31 7:30 p.m.

Sat., April 1 7:30 p.m.

Sun., April 2 2 p.m.

Thur. April 6 7:30 p.m.

Fri., April 7 7:30 p.m.

Sat., April 8 2 p.m. & 7:30 p.m.

Sun., April 9 2 p.m.

The Lottery (Based on Shirley Jackson's "The Lottery")

May 12-21, 2017 | Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts

Music performed by Kansas City Symphony

Presented by special arrangement with the children of Shirley Jackson and Literal Media

Interplay Choreography: Jerome Robbins Music: Morton Gould

The Lottery Choreography: Val Caniparoli Music: Robert Moran

Theme and Variations Choreography: George Balanchine Music: Peter I. Tchaikovsky

Fri., May 12 7:30 p.m.

Sat., May 13 7:30 p.m.

Sun., May 14 2 p.m.

Fri., May 19 7:30 p.m.

Sat., May 20 7:30 p.m.

Sun., May 21 2 p.m.

MORE about the 2016-2017 Season

A Midsummer Night's Dream

October 7-16, 2016

Based on William Shakespeare's comedy about the romantic misadventures of two mortal couples and the king and queen of the fairies, this charming production opens the 2016-2017 season. With delightful choreography by Bruce Wells and the captivating musical score of Felix Mendelssohn, this light and comical ballet has charmed audiences since its premiere in 1962.

Bruce Wells, a former soloist with New York City Ballet, is an internationally known choreographer who has created more than 40 ballets for companies worldwide. Wells has skillfully weaved the three narrative strands of this joyous comedy: the four young lovers who flee the court of Athens for the forest; the world of the fairies, presided over by Oberon, king of the fairies, and his queen Titania, and their mischievous servant Puck; and the six craftsmen who set out to perform a hilarious amateur theatrical production of the love story Pyramus and Thisbe.

In addition to the full Company, no fewer than 24 students from the Kansas City Ballet School will dance in the production. Vocalists from the Kansas City Chorale under the artistic direction of Charles Bruffy will round out this magical production.

The Nutcracker

December 3-24, 2016

Premiering in 2015, the all-new production of Devon Carney's The Nutcracker opened to rave critical reviews and broke records with more than 31,000 tickets sold and more than $2.5M in ticket sales.

The Kansas City Star 's Robert Trussell stated, "The rebuilt and reimagined "Nutcracker" is a visually mesmerizing spectacle... and Carney has come up with an extraordinary physical production that dazzles us."

Liz Cook from The Pitch opined, "The company's artistic director, Devon Carney, has made the holiday classic a snow-dipped, candied Christmas dream, with an all-new staging that restores much of Tchaikovsky's score and a production design that's heavy on Victorian glamour."

The design team includes Alain Vaës (set), Holly Hynes (costume), and Trad A Burns (lighting).

The Nutcracker, featuring the music of Peter I. Tchaikovsky and choreography of Devon Carney, will be offered for 23 public performances and two matinees for schools. This two-act ballet tells the timeless tale of Clara, her Nutcracker Prince, the Sugar Plum Fairy and more! Kansas City Ballet dancers, plus more than 200 local students ages 7 to 17 selected from Kansas City Ballet School, will perform E.T.A. Hoffman's story. The Nutcracker is presented by Bank of America.

New Moves

Feb. 10-18, 2017

New Moves is a unique performance event designed to search out, develop and showcase new emerging choreographers both from within Kansas City Ballet and from the national dance scene.

"New Moves is a chance for audiences to see the next big choreographer before they are considered the next big choreographer," Carney said. "It is a very up close and visceral experience for audience and dancer alike, with all performances held in the Todd Bolender Center's intimate Michael and Ginger Frost Studio Theater. Our Kansas City Ballet artists and emerging choreographers, together reaching the very edge, discover bold new ways of expression."

An important part of Kansas City Ballet's mission is to enrich lives by offering a variety of programming designed to develop dance artists and enthusiasts. New Moves offers behind-the-scenes access and brings you closer to the artists and performances. The 2016-2017 subscription does not include New Moves. Subscribers may buy New Moves tickets at a 20% discount before they go on sale to the general public.

The Sleeping Beauty

March 31-April 9, 2017

The 2016-2017 season continues with a Kansas City Ballet premiere of a beloved classic, The Sleeping Beauty, choreographed by Devon Carney, after famed 19th century choreographer Marius Petipa and set to the magnificent score by Peter I. Tchaikovsky. This famous classical tale was first performed in 1890 in St. Petersburg, Russia. Long considered one of the most spectacular ballets in the classical repertoire, this full-length ballet in three acts will complete the repertoire of Tchaikovsky ballets for Kansas City Ballet, which includes Swan Lake and The Nutcracker.

The Sleeping Beauty brings to life the enchanting story of Princess Aurora, bewitched by the evil Carabosse and placed along with her kingdom into a deep and protective sleep by the benevolent Lilac Fairy, to be awakened by her noble Prince whose kiss breaks the spell. In four swiftly moving scenes, the drama and excitement of this classic tale are enhanced by glittering royal waltzes, vibrant storybook divertissements and one of the most beloved grand pas de deux in all of ballet.

The Lottery (Based on Shirley Jackson's "The Lottery")

Presented by special arrangement with the children of Shirley Jackson and Literal Media

May 12-21, 2017

The program includes all Kansas City premieres.

The program will begin with Jerome Robbins' Interplay. This tender and innocent piece, featuring the joyful and jazzy music of Morton Gould, debuted in 1945 to great acclaim. Using the interplay of classical and vernacular choreography, Robbins experimented with patterns and dancers' playful camaraderie and competition in different formations. Gould's humor and jazzy orchestration underscores a bluesy time in the 1940s.

The Kansas City premiere by Val Caniparoli of The Lottery will continue this program. Based on Shirley Jackson's short story originally published in The New Yorker in 1948, this ballet, featuring the original musical composition of Robert Moran, tells the haunting story of the Chosen One. This ballet begins with a joyful gathering as if celebrating a harvest, each dancer carefully gathering stones. With echoes of early Americana and small towns with white picket fences, the ballet descends into somber reality as dancers draw ballots from a black box. Here the ballet presents its unique ending: this is a real lottery. No dancer knows who will be chosen. Each dancer has his or her own variation for the end of the piece and audience members will be the first to learn each night which dancer has become the Chosen One.

The program concludes with George Balanchine's Theme and Variations with the music of Peter Tchaikovsky. This intense ballet, made up of 12 variations, is evocative of his Russian heritage with incredible symmetry and outstanding musicality that defines Balanchine. The ballet opens to reveal a corps of twelve women and a principal couple. As the ballet moves from variation to variation, the solo performances of the ballerina and her partner are interspersed among the corps performances. As in all classical ballets, there is a central pas de deux which builds to the climactic finale for the entire cast of 26 dancers.

Sponsors

The Muriel McBrien Kauffman Foundation, Kansas City Ballet Guild, the Missouri Arts Council-a state agency and the Arts Council of Greater Kansas City, support Kansas City Ballet's 59th season.

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