Pennsylvania Ballet Has Announced 2020-2021 Season MAGIC OF STORIES

Today Pennsylvania Ballet announced a dynamic new season, "Magic of Stories," complete with fairytale full length stories, world premieres at the Perelman Theater from choreographers with long-time ties to the company and a sparkling tribute to George Balanchine. Pennsylvania Ballet will also highlight local organizations for each production, including Career Wardrobe and the Audubon Society.

The 2020-2021 season begins with Ben Stevenson's charming Cinderella and the magical George Balanchine's The Nutcracker. The Pennsylvania Ballet Orchestra will lead the iconic scores for each, including music by Sergei Prokofiev and Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky respectively. This season the company will return earlier to the stage in January at the Perelman Theater for the first time with the debut of New Stories, featuring world premieres by Matthew Neenan, former Pennsylvania Ballet Soloist Meredith Rainey, and current Demi-Soloist Russell Ducker. Each choreographer's ballet highlights music from acclaimed Pulitzer Prize and Grammy award winning composer Jennifer Higdon.

The mysterious favorite Swan Lake with Tchaikovsky's captivating score makes its return in February at the Academy of Music as a testament to the progression of the company in this ballet classic. The season will then continue with a trio of works from George Balanchine (Serenade, Divertimento No. 15 and Stars and Stripes) in March featuring music from a powerful trio of Tchaikovsky, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and John Philip Sousa. Corella's first-ever restaging of the whimsical and one and only Coppelia will conclude the season in May with music composed by Léo Delibes.

In the lead up to each production, special charitable initiatives and educational events will take place for each community partner.

"We're excited to transport Philadelphia this upcoming season to a land of fairytale and imagination with treasured ballet classics and world premieres that each tell a beautiful story of their own," said Artistic Director Angel Corella. "Our move to the Kimmel Center's Perelman Theater for our January/February production will allow for more performance time on-stage for our dancers and a fresh experience in a gorgeous, intimate venue for our patrons."

Cinderella

October 8-18, 2020

The Academy of Music

Choreography: Angel Corella (After Ben Stevenson)

Music: Sergei Prokofiev

Pennsylvania Ballet's new season will open in October with Ben Stevenson's enchanting Cinderella at the Academy of Music. Stevenson transcends culture and time, drawing audiences to a compelling story of love, strength, and acceptance despite personal obstacles. Set to a heartfelt lyrical score by Sergei Prokofiev, Cinderella tells the story of a young girl whose strength of spirit helps her to overcome mistreatment by her wicked stepmother and stepsisters and ultimately win the heart of the prince.

Career Wardrobe will serve as Pennsylvania Ballet's community partner, a nonprofit social enterprise that uses clothing and professional development to empower unemployed individuals to work. Cinderella is presented by Independence Blue Cross.

George Balanchine's The Nutcracker®

December 11-31, 2020

The Academy of Music

Choreography: George Balanchine

Music: Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky

Ringing in the holiday season in December is the return of Philadelphia's greatest holiday tradition- George Balanchine's The Nutcracker® at the Academy of Music. As the clock chimes midnight, a young Marie is swept away on a magical adventure with mice, toy soldiers, a blizzard of beautiful dancers and a journey through the Land of Sweets with her prince. Families are in awe year after year with Tchaikovsky's iconic score performed live by Pennsylvania Ballet Orchestra, extravagant sets and costumes and spectacular dancing. Pennsylvania Ballet will ensure everyone can enjoy the magic of The Nutcracker with its special sensory-friendly performance on December 30 at 12 p.m. in partnership with Art-Reach.

The company and Art-Reach together will address accessibility of the arts with educational forums and materials.

New Stories

January 29-February 7, 2021

Perelman Theater

Choreography:

Matthew Neenan World Premiere

Meredith Rainey World Premiere

Russell Ducker World Premiere

Music: Jennifer Higdon

January begins the company's new venture into the Perelman Theater with New Stories, a marked look into the immense creative vision of Pennsylvania Ballet-including world premieres by Choreographer in Residence Matthew Neenan, former Pennsylvania Ballet Soloist Meredith Rainey, and current Demi-Soloist Russell Ducker. Neenan danced with Pennsylvania Ballet from 1994 to 2007. Fort-Lauderdale native Rainey danced originally with joint venture Pennsylvania-Milwaukee Ballet and continued with Pennsylvania Ballet when the venture ended, retiring in 2006. United Kingdom born Ducker joined Pennsylvania Ballet as a member of the corps de ballet for the 2014-2015 season and was promoted to Demi-Soloist in the spring of 2019.

Pennsylvania Ballet will partner with University of the Arts, Drexel and Temple universities for an in-depth look into the power of creativity in choreography. The Kimmel Center is a season partner.

Swan Lake

February 25-March 7, 2021

Academy of Music

Choreography: Angel Corella (after Marius Petipa)

Music: Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky

Artists and patrons return to the Academy of Music in February for Angel Corella's re-staging of ballet's most magnificent love story Swan Lake. Stunning choreography and evocative music by Tchaikovsky come together to tell the tale of young Prince Siegfried and his love for the Swan Queen, Odette. Cursed to live the life of a swan by day and a human by night, Odette's only hope of breaking the evil spell is a declaration of true love.

In partnership with the Audubon Society, Pennsylvania Ballet will explore the significance and mythology of swans throughout history and across cultures in the lead up to Swan Lake.

Stars and Stripes

March 11-14, 2021

Academy of Music

Choreography: George Balanchine

Music: Serenade, Tchaikovsky; Divertimento No. 15, Mozart; Stars and Stripes, John Philip Sousa

Immediately following Swan Lake in March, Pennsylvania Ballet presents three of George Balanchine's respected works, including Serenade, Divertimento No. 15, and the vibrant Stars and Stripes. Originally choreographed on students, Serenade was first performed by the School of American Ballet and is revered as a dance milestone as Balanchine's first work created in America. It's a visual indulgence performed by a corps of dancers in blue costumes in front of a matching blue background.

Balanchine highly regarded Mozart's Divertimento No. 15 as the finest divertimento ever written, inspiring his choreography for this remarkable ballet with the same name. This ballet has multiple variations each complementing the exquisiteness and originality of the music. Composed to music by John Philip Sousa, the patriotic Stars and Stripes wraps this program and evokes the sense of a Fourth of July parade as a sparkling tribute to Balanchine's adopted country.

The Philadelphia School District is a natural partner for Serenade and together with Pennsylvania Ballet will discuss arts education, the role of dance in children's lives and the important work of the company's community engagement program in schools.

Coppelia

May 13-16, 2021

Academy of Music

Choreography: Angel Corella (after Marius Petipa)

Music: Léo Delibes

The season closes in May with Corella's re-staging of the hilarious comedy Coppelia. A toymaker's beautiful doll becomes the object of a lovesick young man's affection, causing his clever fiancée to hilariously disguise herself as the life-size toy to bring to light his foolishness. The comical results make this one of the most well-loved comedies in the ballet repertoire.

In partnership with Smith Memorial Playground, Pennsylvania Ballet will address the importance of unstructured free play and highlight Philadelphia's play-centered spaces for children.

Full Season subscriptions to Pennsylvania Ballet's 2020-2021 season go on sale at 10:00am Tuesday, February 25th and will be available at paballet.org or by calling 215-893-1955.