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GEORGE BALANCHINE'S SERENADE
WITH SYMPHONY OF LIFE

Featuring Cleveland Ballet Orchestra

Friday, April 21st at 7 p.m.

Saturday, April 22nd at 7 p.m.

Presenting Sponsor Charles Abookire

In Loving Memory of His Wife

Sandra Hanna Abookire

Presenting Orchestra Sponsor Michael Frank

For the first time, Cleveland Ballet has been granted the rights to perform one of the most celebrated ballets in the history of dance, Serenade, choreographed by George Balanchine. Serenade, as a signature work of New York City Ballet’s repertory, has been added to our own fast-growing repertoire, marking the first ballet the company will perform with the newly formed Cleveland Ballet Orchestra. The one-act ballet represents a milestone in the history of dance, being the first ballet choreographed by Mr. Balanchine in America. The George Balanchine Trust has granted permission for Cleveland Ballet to perform this masterpiece.

Join the company as they immerse themselves into a beautiful and elegant musical score from world-renowned Israeli composer Anna Segal, which is the first commissioned musical score for Cleveland Ballet. The company not only has this exquisite score by Ms. Segal, but the artistic story is told by the critically acclaimed choreographer, Ilia Zhivoi. With 24 musicians making up a quaint but powerful live orchestra, conductor Caleb Young – making his Playhouse Square debut – and musical advisor Alexandra Preucil bring to life Segal’s wonderful piece of music with Cleveland Ballet artists bringing their own artistry and flair to Zhivoi’s beautiful choreography. Symphony of Life breathes new life into Cleveland Ballet, effectively ending their eighth season on a high note.

TICKETS

Individual tickets may be purchased below through Playhouse Square or through Cleveland Ballet Ticketing at 216.320.9000 x 107 or tickets@clevelandballet.org

George Balanchine

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The Foremost Contemporary Choreographer in the World of Ballet

Photo by Tanquil LeClercq

BALANCHINE is a trademark of The George Balanchine Trust

RÉPÉTITEUR ON BEHALF OF THE GEORGE BALANCHINE TRUST

DEBORAH WINGERT

Deborah Wingert began her training at the Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet under Marcia Dale Weary and became a scholarship student at the School of American Ballet in New York. At the age of sixteen, she was selected by George Balanchine to join New York City Ballet. During her thirteen years with the company, Ms. Wingert danced over twenty-five principal, soloist and featured roles in productions that include Balanchine's A Midsummer Night's Dream, Coppélia, Orpheus, Symphony in C, Jewels, La Valse, Stars and Stripes, Prodigal Son, Bourree Fantastique, Brahms-Schoenberg Quartet, The Nutcracker, The Four Temperaments, and Mozartina; Jerome Robbins' The

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Concert and Antique Epigraphs; and Peter Martins' The Sleeping Beauty. A principal and soloist with numerous nationally acclaimed companies, her film and television credits include George Balanchine's The Nutcracker (Time-Warner), PBS Great Performances: Dinner with BalanchineDance in America: Balanchine - Serenade and Western Symphony, Peter Martins' Concerto for Two Solo Pianos, and Live from Lincoln Center: A Midsummer Night's Dream.

As one of a small group of artists selected by The George Balanchine Trust to set his choreography, she has traveled throughout the United States, setting and staging the Balanchine repertoire for Butler University, Indiana University, Baltimore School for the Arts, Joffrey Ballet Chicago and Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, to name a few.

Ms. Wingert is currently Co-Artistic Director and Head of Faculty at Manhattan Youth Ballet and on faculty at the Juilliard School. She has been a guest instructor for many companies and schools including Princeton University, Harvard University, University of California Santa Barbara, Dance Theater of Harlem, Jessica Lang Dance, Kyle Abraham: AIM, Sarasota Ballet and New York City Ballet.

CREDITS

George Balanchine's Serenade

CHOREOGRAPHY

George Balanchine

© The George Balanchine Trust

STAGING

Deborah Wingert

MUSIC

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

LIGHTING DESIGN

Dennis Dugan

COSTUME

Sam Meredith & Pro Tutu Studio

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CREDITS

Symphony of Life

CHOREOGRAPHY

Ilia Zhivoi

CONDUCTOR

Caleb Young

COMPOSER

Anna Segal

CONCERTMASTER

Alexandra Preucil

SET DESIGN

Jeff McLaughlin

LIGHTING DESIGN

Dennis Dugan

COSTUME

Sonia Vartanian &

Cleveland Ballet Costume Shop

SYNOPSIS

Serenade is a milestone in the history of dance. It is the first original ballet George Balanchine created in America and is one of the signature works of New York City Ballet's repertory. Balanchine began the ballet as a lesson in stage technique and worked unexpected rehearsal events into the choreography. A student's fall or late arrival to rehearsal became part of the ballet.

After its initial presentation, Serenade was reworked several times. in its present form there are four movements: "Sonatina, "Waltz," "Russian Dance" and "Elegy." The last two movements reverse the order of Tchaikovsky's score, ending the ballet on a note of sadness.

Courtesy of New York City Ballet

SEATING CHARTS

Please note that these charts are for informational purposes only. These do not reflect seat availability in Connor Palace, please visit Playhouse Square's website for the most up to date seating availability.

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