THE FINALE OF OUR 2024/25 SEASON
As I considered which productions to share with you in the coming year, I curated a collection of exciting dance works that explore a range of themes, moods, and music as varied as the changing seasons, filled with passion, excitement, drama, heartbreak, love, and hope…
In the fall, we begin the season with my contemporary retelling of a classic tale, BELLE / A Tale of Beauty & the Beast. This story offers a mature perspective on the unlikely romance between two souls, each marked in their own way by circumstance. Join us as we explore the true meaning of beauty, the universality of unique experiences, and the ways they shape us.
In December, immerse yourself and your family in a production now synonymous with the best of the holidays. The 62nd Annual Production of The Nutcracker offers all the sparkle of twinkling snowflakes and delicious sweets that keep children of all ages returning year after year to experience this timeless holiday magic. Performed by the Austin Symphony Orchestra, Tchaikovsky’s timeless score completes the beauty of Austin’s favorite (and longest-running) holiday tradition.
On Valentine’s Day weekend, join us for Heart’s Desire, a repertory program featuring a trio of specially selected dance works. Internationally renowned choreographer Christopher Wheeldon shares his breakthrough work, Polyphonia, performed to the music of Hungarian composer György Ligeti. The second offering focuses on the heartbreak of letting go in the pas de deux, Desire, a work I set to the music of Arvo Pärt. We conclude with ZigZag, a recent piece by choreographer Jessica Lang created for the American Ballet Theatre. This energetic, contemporary ballet is set to the legendary music of Tony Bennett. ZigZag closes this Valentine’s experience with a fun-filled, exuberant bang!
As we move away from winter, I am excited to unveil a pair of new works. Love’s Gentle Spring celebrates the season of renewal in March with two world premiere dances. The first is set to the music of Czech composer Antonin Dvorak, performed live by the Austin Symphony Orchestra, and the second is a double piano concerto by contemporary composer Bryce Dessner of the band The National. Come celebrate the beauty of springtime, music, and movement with us!
We close the season on Mother’s Day weekend with Romeo & Juliet, set to Sergei Prokofiev’s unforgettable score, played by the Austin Symphony Orchestra. This time-honored tale of “star-crossed lovers” leaves us believing in the sweet promise of first love.
The Dancers and I look forward to sharing these dances of love, loss, inspiration, and transformation as they remind us of the ways that movement and music come together to express the human condition.
Thank you for your presence in our audience and your support of Ballet Austin!
STEPHEN MILLS
Sarah & Ernest Butler Family Fund Artistic Director
REMANING 2024/25 PRODUCTIONS
Following the success of POE / A Tale of Madness, Stephen Mills presents two World Premieres! We celebrate the arrival of the season of wildflowers and renewal as Stephen Mills shares a pair of new works.
The first work is set to Czech composer Antonín Dvořák’s “String Quartet No. 12 in F Major, Op. 96.” Nicknamed the American Quartet, Dvořák wrote this piece while enjoying a summer vacation in Spillville, Iowa. Completed in only thirteen days, this was Dvořák’s second attempt at writing a quartet in F major. Featuring live accompaniment by the Austin Symphony Orchestra, the moving melodies of Dvořák’s composition evoke the exuberant feelings of springtime.
The second piece on the program features the music of contemporary composer and Grammy award-winning artist Bryce Dessner: guitarist, keyboardist, and songwriter for his band, The National. Called “a vital and rare force in new music,” Dessner’s compositions have been performed by Orchestre de Paris, BBC Symphony Orchestra, the San Francisco Symphony, and many more. He has worked with a variety of artists, including Philip Glass, Paul Simon, Bon Iver, and Taylor Swift on her song “Coney Island.” Dessner’s “Concerto for Two Pianos,” written for and first performed by Katia and Marielle Labèque, premiered in 2018 with the London Philharmonic Orchestra. Dessner regularly tours with his band, including a recent performance at Austin’s Moody Center in November of 2023.
Love’s Gentle Spring unites the beauty of spring, music, and movement harmoniously in concert.
CONCEPT & CHOREOGRAPHY | Stephen Mills
MUSIC | Antonín Dvořák’s String Quartet No. 12 in F Major, Op. 96; Bryce Dessner’s Concerto for Two Pianos (2018)
LIVE ACCOMPANIMENT | Austin Symphony Orchestra
MARCH 28-30 | THE LONG CENTER
3 PERFORMANCES:
- Friday, March 28 at 7:30 p.m.
- Saturday, March 29 at 7:30 p.m.
- Sunday, March 30 at 3:00 p.m.
We close the season on Mother’s Day Weekend with the most enduring story of young love, Romeo & Juliet. Set to Sergei Prokofiev’s unforgettable score, performed live by the Austin Symphony Orchestra, this time-honored tale of “star-crossed lovers” leaves us believing in the sweet promise of first love. Tommy Bourgeois designed stunningly beautiful, period-appropriate costumes and a set brilliantly illuminated by an Italianate tapestry of stained-glass colors, both of which paired exquisitely with Stephen Mills’ classic choreography. Shakespeare’s magnificent story comes to life in an elegant, dramatic, and simply gorgeous ballet.
CONCEPT & CHOREOGRAPHY | Stephen Mills
MUSIC | Sergei Prokofiev
COSTUME & SCENIC DESIGN | Tommy Bourgeois
LIVE ACCOMPANIMENT | Austin Symphony Orchestra
MAY 9-11 | THE LONG CENTER
3 PERFORMANCES:
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- Friday, May 9 at 7:30 p.m.
- Saturday, May 10 at 7:30 p.m.
- Sunday, May 11 at 3:00 p.m.
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