Company Premieres of George Balanchine's Ballo della Regina
and Twyla Tharp's Baker's Dozen to Highlight Engagement

Repertory for American Ballet Theatre’s 2007 Fall season at New York City Center, October 23-November 4, was announced today by Artistic Director Kevin McKenzie. Highlighting the engagement will be the World Premieres of new works by Jorma Elo, in collaboration with Philip Glass and Chuck Close, and by Benjamin Millepied, with a commissioned score by Nico Muhly.

American Ballet Theatre’s 2007 Fall Season at City Center will open with a Gala Performance on October 23 at 6:30 PM and features ABT’s Principal Dancers in selections of the season’s works. ABT’s Opening Night Fall Gala is sponsored by Nina Ricci. For information on ABT’s Gala benefit, please call the Special Events office at 212-477-3030, ext. 3239

World Premieres

The friendship between two influential artists is the inspiration for a new ballet by Jorma Elo, set to Philip Glass’s A Musical Portrait of Chuck Close. Glass’s musical portrayal of the life of artist Chuck Close was conceived and first performed in 2005 by concert pianist Bruce Levingston. ABT’s premiere of the work will include three additional movements composed by Glass and performed on stage by Levingston. Featuring a set design by Chuck Close and costumes by designer Ralph Rucci, the new Elo/Glass/Close ballet will receive its World Premiere on Saturday evening, October 27. Elo previously choreographed Glow – Stop for ABT in 2006.

The World Premiere of a new work by Benjamin Millepied is scheduled for Friday evening, October 26. Set to a commissioned score by composer Nico Muhly, Millepied’s work, a ballet for 12 dancers, also features costumes designed by Millepied and lighting by Roderick Murray. A principal dancer with New York City Ballet, Millepied has previously choreographed Double Aria (2003) for New York City Ballet and Circular Motion (2005). He choreographed Capriccio in 2006 for the ABT Studio Company. This is Millepied’s first work for American Ballet Theatre.

Countrywide Financial is the National Sponsor of American Ballet Theatre. Superfund Asset Management, Inc. is the sponsor of American Ballet Theatre’s 2007 New York City Center season. CA, Inc. is the Leading Sponsor of ABT’s 2007 Family Initiative and Saks Fifth Avenue is the Leading Sponsor of ABT’s Costume Fund. Benjamin Millepied’s new work is underwritten by Cheryl Bergenfield Katz and the New York State Council on the Arts, a state agency. Nico Muhly’s original score has been generously underwritten through a gift from Michele and Steven Pesner. The new Elo/Glass/Close work is made possible by the generous support of Leading Underwriters Barbara Hemmerle Gollust, Lewis S. Ranieri, Leila and Mickey Straus, and the New York State Council on the Arts, a state agency.

Company Premieres

George Balanchine’s Ballo della Regina, staged for American Ballet Theatre by Merrill Ashley, will be given its Company Premiere on opening night, October 23. Set to music by Giuseppe Verdi from the opera Don Carlos, with costumes by Ben Benson, Ballo della Regina was given its World Premiere by New York City Ballet on January 12, 1978. The ballet will receive five performances by ABT.

Twyla Tharp’s 1979 Baker’s Dozen will be given its Company Premiere by American Ballet Theatre on Tuesday evening, October 30. A work for twelve dancers in five sections, Baker’s Dozen is set to music by Willie “The Lion” Smith and features costumes by Santo Loquasto and lighting by Jennifer Tipton. Baker’s Dozen received its World Premiere by the Twyla Tharp Dance Company on February 15, 1979 and featured Tharp in the original cast. The ballet will be staged for ABT by Elaine Kudo.

Revivals

Antony Tudor’s The Leaves Are Fading, last performed by American Ballet Theatre in 1997, will be given five performances this season beginning Wednesday evening, October 24. Created for ABT in 1975, the ballet has music by Antonín Dvořák, scenery by Ming Cho Lee, costumes by Patricia Zipprodt and lighting by Jennifer Tipton. ABT’s revival of The Leaves Are Fading will be staged by Amanda McKerrow and John Gardner.

Agnes de Mille’s Fall River Legend will be given its Revival Premiere on Thursday, November 1. Last performed by ABT in 1999, Fall River Legend, based upon the true story of Lizzie Borden, is set to music by Morton Gould with scenery by Oliver Smith, costumes by Miles White and lighting designed by Thomas Skelton.

Returning Repertory

American Ballet Theatre rounds out its New York City Center season with the return of Lar Lubovitch’s Meadow, Stanton Welch’s Clear, Twyla Tharp’s Sinatra Suite and Jerome Robbins’ Fancy Free.

Lar Lubovitch’s Meadow will be given five performances beginning Thursday evening, October 25. Set to music by Franz Schubert, Gavin Bryars, Ferruccio Busoni and William David Brohn, with costumes by Ann Hould-Ward, Meadow received its World Premiere by ABT in 1999.

Stanton Welch’s Clear, premiered by ABT in 2001, is set to music by Johann Sebastian Bach with costumes by Michael Kors and Lisa Pinkham. The ballet will be given five performances beginning Tuesday evening, October 23.

Jerome Robbins’ Fancy Free will have four performances beginning Wednesday evening, October 24. Staged for ABT by Jean-Pierre Frohlich, Fancy Free has music by Leonard Bernstein, costumes by Kermit Love and lighting by Jennifer Tipton after original designs by Nananne Porcher. Fancy Free was premiered at the Metropolitan Opera House by American Ballet Theatre on April 18, 1944.

Tickets for American Ballet Theatre’s 2007 Fall season at New York City Center, priced $27-$98, go on sale by mail, by phone at 212-581-1212 and at the City Center Box office beginning July 16. Discounts are available for packages of three or more performances.

FALL SEASON AT NEW YORK CITY CENTER

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