March 27 - 28, 2026
P6 – LIFE AND LIBERTY
Featuring Stars and Stripes and ‘Still Life’ at the Penguin Café
‘Still Life’ at the Penguin Café, choreographed by Sir David Bintley, features the eclectic and wildly original music of Simon Jeffes and his Penguin Café Orchestra. The point of the ballet is a cautionary tale about our environment at risk and our criminal indifference to its survival, yet served up with wit and imagination, without preachiness, as entertainment by the doomed species themselves. Referred to as a “witty and enjoyable, yet bittersweet and poignant look at humankind’s effect on the world,” by the Birmingham Royal Ballet, this reigns true as Bintley draws his audience’s attention to the deliberate pun of “still life,” referencing both the classical painting genre and the hope of “yet living.”
To honor the 250th anniversary of the United States of America, the second half of Program Six will showcase George Balanchine’s celebratory Stars & Stripes to the iconic music of John Philip Sousa. Choreographed as a tribute to his own deep appreciation for the U.S.A., Balanchine infused classical ballet with American culture and themes to foster a work that transcends his unmistakable musicality and celebrates the greatness of the country that welcomed him upon arrival and commended his work.
Repertoire will include:
Stars and Stripes
Choreography by George Balanchine
Music by John Philip Sousa
Music Arrangement by Hershy Kay
Set Design by David Hays
Lighting Design by Ethan Vail
Staged by Sandra Jennings
‘Still Life’ at the Penguin Café
Choreography by Sir David Bintley
Music by Simon Jeffes
Designs by Hayden Griffin
Lighting Design by John B. Read
Staged by Patricia Tierney
Featuring Live Music by the Sarasota Orchestra
PRICE
$35 – $125
Venue
Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall
777 N Tamiami Trail, Sarasota, FL 34236
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Why You Will Love Program Six | Life and Liberty
Creative Team
Stars and Stripes
Choreography
George Balanchine
Music By
John Philip Sousa
Music Arrangement By
Hershy Kay
Set Design By
David Hays
Lighting Design By
Ethan Vail
Staged By
Sandra Jennings
Still Life’ at the Penguin Café
Choreography
Sir David Bintley
Music By
Simon Jeffes
Design By
Hayden Griffin
Lighting Design By
John B. Read