Martha Graham Company Added to Orange County Center’s Season

In a departure from tradition, the Orange County Performing Arts Center will present for the first time a modern dance company on its 1990-91 dance season.

The Martha Graham Dance Company will make its only Southern California appearances, Jan. 4-6, 1991, at the Costa Mesa facility, joining the roster that includes the previously announced Australian Ballet, Aug. 7-12; New York City Ballet, Sept. 25-30; and American Ballet Theatre, March 12-24, 1991.

Graham will be represented by two programs: “Graham, the American,” including “Appalachian Spring” (music by Copland); and “Classic Graham,” including “Errand in the Maze.”

For its exclusive West Coast engagement, New York City Ballet will lean heavily on repertory by founding artistic director George Balanchine, including the infrequently toured “Vienna Waltzes.”

American Ballet Theatre will offer mixed repertory (to be announced) and either Natalia Makarova’s staging of “La Bayadere” or a new production of “Coppelia.”

As previously reported, the Australian Ballet will dance “Giselle,” Lichine’s “Graduation Ball,” Lifar’s “Suite en Blanc,” and works by Australian and New Zealand choreographers.

Subscription tickets go on sale May 20. Information: (714) 556-2787.

The season:

* Aug. 7-12: Australian Ballet: “Giselle”; “Graduation Ball” (Johann Strauss); “Suite en Blanc” (Lalo); works to be announced.

* Sept. 25-30: New York City Ballet: Balanchine’s “Vienna Waltzes” (music by Lehar, Johann and Richard Strauss); “Stars and Stripes” (Sousa), “Four Temperaments” (Hindemith), “Tchaikovsky’s Suite No. 3,” “Concerto Barocco” (Bach); “La Source” (Delibes); “Chaconne” (Gluck); Jerome Robbins’ “Dances at a Gathering” (Chopin); and Peter Martins’ “Ecstatic Orange” (Michael Torke). Other works by Balanchine and Martins are under consideration.

* Jan. 4-6, 1991: Martha Graham Company: Program One (“Graham, the American”): “Embattled Garden” (Surinach); “Deep Song” (Cowell); “Appalachian Spring” (Copland); “Temptations of the Moon” (Bartok). Program Two (“Classic Graham”): “Diversion of Angels” (Dello Joio); “Errand into the Maze” (Menotti); “El Penitente” (Louis Horst); “Acts of Light” (Nielsen).

* March 12-24,1991: American Ballet Theatre: mixed repertory to be announced; either “La Bayadere” or “Coppelia.”