Dance & Ballet News, What's coming December 9, 2010

American Ballet Theatre Returns to Sadler’s Wells Feb 2011

Internationally acclaimed American Ballet Theatre makes a welcome return to Sadler’s Wells this spring, with a mixed bill including two UK premieres.

Gillian Murphy, Cory Stearns and Artists of ABT in Balanchine's Allegro Brillante. Photo: Gene Schiavone / ABT ©

The company annually performs for more than 600,000 people and has toured to over 40 countries around the world. ABT’s vast, wide-ranging repertoire takes in all of the great full-length ballets of the 19th century as well as modern classics and new commissions. At Sadler’s Wells the company presents two programmes that showcase its versatility:

Programme One includes two UK premieres; ABT Artist in Residence Alexei Ratmansky’s Seven Sonatas, and Everything Doesn’t Happen at Once by Benjamin Millepied, whose choreographic works include Passages for the Conservatoire National de Lyon and From Here On Out for ABT. The programme also includes Twyla Tharp’s Known By Heart pas de deux and George Balanchine’s Duo Concertant, set to music by Igor Stravinsky.

Programme Two features Balanchine’s classic Theme and Variations, set to music by Tchaikovsky, Antony Tudor’s lyrical Jardin aux Lilas (Lilac Garden), which was premiered by Ballet Rambert in 1936 and celebrated contemporary dance-maker Paul Taylor’s Company B, performed to songs by The Andrews Sisters.

ABT Artists in Paul Taylor's Company B. Photo: ABT ©

Sadler’s Wells Repertoire & Casting (subject to change):

Tuesday 1 February at 7.30pm

Programme 1

  • Seven Sonatas  - Julie Kent, Xiomara Reyes, Stella Abrera, David Hallberg, Herman Cornejo, Gennadi Saveliev
  • Known By Heart  – Gillian Murphy, Ethan Stiefel
  • Duo Concertant – TBA
  • Everything Doesn’t Happen at Once - Isabella Boylston, Marcelo Gomes, Daniil Simkin

Wednesday 2 February at 7.30pm

Programme 2

  • Theme and Variations – Gillian Murphy, David Hallberg
  • Jardin aux Lilas - Julie Kent, Cory Stearns, Kristi Boone, Roman Zhurbin
  • Pas de Deux (TBA)  - Xiomara Reyes, Herman Cornejo
  • Company B  - Company

Thursday 3 February at 7.30pm

Programme 1

  • Seven Sonatas  – TBA, Sarah Lane, Yuriko Kajiya, Jared Matthews, Joseph Phillips, Carlos Lopez
  • Known by Heart   – TBA
  • Duo Concertant  – TBA
  • Everything Doesn’t Happen at Once  - TBA, Cory Stearns, Arron Scott

Friday 4 February at 7.30pm

Programme 1

  • Seven Sonatas  – Julie Kent, Xiomara Reyes, Stella Abrera, David Hallberg, Herman Cornejo, Gennadi Saveliev
  • Known by Heart - TBA
  • Duo Concertant - TBA
  • Everything Doesn’t Happen at Once - Isabella Boylston, Marcelo Gomes, Daniil Simkin

Daniil Simkin and Artists of ABT in Benjamin Millepied's Everything Doesn't Happen at Once. Photo: Gene Schiavone / ABT ©

Saturday 5 February at 2.30pm

Programme 2

  • Theme and Variations  – Yuriko Kajiya, Daniil Simkin
  • Jardin aux Lilas  - Julie Kent, Cory Stearns, Kristi Boone, Roman Zhurbin
  • Pas de Deux  (TBA) – TBA
  • Company B – Company

Saturday 5 February at 7.30pm

Programme 2

  • Theme & Variations  - Michele Wiles, Cory Stearns
  • Jardin aux Lilas - TBA, Thomas Forster, Veronika Part, Vitali Krauchenka
  • Pas de Deux - TBA
  • Company B – Company

Sunday 6 February at 2.30pm

Programme 2

  • Theme and Variations  - Gillian Murphy, David Hallberg
  • Jardin aux Lilas  – TBA, Thomas Forster, Veronika Part, Vitali Krauchenka
  • Pas de Deux (TBA) - TBA
  • Company B - Company

Sunday 6 February at 7.30pm

Programme 2

  • Theme and Variations - Sarah Lane, Herman Cornejo
  • Jardin aux Lilas - Xiomara Reyes, Daniil Simkin, TBA, TBA
  • Pas de Deux (TBA) - TBA
  • Company B - Company

American Ballet Theatre’s Two Mixed Bills run at Sadler’s Wells from 1 February to 6 February 2011. For further information and booking visit Sadler’s Wells Website or call the Box Office on 0844 412 4300.

We started The Ballet Bag in April 2009 with the mission to prove that ballet is not stuffy, old fashioned and inaccessible; that it is quite the opposite: relevant, fresh and topical. With the aim to Give Ballet a New Spin we try to show it under a different light. When writing our capsule biographies, ballet fact cards, review roundups and commentary on social media, we cross it over with other art forms and cultural references (pop culture, cinema, rock music – ie. other things we love!).

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4 Comments

  • February 4, 2011

    American Ballet Theatre

    [...] New chapter in our ongoing series of Ballet History articles. This time we look at ABT during its current tour to London. [...]

  • January 2, 2011

    Emilia

    Absolutely! They are definitely bringing a better programme this year… It was such a shame to have both ABT and the Royal Ballet staging Swan Lake at the same time, across the street from each other, as in the last tour!

  • January 2, 2011

    ghost_13

    thanks for the cast list – sorry just woken up to your post
    fingers crossed that the ABT get the audience they deserve this year as the last twice that they played London the theatre’s were very empty.

  • December 9, 2010

    Tweets that mention American Ballet Theatre Returns to Sadler’s Wells Feb 2011 -- Topsy.com

    [...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by The Ballet Bag, The Ballet Bag. The Ballet Bag said: New post: American Ballet Theatre ( @ABTBallet ) retuns to @sadlers_wells Feb 2011 – castings & details http://bit.ly/etP3pW [...]