FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 6, 2004

CONTACT: Mark Fleisher

Festival Ballet Providence, 401.353.1129

Festival Ballet Providence Announces 2004-05 Season

Providence, RI - Festival Ballet Providence Artistic Director Mihailo Djuric announces the Company’s 2004-2005 season. It is a varied season with two major world premieres, interspersing great classics with the work of talented emerging choreographers, and showcasing the versatility of the company’s dancers.

All main stage performances for the 2004-2005 season will take place in Providence’s finest theaters; the 3,100 seat Providence Performing Arts Center, and the 2,200 seat VMA Arts & Cultural Center.

The main stage season opens October 22-24, 2004 with a thrilling world premiere of Chris Van Allsburg’s story The Widow’s Broom. In the book, a witch’s worn-out broom serves a widow well, until her neighbors decide the thing is wicked and dangerous. Viktor Plotnikov has been commissioned to choreograph this all-new production for Festival Ballet Providence. Mr. Plotnikov created Festival Ballet Providence’s 2003 season opener, Carmen, to rave reviews, and is thrilled to continue his association with the Company. Recent 2004 Tony award-winning set designer for “Wicked”) Eugene Lee, and composer Aleksandra Vrebalov will collaborate with Mr. Van Allsburg and Mr. Plotnikov to create this brand new production.

December 10 - 12, 2004, the Company brings its holiday favorite, The Nutcracker, to the resplendent Providence Performing Arts Center for five memorable performances. Lush sets, bravura dancing and brilliant costumes sparkling with co-sponsor Swarovski crystal stones make this production memorable for the entire family. The company will also tour its production of The Nutcracker to New Bedford’s Zeiterion Theater December 17-18, 2004.

Festival Ballet Providence celebrates Valentine’s Day weekend at the VMA Arts & Cultural Center with a special event February 11-13, 2005. Gianni Di Marco has been commissioned to create a new one act ballet, Scheherezade for the Company. A nine-year member of Boston Ballet, Mr. Di Marco is an exciting, young choreographer, perfectly suited for this project. The program will also include San Francisco Ballet founder Lew Christiansen’s wonderful romp, Con Amore.

The season concludes at VMA April 8-10, 2005 with one of the great productions of the Classical repertoire, Don Quixote, with staging by Mr. Djuric and Festival Ballet Providence ballet mistress, Milica Bijelic.

Mr. Djuric’s artistic vision for expanding the company’s repertoire and commitment to bringing audiences closer to dance is evident in the expansion of Up CLOSE on HOPE, his new series of intimate contemporary repertory performances in the company’s Hope Street home. These three distinct productions are in addition to the regular season of 4 main stage productions.

The second season of the “Up CLOSE, on HOPE” studio repertory performances (the Ballet’s address is 825 Hope Street) will be presented during the months between the company’s main stage productions, giving audiences the opportunity to experience dance in an intimate setting in its purest form. Three separate repertory programs, one each in September, November, and March on two consecutive weekends will include works by established and emerging choreographers from around the country, including Viktor Plotnikov (Boston), Festival Ballet Providence’s Mihailo Djuric (Providence), James Brown (Providence), Gianni DiMarco (Boston), and Colleen Cavanaugh (Providence). Limited to an audience of only ninety, this performance series offers the chance to see thrilling, original dance, to meet the dancers, and to mingle with the choreographers. All performances take place in Festival Ballet Providence’s Grand Studio, 825 Hope Street on Providence’s East Side. Having been completely sold out the inaugural season, this year the series has been expanded from two to three performances of each production. Tickets for Up CLOSE on HOPE performances are only available through Festival Ballet Providence.

Reserved ticket and season subscription information is available by contacting www.tickets.com (800.919.6272), VMA Arts & Cultural Center, 401.272.4862, Festival Ballet Providence, 401.353.1129, by sending email inquiries to info@festivalballet.com. Nutcracker tickets may be ordered through PPAC at 401.421.ARTS or through Ticketmaster outlets.

##

The Festival Ballet Providence and the Festival Ballet Providence Center for Dance Education are together a not-for-profit arts organization whose EIN is 05-0377245 and whose Rhode Island Corporate ID number is ND-27-137.