Diablo Ballet celebrates 28th Season with a return to the stage
WALNUT CREEK, CA (Nov. 12, 2021) — Artistic Director Lauren Jonas has announced Diablo Ballet’s 2021 – 2022 performance season featuring a mix of classics, contemporary works and two world premieres returns to the stage at the Lesher Center for the Arts in Walnut Creek this month.
In addition to the live performances, Diablo Ballet will also offer a virtual performance option. “I’m thrilled to present this diverse season to our audiences, that features some of today’s most exciting choreographers. Many of our patrons have not seen the Company perform in person since February 2020”, stated Lauren Jonas.
The 28th Season opens with a new full-length production of Julia Adam’s smash holiday hit, The Nutcracker Suite. The Diablo family and their daughter Clara, return to the Nutcracker Suite at the Fairmont Hotel for another Christmas Eve adventure! Clara’s dream expands, taking her on a magical journey through the land of sweets for a full-length evening of dance and will include students from Diablo Ballet School. This whimsical ballet is a perfect kick off to the holidays and is sure to delight all audiences.
Cinderella’s Wedding
Diablo Ballet celebrates the New Year with the second program of its 28th Season Cinderella’s Wedding. Based on the story of Cinderella, this world premiere ballet choreographed by renowned story teller, Julia Adam, will feature the romantic score by Sergei Prokofiev, reminding us that dreams really do come true.
Also featured on the program is the Diablo Ballet premiere of George Balanchine’s Tchaikovsky Pas de Deux , an eight-minute display of ballet bravura and technique. The ballet which received its premiere in 1960 at the New York City Ballet, features music that Tchaikovsky originally created for Act III of Swan Lake, but was never used in the original score. Rounding out the program, company dancer Michael Wells creates his third work for the Company.
Diablo Ballet will celebrate its 28th Anniversary with a one-night only performance at the Lesher Center for the Arts. Featured on the program is the company premiere of Penny Saunders’ Sur le Fil which premiered with Tulsa Ballet 2 in 2018.
The ballet was inspired by Saunders’ thoughts around the mischievous nature of life, and the common reality we share of having personal secrets that we would prefer kept in the dark. Also included is the duet from Val Caniparoli’s Book of Alleged Dances which premiered in 1998 at Ballet West and features music by composer John Adams. Diablo Ballet will also premiere the sweeping contemporary ballet Orange, set to music by Antonio Vivaldi and choreographed by Australian choreographer Stanton Welch, the Artistic Director at Houston Ballet.
Frugivory
Also presented is a command performance of the humorous and exhilarating Frugivory by Portuguese choreographer and former principal dancer of Ballet de Monte Carlo, Bruno Roque. The ballet was originally commissioned for Seattle Dance Collective with dancers from Pacific Northwest Ballet and is a light, unphilosophical take on the idea that the object of our desire can drive us, or blind us. Finishing the program will be an encore presentation of the spectacular Flames of Paris staged by Lauren Jonas, featuring the entire company.
The ballet is set to music by Boris Asafyev and based on songs of the French Revolution. It originally premiered at the Kirov Theatre in Leningrad in 1932 and was later premiered by the Bolshoi Ballet 1933. Immediately following the performance, the celebration continues at Diablo Ballet’s 28th Anniversary Gala which includes dinner with the dancers!
Coppélia
The 28th season will conclude with the full length presentation of Coppélia. Considered one of the best-loved classical ballets, this charming, lighthearted, and romantic comedy staged by Artistic Director Lauren Jonas, and Broadway choreographer Sean Kelly, will feature a brash young protagonist, a doll that comes to life, and a dash of magic.
Perfect for all ages, Coppélia will be accompanied by the Diablo Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Matilda Hofman and will include students from Diablo Ballet’s School. Diablo Ballet had planned this ballet for its 26th Season but due to Covid-19 it was unfortunately cancelled. Lauren Jonas stated, “I am so happy to be able to finally present this masterpiece, which I personally loved performing during my career.”
Season Subscriptions are available. Single tickets will go on sale September 15, 2021. For more information, visit www.diabloballet.org.
Performances will be in-person at the Lesher Center for the Arts with a digital option if preferred.
About Diablo Ballet Since 1994, Diablo Ballet has been the award-winning professional dance company for Contra Costa County. Presenting acclaimed classical and contemporary ballets, the company is committed to exposing youth to the arts through its renowned PEEK Outreach Programs which have reached over 68,000 underserved school children in Alameda and Contra Costa Counties since 1995.
Also, Diablo Ballet has served hundreds of at-risk teenage girls and boys incarcerated within the Juvenile Justice system since 2015, and in 2019, the company began working with teenagers housed at the Behavioral Health Unit at John Muir Hospital, Concord. In August 2019, Diablo Ballet opened the first Ballet School in Contra Costa County run by a professional ballet company, located in Pleasant Hill.