L.A. Ballet will dance ‘La Sylphide’
Los Angeles Ballet will introduce its first full-length Romantic ballet, August Bournonville’s “La Sylphide,” during the company’s 2008-09 season.
Co-artistic director Thordal Christensen, who will stage the Danish choreographer’s 1836 work, said “Sylphide” has been a standard in the repertoire of the Royal Danish Ballet, where he formerly served as artistic director. “It’s a piece that has gone directly from generation to generation” with the company, he said.
Under the direction of Christensen and his wife, Colleen Neary, the company in its third season will continue its emphasis on performing the works of neoclassical choreographer George Balanchine with the company premieres of “The Prodigal Son” (1929) and “Stravinsky Violin Concerto” (1972).
The season will also include a new work by Southern California choreographer Jennifer Backhaus of Backhausdance. Last season, the company presented Backhaus’ piece “she said/he said.”
And during the holidays, Los Angeles Ballet will reprise its version of “The Nutcracker,” choreographed by Christensen and Neary and set in 1912 California.
Said Thordal of the company’s third-season efforts: “It’s a constant challenge to raise money and get people interested, but the audience and the donors have really taken to us, so we’re surviving, and that’s the goal.”
More information is available at www.losangelesballet.org.
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