Mark Zappone on Designing the Costumes for Bacchus

Costume designer Mark Zappone has created many costumes over the years for PNB, including for Matthew Neenan’s Bacchus. Peek behind the scenes with us today on the PNB Blog as Mark explains how he created these delightful costumes!

2024-03-15T09:44:16-07:00March 14th, 2024|Categories: Performances, PNB Wardrobe, Q&A with Dancers, Choreographers & Staff|Tags: , , |Comments Off on Mark Zappone on Designing the Costumes for Bacchus

Artistic Director’s Notebook: Bacchus, One Thousand Pieces

"We all have our harrowing stories from mid-March of 2020. Naturally, mine involves PNB. On the morning of March 12th Executive Director Ellen Walker informed me all theaters on Seattle Center campus had been asked to suspend any further activity. I told her I needed twelve more hours. That night we were scheduled to take the stage for the dress rehearsal of David Dawson’s Empire Noir and Alejandro Cerrudo’s One Thousand Pieces. Though we were able to run and film the dress rehearsal before retreating to our homes, PNB has never performed the complete One Thousand Pieces for a live audience. How grateful we are to finally bring this piece to the stage with you in the audience.

2024-03-18T12:30:34-07:00March 7th, 2024|Categories: Director's Notebook, Performances|Tags: , , , , , |Comments Off on Artistic Director’s Notebook: Bacchus, One Thousand Pieces

10 Ballet and Beverage Pairings!

Some say that the perfect beverage pairing can elevate a meal to a whole new level. What if the same was true of ballets? Today on the PNB Blog, we've paired ten ballets with various beverages, including custom cocktails and non-alcoholic options! 

A Window into One Thousand Pieces’ Inspiration

PNB’s next performance features Alejandro Cerrudo’s One Thousand Pieces. This large-scale work is inspired by Marc Chagall’s America Windows. Today on the PNB Blog, we’ll dive deep into Chagall’s stained-glass masterpiece and how it influences One Thousand Pieces.

2024-03-05T15:39:25-08:00February 28th, 2024|Categories: Performances|Tags: , , |Comments Off on A Window into One Thousand Pieces’ Inspiration

A Day in the Life of a Professional Division Student: Rehearsing Swan Lake

PNB School's Professional Division Program is designed to help students transition from student to professional dancer by perfecting technique and developing artistry. Performing is an important part of the program, and many PD’s look forward to dancing alongside PNB’s Company dancers on the McCaw Hall Stage.  Sofia Bidne is one such student, and she’s been selected to perform in Swan Lake this season! We sat down with Sofia to chat about her daily routine while rehearsing Swan Lake.

2024-02-02T09:25:33-08:00January 30th, 2024|Categories: Performances, PNB School|Tags: , , , |Comments Off on A Day in the Life of a Professional Division Student: Rehearsing Swan Lake

Executive Director’s Notes: Kent Stowell’s Swan Lake

Welcome to Swan Lake, one of Kent Stowell’s most stunning contributions to PNB’s repertoire. This production of Swan Lake and I arrived at PNB at the same time, in the summer of 2003. I was struck by the magnitude of the physical production, and still find new details in Ming Cho Lee’s magnificent sets and Paul Tazewell’s opulent costumes. For a new-to-PNB arts administrator, I could not have encountered a more beautiful ballet beginning.

2024-01-29T09:13:23-08:00January 29th, 2024|Categories: Director's Notebook, Performances|Tags: , , , , |Comments Off on Executive Director’s Notes: Kent Stowell’s Swan Lake

Artistic Director’s Notebook: Kent Stowell’s Swan Lake

Just over twenty years ago, in September 2003, a theater called Marion Oliver McCaw Hall opened in Seattle. Built on the site of the Seattle Opera House, which dated back to the 1962 World’s Fair, the new hall was the realization of years of dreaming, planning, fundraising, and building. With Seattle Symphony’s recent relocation to Benaroya Hall, McCaw Hall was tailored to the needs of its two primary tenants, Seattle Opera and Pacific Northwest Ballet. After a joint gala celebrating the new digs and the dawn of a new era for each arts organization, PNB offered another unveiling – a completely redesigned version of Kent Stowell’s Swan Lake.

2024-01-29T09:07:04-08:00January 29th, 2024|Categories: Director's Notebook, Performances|Tags: , , , , , , , |Comments Off on Artistic Director’s Notebook: Kent Stowell’s Swan Lake

5 Reasons Why Swan Lake is a Ballet Classic

Swan Lake is one of the most popular ballets of all time. It premiered in Moscow in 1877 and was met with a lukewarm reception. Despite its humble beginnings, this ballet continued to be performed, and in the 21st century, it’s frankly iconic! Read on to learn five reasons why this ballet is a must-see.

2024-01-24T16:56:20-08:00January 16th, 2024|Categories: Performances|Tags: , |Comments Off on 5 Reasons Why Swan Lake is a Ballet Classic

Swan Lake: A Pop Culture Darling

Over the last century, Swan Lake has become a quintessential ballet pop culture reference. Its iconic score, choreography, and costumes are synonymous with ballet performance and easily recognizable to anyone with even a casual ballet knowledge. While the 2010 film Black Swan may be the first to spring to mind, there are many examples from the last 100 years. Check out this blog to watch just a few!

2024-01-09T10:48:01-08:00January 9th, 2024|Categories: Performances|Tags: , |Comments Off on Swan Lake: A Pop Culture Darling
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