PICTURED: Christian Clark (left) and Rachel Van Buskirk dance Ohad Narharin’s “Minus 16.” Photo: Charlie McCullers
ATLANTA BALLET’S Gennadi Nedvigin, looking toward his second season as artistic director, has programmed a 2017/18 lineup that mixes traditional favorites (The Nutcracker) with inventive new works (world premieres by choreographers Craig Davidson, Tara Lee and Maxim Petrov).
The season begins Dec. 8 with Atlanta Ballet’s Nutcracker and ends May 13, 2018, with the final performance of George Balanchine’s Who Cares? among the titles. Except for its December Nutcracker, Atlanta Ballet performs at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre, 2800 Cobb Galleria Parkway, Atlanta (inside I-75/285). The Nutcracker is danced at the Fox Theatre in midtown Atlanta, 660 Peachtree St. NE.
Here’s a closer look at the season, in chronological order:
Atlanta Ballet’s Nutcracker. DEC. 8-28. This is the last go-round for former artistic director John McFall’s Russian-accented version of the holiday perennial, which Atlanta Ballet has danced it for 21 years and 488 performances. A new Nutcracker debuts in 2018. Tchaikovsky’s music is performed live by the Atlanta Ballet Orchestra.
Don Quixote. FEB. 2-11, 2018. Company premiere. Choreography by San Francisco Ballet’s Yuri Possokhov. The Chicago Sun-Times called this story ballet about a knight errant tilting with windmills in the Spanish countryside “an altogether enchanting piece of dance theater.” The Ludwig Minkus score is performed live by the Atlanta Ballet Orchestra.
Beauty and the Beast. FEB. 10-11, 2018. An hourlong family ballet designed with ages 12 and younger in mind.
Swan Lake, Act 3. MARCH 16-18, 2018. The company dances the version choreographed by France’s Marius Petipa, with Nedvigin doing the staging. Also on the program: A world premiere by Australian-born choreographer Craig Davidson.
TuTu. APRIL 13-15, 2018. Featuring choreographer Stanton Welch’s unconventional TuTu, set to Maurice Ravel’s Concerto for Piano in G major. Also on the program: The return of Ohad Naharin’s Minus 16 and a world premiere by longtime Atlanta Ballet dancer/choreographer Tara Lee.
Who Cares? MAY 11-13, 2018. Choreographed by George Balanchine and set to 13 Gershwin classics. The New York Times called it “a carefree ballet that will send people out humming and even smiling.” Also on the program: 7 for Eight by San Francisco Ballet’s Helgi Tomasson and a world premiere from Mariinsky Theatre’s Maxim Petrov.
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