“Cinderella” – The Mariinsky Ballet and Orchestra perform at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in October – Los Angeles ballet theater report

One of the most powerful classical story-ballets, Alexei Ratmanky’s Cinderella, will grace the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion stage on October 8-11, 2015 as Russia’s world-renowned Mariinsky Ballet and Orchestra opens the 12th season of The Music Center’s acclaimed dance series, Glorya Kaufman Presents Dance at The Music Center. The Southern California premiere of this celebrated work, set to Sergei Prokofiev’s haunting score performed by the Mariinsky Orchestra, will engage audiences during five performances at The Music Center’s Dorothy Chandler Pavilion with a fresh look at the classic story, featuring vibrant choreography, feisty humor and a glamorous 1930s twist.

Mariinsky Ballet and American Ballet Theatre Principal Dancer Diana Vishneva will perform the lead role of Cinderella on opening night. The Mariinsky Ballet and Orchestra precedes its Music Center engagement with performances of Raymonda at Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa, CA this weekend. More information on those performances of Raymonda can be found here.

Russia’s world-renowned Mariinsky Ballet (formerly the Kirov Ballet, from St. Petersburg), opens the 12th season of Glorya Kaufman Presents Dance at The Music Center on October 8-11, 2015 with the Southern California premiere of its celebrated work, Alexei Ratmanskys Cinderella.

Commissioned for the Mariinsky Theatre and premiering in March 2002, Ratmansky’s Cinderella launched the now internationally renowned choreographer onto the world stage. He weaves together a magnificent array of different styles that are interpreted through virtuous classical language along with a monumental, dramatic score. The result is a fresh, witty and sardonic account of the story. Ratmansky combines the grand spectacle of ballet from Soviet Russia with innovative choreography that has a contemporary edge, offering audiences endearing characters and a sense of sophistication. Cinderella is portrayed as a lonely dreamer and her stepmother as a vicious, tantrum-prone social climber. The choreography builds to a pas de deux of aching beauty and tenderness between Cinderella and her prince. The performances are complemented by spectacular sets and costumes that portray a more modern world of the 20th century.

Founded in the 18th century and originally known as the Imperial Russian Ballet, the Mariinsky Ballet is one of the world’s leading classical ballet companies. The company is based at the Mariinsky Theatre in Saint Petersburg, Russia. The Mariinsky Ballet is the parent company of the Vaganova Ballet Academy, a leading international ballet school, from which some of the greatest and most well-known dancers emerged, including Rudolf Nureyev, Mikhail Baryshnikov, George Balanchine and Natalia Makarova. Valery Gergiev is artistic and general director of the Mariinsky Theatre, Yury Fateev serves as interim ballet director, and Gavriel Heine is the conductor.

Alexei Ratmansky’s Cinderella
Music: Sergei Prokofiev
Libretto: Nikolai Volkov, after motifs from the fairytale by Charles Perrault
Set Design: Ilya Utkin, Yevgeny Monakhov
Costume Design: Elena Markovskaya
Lighting Design: Gleb Filshtinsky
Musical Director: Valery Gergiev

The Music Centers Dorothy Chandler Pavilion
135 N. Grand Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90012

Thursday, October 8, 2015, 7:30 p.m.
Friday, October 9, 2015, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, October 10, 2015, 2:00 p.m.
Saturday, October 10, 2015, 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, October 11, 2015, 2:00 p.m.
Ticket prices: Start at $34

Box office:
The Music Centers Dorothy Chandler Pavilion Box Office, 135 N. Grand Avenue,
Los Angeles, CA 90012
Online: musiccenter.org/Cinderella
Phone: (213) 972-0711
For 10 tickets or more, call (213) 972-8555 or email mcgroupsales@musiccenter.org

Ticket holders can get a behind-the-scenes perspective by joining Glorya Kaufman Presents Dance at The Music Center for DANCETALKS, featuring discussions one hour before curtain. Visit The Music Centers blog, OneThirtyFive//Grand at their site for more information about the performance.

Pre-performance DANCETALKS happen one hour prior to each performance, or in real time by calling 218-844-1930 (access code: 314902). DANCETALKS can also be heard after the engagement on The Music Centers Soundcloud channel at soundcloud.com/music-center-LA

About Glorya Kaufman Presents Dance at The Music Center:
Glorya Kaufman Presents Dance at The Music Center is one of the leading presenters of dance on the West Coast. The celebrated series offers significant works by prestigious ballet and contemporary dance artists from around the world. Entering its second decade, Dance at The Music Center continues to be a powerful commissioning force through the support of new works and artists-in-residence projects by todays most influential companies and choreographers. Performances take place throughout The Music Center, including the historic Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, the distinctive Ahmanson Theatre, and the iconic Walt Disney Concert Hall, providing the ideal setting for inspiring dance experiences.
About The Music Center:
The Music Center is Los Angeles home to the worlds greatest artistic programs and events. With four iconic theaters and four renowned resident companies  Center Theatre Group, the LA Master Chorale, the LA Opera and the LA Philharmonic  and recognized for its illustrious dance programming, Glorya Kaufman Presents Dance at The Music Center, The Music Center is a destination where audiences find inspiration in the very best of live performance, as well as nationally recognized arts education and participatory arts experiences. For more information, visit http://www.musiccenter.org
Calendar Listing/Mariinsky Ballet and Orchestra*

 

*Program and artists subject to change.