Sarasota, FL (August 5, 2019) – The Sarasota Ballet’s Director, Iain Webb, today announces four exciting additions to the forthcoming 2019 – 2020 Season. “I can finally reveal the name of the ballet by David Bintley that we will be performing this Season,” exclaims Webb. “In 1997 David created a witty and extraordinary piece called The Spider’s Feast, which David will be reworking with new choreography and stunning new designs by Dick Bird. I’m also happy to announce that we will be performing Dominic Walsh’s charismatic I Napoletani in our January program. I am also thrilled to welcome back Marcelo Gomes as our Guest Artist for the Season, Marcelo will be performing in Program 2 – Symphonic Tales, our Annual Gala, and Program 4 – Redefined Movement. Finally, I am delighted to announce that Luke Schaufuss, son of renowned dancer Peter Schaufuss, will be joining us as a Principal for this coming Season.”
Originally created to celebrate The Royal Ballet School’s Golden Jubilee and founder Dame Ninette de Valois’ ninety-ninth birthday, David Bintley’s The Spider’s Feast is a humorous and inventive piece choreographed to Albert Roussel’s score Le Festin de l'araignée. A story ballet at its heart, the ballet centers on a predatory spider lurking in the garden as insects battle and play amongst themselves. Reviewing the ballet for The Telegraph, Nicholas Dromgoole wrote “We are conquered, disarmed and happily surrender to its lighthearted insouciance.”
Dominic Walsh’s I Napoletani, first created for Dominic Walsh Dance Theater in 2007, is a lighthearted ballet set to Pergolesi’s Stabat Mater and Neapolitan popular music from the late 1800s. Describing the ballet, Sarasota Herald Tribune reviewer Carrie Seidman stated “This charming portrait of the people of Naples captures the histrionic demonstrativeness of a culture firmly based in food, bravado and displays of the heart.”
As one of the most in demand Principal male dancers of today, Marcelo Gomes has performed most of the leading roles in the classical repertoire and has worked with virtually every major choreographer in the last 20 years. Gomes danced for two decades with American Ballet Theatre and has been a guest artist with most of the world’s leading ballet companies. As a Guest Artist with The Sarasota Ballet, Gomes has performed leading roles in Sir Frederick Ashton’s Apparitions, Meditation from Thaïs, The Two Pigeons, and Varii Capricci; George Balanchine’s Diamonds; and Ricardo Graziano’s Amorosa.
Luke Schaufuss joins The Sarasota Ballet from Scottish Ballet where he has danced as a Soloist since 2016. Born in the UK, Luke grew up in the theatre and trained at the famous Royal Danish Ballet. He has performed in numerous works by Sir Frederick Ashton, David Bintley, Sir Kenneth McMillan and August Bournonville worldwide. His leading roles include James in La Sylphide, Romeo and Mercutio in Sir Frederick Ashton’s Romeo & Juliet as well as the Prince in both Cinderella and The Nutcracker. Luke is the third generation of a dance dynasty, his grandparents were the leading lights Mona Vangsaae and Frank Schaufuss of the Royal Danish Ballet, and he is the son of renowned principal dancer and director Peter Schaufuss.
Performance Schedule and Ticket Information
GRAZIANO, RETROSPECTIVE - Program 1 | 25 – 27 October 2019
FSU Center for the Performing Arts
Shostakovich Suite
Choreography by Ricardo Graziano
Music by Dmitri Shostakovich
En las Calles de Murcia
Choreography by Ricardo Graziano
Music by Santiago de Murcia
In a State of Weightlessness
Choreography by Ricardo Graziano
Music by Philip Glass
SYMPHONIC TALES - Program 2 | 22 – 23 November 2019
Sarasota Opera House
Theme and Variations
Choreography by George Balanchine
Music by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Las Hermanas
Choreography by Sir Kenneth MacMillan
Music by Frank Martin
Western Symphony (company premiere)
Choreography by George Balanchine
Music - American folk tunes arranged by Hershy Kay
JOHN RINGLING’S CIRCUS NUTCRACKER - Program 3 | 20 – 21 December 2019
Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall
John Ringling’s Circus Nutcracker
Choreography by Matthew Hart
Music by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Design by Peter Docherty
REDEFINED MOVEMENT - Program 4 | 31 January – 3 February 2020
FSU Center for the Performing Arts
Les Rendezvous
Choreography by Sir Frederick Ashton
Music by Daniel Auber
Brandenburgs (company premiere)
Choreography by Paul Taylor
Music by Johann Sebastian Bach
I Napoletani
Choreography by Dominic Walsh
PAUL TAYLOR DANCE COMPANY - Program 5 | 28 February – 1 March 2020
FSU Center for the Performing Arts
The Sarasota Ballet Presents:
Paul Taylor Dance Company
ROMEO & JULIET - Program 6 | 27 – 28 March 2020
Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall
Romeo and Juliet (company premiere)
Choreography by Sir Frederick Ashton
Music by Sergei Prokofiev
BEYOND WORDS - Program 7 | 24 – 25 April 2020
Sarasota Opera House
In the Night (company premiere)
Choreography by Jerome Robbins
Music by Frédéric Chopin
Dante Sonata (company premiere)
Choreography by Sir Frederick Ashton
Music by Franz Liszt
The Spider’s Feast (company premiere)
Choreography by David Bintley
Music by Albert Roussel
Subscription Tickets
Full Season Subscribers and Four Ballet Packages are on sale now. 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 The Sarasota Ballet’s 2019 - 2020 Season, starting at $30, are on sale today 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.
