Iconographic Opens The Sarasota Ballet’s Season With A Program Of Classical, Modern, And Contemporary Works
26 – 28 October 2018 at the FSU Center for the Performing Arts
Sarasota, FL (October 4, 2018) – The Sarasota Ballet’s 2018 - 2019 Season opens with Iconographic, a triple bill that features the Company Premiere of Martha Graham’s Appalachian Spring, alongside Ricardo Graziano’s Symphony of Sorrows and Galina Samsova’s production of Paquita. The program is a perfect example of the repertoire and values of The Sarasota Ballet, highlighting classical ballets alongside modern and contemporary works.
“Iconographic is a great program to kick start our Season,” exclaims Iain Webb, Director of The Sarasota Ballet. “All three works are important in their own way, but I am especially thrilled to be able to bring a Martha Graham work into our repertoire. Performing her seminal Appalachian Spring in October, and presenting the Martha Graham Dance Company here in Sarasota in February, gives the Season a remarkable thread of connection as well as provides our audiences and dancers an extraordinary opportunity to see the works of this great master of American dance.”
As one of the innovators of dance in America, Martha Graham is an American modern dance icon. Her exceptional accomplishments include being the first dancer to perform at the White House, as well as the first dancer to receive the highest civilian honor—The Presidential Medal of Freedom with Distinction. For Appalachian Spring, two true American artists collaborated to create this beloved work—Martha Graham as choreographer and Aaron Copland as composer. As Meridee Duddleston wrote, the piece tells an “American story of courage, community and innovation, portrayed through the aspirations of a newly married couple settling in Pennsylvania.”
Ricardo Graziano’s Symphony of Sorrows, choreographed to Henryk Górecki’s Symphony No.3 – Movement 3, is a contemporary ballet portraying people’s reactions towards death and the loss of a loved one. Describing the concept behind the piece, Graziano has said “Sometimes people drown themselves in their denial, anger, and guilt. Help from a family member, friend, or even a guardian is needed to bring them back to reality to show them that we have got to keep on living, no matter how difficult that idea can seem.” As one of his first commissioned works, the ballet demonstrates his emotional maturity, which belies his youth and sets the foundation for many of the ballets he has gone on to create. It was during the April 2014 revival of Symphony of Sorrows Webb promoted Graziano to Resident Choreographer of The Sarasota Ballet, making this ballet an important and iconic work in Graziano’s choreographic career.
The grand pas from Paquita, a dazzling display of pure classical technique, set to a melodious score by Ludwig Minkus. Like many ballets taken into the Russian repertory in the nineteenth century, Paquita was originally created for the Paris Opera Ballet and was based on a dramatic scenario by Paul Foucher. Although the complete ballet was mostly lost after the Russian revolution, Petipa’s grand pas, performed by the prima ballerina, premier danseur, four soloists and eight corps de ballet dancers, has been preserved and has become beloved by both dancers and audiences. This production, by celebrated Russian ballerina Galina Samsova, was originally staged for the Sadler’s Wells Royal Ballet and offers a feast of Spanish themed dancing.
The Sarasota Ballet’s performances of Iconographic are sponsored by the Observer Media Group.
Performance Schedule and Ticket Information
26 – 28 October 2018
FSU Center for the Performing Arts
Friday, 26 October 2018 at 7:30pm
Saturday, 27 October 2018 at 2:00pm
Saturday, 27 October 2018 at 7:30pm
Sunday, 28 October 2018 at 2:00pm
Sunday, 28 October 2018 at 7:30pm
Paquita
Production by Galina Samsova
Music by Ludwig Minkus
Symphony of Sorrows
Choreography by Ricardo Graziano
Music by Henryk Górecki
Appalachian Spring (Company premiere)
Choreography by Martha Graham
Music by Aaron Copland
Subscription Tickets
Subscriptions and Packages to The Sarasota Ballet’s 2018 - 2019 Season are on sale now, beginning at $100. For information, please visit www.SarasotaBallet.org or call the box office at 941.359.0099, Monday through Friday, 10am to 4pm.
Single Tickets
Individual tickets for Iconographic, starting at $30, are on sale now at www.SarasotaBallet.org or by calling 941.359.0099.
About The Sarasota Ballet
Since 1990, the mission of The Sarasota Ballet has been enriching lives, captivating emotions, and strengthening the community through the art of dance. Under the leadership of Director Iain Webb, Executive Director Joseph Volpe, and Assistant Director Margaret Barbieri, The Sarasota Ballet has received national and international recognition for its diverse repertoire of rarely performed ballets, as well as the integrity and artistry of its performances. The Company’s expanded repertoire includes works by world-renowned choreographers such as Sir Frederick Ashton, George Balanchine, Sir Matthew Bourne, Dame Ninette de Valois, Michel Fokine, Sir Kenneth MacMillan, Rudolf Nureyev, Jerome Robbins, Paul Taylor, Twyla Tharp, Antony Tudor, and Christopher Wheeldon. During Webb’s tenure, The Sarasota Ballet has been invited to perform twice at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. and twice at the Fall for Dance Festival at New York City Center, as well as week-long residencies at the Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival and the Joyce Theater in New York. In May 2017 The Sarasota Ballet performed at the inaugural National Choreographic Festival in Salt Lake City and in August of 2018 returned to the Joyce Theater for another sold out week-long residency.
