FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 24, 2016
MEDIA CONTACT:
Gary Tucker
206.441.2426
[email protected]
Bonjour!
PACIFIC NORTHWEST BALLET PRESENTS
Season-Opening Salute to France and Paris Opera Ballet
Featuring Works by Benjamin Millepied and George Balanchine
September 23 – October 2, 2016
Marion Oliver McCaw Hall
321 Mercer Street, Seattle Center
Seattle, WA 98109
September 23 at 6:30 pm
September 24 at 2:00 and 7:30 pm
September 29 – October 1 at 7:30 pm
October 2 at 1:00 pm
SEATTLE, WA – Pacific Northwest Ballet raises the curtain for its 44th season with
TRICOLORE, a balletic ode to all things French. The program opens with the company’s chic
3 Movements, commissioned by PNB in 2008 and choreographed by Benjamin Millepied,
artistic director of LA Dance Project and former artistic director of Paris Opera Ballet. (In 2010,
Mr. Millepied choreographed the Oscar-nominated Black Swan.) A big fan of PNB, Millepied has
returned to set his Appassionata on the company. The program closes with a Balanchine
masterpiece, Symphony in C, originally created in 1947 for the Paris Opera Ballet. TRICOLORE
is a fine French feast: aperitif, entrée, and elegant dessert. Bon appétit!
TRICOLORE runs for seven performances only, September 23 through October 2 at Seattle
Center’s Marion Oliver McCaw Hall. Tickets start at $30. For more information, contact the PNB
Box Office at 206.441.2424, in person at 301 Mercer Street, or online at PNB.org.
The line-up for TRICOLORE will include:
3 Movements
Music: Steve Reich (Three Movements for Orchestra, 1986)
Choreography: Benjamin Millepied
Scenic Design: Benjamin Millepied
Costume Design: Isabella Boylston, assisted by Larae Theige Hascall
Lighting Design: Brad Fields
Running Time: 16 minutes
Premiere: November 6, 2008, Pacific Northwest Ballet
Choreographed in 2008, 3 Movements is Benjamin Millepied’s first work for Pacific Northwest
Ballet. The dance features a large ensemble performing to Steve Reich’s massive and
driving Three Movements for Orchestra.
Appassionata (PNB Premiere)
Music: Ludwig van Beethoven (Piano Sonata No. 23 in F minor, Op. 57, c. 1804-1806)
Choreography: Benjamin Millepied
Staging: Sebastien Marcovici and Janie Taylor
Scenic and Lighting Design: Lucy Carter
Costume Design: Alessandro Sartori
Lighting Supervision: Emma Jones
Running Time: 32 minutes
Premiere: February 5, 2016, Paris Opera Ballet (originally titled La nuit s’achève. Renamed
Appassionata for PNB premiere.)
Benjamin Millepied’s Appassionata was choreographed for Paris Opera Ballet and premiered in
February 2016 with the title La nuit s’achève (“The night ends”). For Pacific Northwest Ballet’s
staging, Millepied has renamed the ballet in reference to Beethoven’s iconic, late-classical piano
sonata to which the dance for three couples is set. Sonata No. 23 in F minor is one of three
celebrated sonatas from Beethoven’s middle period. The music is some of his most technically
challenging and the mood is tempestuous; the sonata was composed just after he came to
terms with his inevitable hearing loss in 1803. The title “Appassionata” (meaning “passionate” in
Italian) was not given to the work during Beethoven’s lifetime, but rather was a label added by
the publisher of a four-hand arrangement in 1838. Appassionata is the second work by
Benjamin Millepied to enter Pacific Northwest Ballet’s repertory. [Notes by Doug Fullington.]
Symphony in C
Music: Georges Bizet (Symphony No. 1 in C Major, 1855)
Choreography: George Balanchine © The School of American Ballet
Costume Design: Mark Zappone
Lighting Design: Randall G. Chiarelli
Running Time: 36 minutes
Premiere: July 28, 1947, Paris Opera Ballet (originally titled Le Palais de Cristal); March 22,
1948, New York City Ballet (renamed Symphony in C)
PNB Premiere: March 25, 1987
Bizet composed his Symphony in C Major when he was a 17-year-old pupil of Charles Gounod
at the Paris Conservatory. The manuscript was lost for decades and was published only after it
was discovered in the Conservatory’s library in 1933. Balanchine first learned of the longvanished score from Stravinsky. In only two weeks, he choreographed the work as Le Palais de
Cristal for the Paris Opera Ballet, where he was serving as a guest ballet master in 1947. Each
movement of that original production featured the name of a precious stone, with costumes
colored to match, a conceit to which Balanchine would return in 1967 with Jewels. The first
movement was Emerald, the second Black Diamond, the third Ruby, and the fourth Pearl. When
Balanchine revived the work the following year for the first performance of New York City Ballet,
he simplified the scenery and costumes and changed the title to Symphony in C.
Following the structure of the symphony, the ballet is in four movements, each featuring a
different ballerina, cavalier, and corps de ballet. The first movement is formal and regal. The
second movement features one of Balanchine’s greatest pas de deux, and its ballerina role is
considered one of the most privileged in all the Balanchine repertory. The third and fourth
movements feature bravura allegro dancing. The entire cast of 48 dancers gathers for the
impressive finale. [Notes by Doug Fullington.]
TICKET INFORMATION & DISCOUNT OFFERS
Tickets ($30-$187) may be purchased through the PNB Box Office:
 Phone - 206.441.2424 (Mon.-Fri. 10am–6pm; Sat. 10am–5pm)
 In Person - 301 Mercer Street, Seattle (Mon.-Fri. 10am–6pm; Sat. 10am–5pm)
 Online - PNB.org (24/7)
Subject to availability, tickets are also available 90 minutes prior to show times at McCaw Hall.
GROUP SALES
Discounts are available for groups of 10 or more. For group tickets, please call Group Sales
Manager Julie Jamieson at 206.441.2416, email [email protected] or use PNB’s online contact
form at PNB.org/Season/GroupTickets.
GET THE POINTE
The Pointe is PNB’s exclusive mailing list for ballet fans between the ages of 20 and 40.
Members of The Pointe receive information about special events and flash sales just for them.
Born between 1976 and 1996? Visit PNB.org and click on “Offers” for more information and to
get The Pointe.
TEENTIX
PNB is a proud participant of TeenTix. Founded by Seattle Center, TeenTix’s members (13 to
19 years old) can purchase tickets to PNB and other music, dance, theater and arts events for
only $5. To join TeenTix or view a list of participating organizations, visit teentix.org.
STUDENT AND SENIOR RUSH TICKETS
Subject to availability, half-price rush tickets for students and senior citizens (65+) may be
purchased in-person with ID, from 90 minutes prior to show time at the McCaw Hall box office.
SPECIAL EVENTS
FRIDAY PREVIEW
Friday, September 16, 5:00 pm
The Phelps Center, 301 Mercer St., Seattle
PNB’s popular Friday Previews are hour-long studio rehearsals hosted by Artistic Director Peter
Boal and PNB artistic staff, featuring Company dancers rehearsing excerpts from upcoming
ballets. Tickets are $15. (Note: These events usually sell out in advance.) Friday Previews are
sponsored by U.S. Bank.
BENJAMIN MILLEPIED LIVE-STREAM
Wednesday, September 21, 6:30 pm PST
Join Pacific Northwest Ballet online for an on-stage rehearsal with Benjamin Millepied, live from
Seattle Center’s McCaw Hall. Mr. Millepied will be rehearsing excerpts from 3 Movements
(created for PNB in 2008) and Appassionata (created for Paris Opera Ballet in 2016) with the
Company. Visit PNB.org/live for more information.
LECTURE SERIES & DRESS REHEARSAL
Thursday, September 22
Lecture 6:00 pm, Nesholm Family Lecture Hall at McCaw Hall
Dress Rehearsal 7:00 pm, McCaw Hall
Join Artistic Director Peter Boal in conversation with choreographer Benjamin Millepied during
the hour preceding the dress rehearsal. Attend the lecture only or stay for the rehearsal. Tickets
are $15 for the lecture, or $30 for the lecture and dress rehearsal. Tickets may be purchased
through the PNB Box Office.
FIRST LOOK GALA
Friday, September 23, 2016
Celebrate the opening night of PNB’s 44th season with an elegant cocktail reception, a black-tie
backstage dinner post-show, followed by dessert and dancing onstage! Featuring special guest
of honor Benjamin Millepied (artistic director of LA Dance Project and former artistic director of
Paris Opera Ballet). FIRST LOOK tickets start at $400 (performance tickets sold separately) and
are available through PNB Special Events, 206.441.2429 or [email protected].
PRE-PERFORMANCE LECTURES
Nesholm Family Lecture Hall at McCaw Hall
Join Audience Education Manager Doug Fullington for a 30-minute introduction to each
performance, including discussions of choreography, music, history, design and the process of
bringing ballet to the stage. One hour before performances. FREE for ticketholders.
POST-PERFORMANCE Q&A
Nesholm Family Lecture Hall at McCaw Hall
Skip the post-show traffic and enjoy a Q&A with Artistic Director Peter Boal and PNB dancers,
immediately following each performance. FREE for ticketholders. (No Q&A on Fri., 9/23.)
YOUNG PATRONS CIRCLE NIGHT
Friday, September 30
Join members of PNB’s Young Patrons Circle (YPC) in an exclusive lounge for complimentary
wine and coffee before the show and at intermission. YPC is PNB’s social and educational
group for ballet patrons ages 21 through 39. For more info, visit PNB.org and search for “YPC.”
ABOUT THE ARTISTS
Benjamin Millepied (born 1977) is a world-renowned choreographer, dancer, and rising
filmmaker. His ballets are in the repertory of major dance companies around the world, including
New York City Ballet, Paris Opera Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, Mariinsky Ballet, Ballet de
Geneve, Lyon Opera Ballet, and Pacific Northwest Ballet, among others. His collaborators
include composers and artists such as Nico Muhly, David Lang, Christopher Wool, Barbara
Kruger, Paul Cox, Rodarte, Theirry Escaich, and Santiago Calatrava. In 2010, Millepied
choreographed and starred in the award-winning film Black Swan. During the same year that he
co-founded The Amoveo Company, 2012, he also founded the Los Angeles Dance Project.
Since then, he has directed a number of short films in collaboration with various artists,
including Mark Bradford, Philip Glass, IO Echo, Lil Buck, Zeds Dead, Forest Swords, and
others. In January 2013, the Paris Opera Ballet announced Millepied’s appointment as its new
director. In February 2016, he resigned from his position to embark on new projects.
Born in St. Petersburg, Russia, George Balanchine (1904-1983) is regarded as the foremost
contemporary choreographer in the world of ballet. He came to the United States in late 1933, at
the age of 29, accepting the invitation of the young American arts patron Lincoln Kirstein (19071996), whose great passions included the dream of creating a ballet company in America. At
Balanchine's behest, the School of American Ballet was founded in 1934, the first product of the
Balanchine-Kirstein collaboration. Several ballet companies directed by the two were created
and dissolved in the years that followed, while Balanchine found other outlets for his
choreography. Eventually, with a performance on October 11, 1948, the New York City Ballet
was born. Balanchine served as its ballet master and principal choreographer from 1948 until
his death in 1983. His final ballet, a new version of Stravinsky's Variations for Orchestra , was
created in 1982. He also choreographed for films, operas, revues, and musicals. Among his
best-known dances for the stage is Slaughter on Tenth Avenue, originally created for
Broadway's On Your Toes (1936). A major artistic figure of the twentieth century, Balanchine
revolutionized the look of classical ballet. Taking classicism as his base, he heightened,
quickened, expanded, streamlined, and even inverted the fundamentals of the 400-year-old
language of academic dance. This had an inestimable influence on the growth of dance in
America. Although at first his style seemed particularly suited to the energy and speed of
American dancers, especially those he trained, his ballets are now performed by all the major
classical ballet companies throughout the world. [Copyright © 2002 The George Balanchine
Foundation. Reprinted by permission.]
# # #
TRICOLORE is made possible by presenting sponsors Jeffrey & Susan Brotman. Media
sponsor is KUOW 94.9 fm. The 2008 world premiere of Benjamin Millepied’s 3 Movements was
commissioned in part by The Joyce Theater’s Stephen and Cathy Weinroth Fund for New Work
and Mr. & Mrs. Robert W. Cremin. The 2016 PNB premiere of Benjamin Millepied’s
Appassionata is generously underwritten by Jeffrey & Susan Brotman. The works of George
Balanchine performed by Pacific Northwest Ballet, including Symphony in C, are made possible
in part by The Louise Nadeau Endowed Fund. Pacific Northwest Ballet’s 2016-2017 season is
proudly sponsored by ArtsFund and Microsoft. Special thanks also to season partners 4Culture,
The Hearst Foundations, Seattle Office of Arts & Culture, The Shubert Foundation, and The
Wallace Foundation.
Publicity Contact
Gary Tucker, Media Relations Manager
206.441.2426 / [email protected] / PNB.org/press
Schedule and programming subject to change. For further information, please visit PNB.org.
PACIFIC NORTHWEST BALLET
301 Mercer Street Seattle, WA 98109 206.441.2424 PNB.org