Director’s Notebook: Worlds to Come
Turning 50 never felt so good. PNB’s celebratory season has brought us so many treasured moments, with a few more just around the corner. What is your 50th anniversary highlight?
Director’s Notebook: A Midsummer Night’s Dream
There’s something about George Balanchine’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. With fairies, fireflies, Bottom, and Puck, playwright William Shakespeare and choreographer George Balanchine offer us a winning combination of joy, laughter, and ebullience.
A Midsummer Night’s Dream Programs Through the Years
Celebrating 38 years of A Midsummer Night's Dream at Pacific Northwest Ballet
The Man behind the Music of “Midsummer”: Felix Mendelssohn
In just a few short weeks, the bright, staccato strings and the playful, blustering brass of Felix Mendelssohn’s Op. 21, the overture of George Balanchine's A Midsummer Night’s Dream, will fill McCaw Hall. Mendelssohn was just 17 when he wrote this famous overture. He went on to live a bustling life full of creating and performing music. Eduard Devrient described Mendelssohn as “always bubbling over like champagne in a small glass.” Read on to learn more about this man, who was just as vivacious as his compositions.
Rep 4: Boundless Artistic Director’s Notes
Rep 4: Boundless Artistic Director’s Notes
Ever wonder about the timeline for creating a new ballet? Famously Jerome Robbins took two years to choreograph Dances at a Gathering. George Balanchine believed in one minute of choreography for every hour in the studio, cranking brilliant works out in days and weeks. As you might imagine, […]
PNB by the Decades: Our “Far-Out” First Years
Alongside many other key Seattle organizations, we are celebrating our 50th anniversary at Pacific Northwest Ballet. Through the years, PNB has experienced a lot of twists and turns. Read on to see how we boogied through our first 10 years in the ‘70s!
Soloist Ezra Thomson on Why New Works Matter
PNB soloist Ezra Thomson is no stranger to New Works. His resume includes originating roles in works by Alejandro Cerrudo, Edwaard Liang, Robin Mineko Williams, Donald Byrd, several current PNB dancers and more. For BOUNDLESS, he’s taking on the role of stager for Jessica Lang’s Let Me Mingle Tears With Thee. So we got his perspective on New Works, PNB, and the upcoming Rep IV.
Pacific Northwest Ballet Principal Dancer Lesley Rausch Announces Retirement
Pacific Northwest Ballet principal dancer Lesley Rausch has announced that she will be retiring at the end of the 2022-23 season. Lesley joined PNB as a member of the corps de ballet in 2001. She was promoted to soloist in 2007 and principal in 2011. Lesley’s incredible 22-year career will be celebrated at the Season Encore Performance, Sunday, June 11, 2023 at McCaw Hall.
Building a World Premiere with Jessica Lang
PNB is performing a world premiere at BOUNDLESS choreographed by audience favorite Jessica Lang: Let Me Mingle Tears With Thee. We asked her about choreography, costumes, music, and all the elements that make a PNB world premiere possible.
PNB Announces New Soloists at The Seasons’ Canon
Soloist Promotions: Madison Rayn Abeo, Dammiel Cruz-Garrido, Christopher D’Ariano, Amanda Morgan, Christian Poppe, and Leah Terada.